D
Dale P
Guest
I just wish that the parting rule would be tossed out. We play by the rules but I say it is a silly rule.
I guess there's no way to completely avoid someone from swapping out meat, but it might help.
I think it really depends on the accuracy and use of their terminology.
The info below comes from official ECE document on pork cuts. I know we're not in Europe... but the cut below sounds like a butt to me.
Now I have no idea whether or not this is what Snake River is selling.
(Where are the buthers when you need them?)
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Collar butt – Special Trim * 4245
Collar butt or butt – special trim is prepared from shoulder upper half bone in (Item 4059) by the removal of the ribs, thoracic, cervical vertebrae and the shoulder lower half. The collar butt is the dorsal portion remaining after the shoulder lower half has been removed. All bone and cartilage is removed. The skin is removed from the collar butt surface. A strip of fat is retained on the lateral surface of the cut running parallel to the dorsal edge the length of the collar butt. Specify the width and thickness of the strip of fat to be retained.
To be specified:
· Specify fat cover requirements
· Specify fat trim level
· Specify length of tail distance from eye of meat
*Trade descriptions can be shown as Butt or Collar Butt – Special Trim.
But if the seller specifies it as a collar then it's not a butt or a picnic and besides it's not five pounds. Anybody who uses it is cheating. This kind of creative interpretation is a real problem.
Any one have some pictures of pork collar that meat inspectors can refer to?
Can you tell it is pork collar just by looking?
I'm not trying to be snarky, but when I buy my competition meats from Schnuck's or Sam's, they are labeled by IBP as "Pork Butts." Since they are not labled as a Boston Butt, Picnic, or whole shoulder, can I compete with those? If not, does it become legal again if the butcher ignores the box and calls them Boston Butts in a celophane pack? A different butcher of mine in St. Louis would label the picnics as callie roasts. Does that instantly disqualify the cut of meat from KCBS competition? My father-in-law buys his competition pork roasts (Swift I think) that are called Shoulder Blade Roasts I think. Are those not legal? Again, I'm not trying to be a jerk or even talk about the SRF product, but is legality defined by the name applied to the meat or the meat itself? FWIW, MBN/MIM define the legal shoulder piece by the muscles and bones included, not by the packing name, though they do specifically exclude butts and picnics while including hams.
Far be it from me to think we should change the rules in any way, shape, or form because people would accuse me of trying to complicate things, but when I pointed out last year that the FEC100 is clearly in violation of the letter of the KCBS rules by having an electric heating element which can turn on during cooking, people here mentioned an undocumented "decision" by the board and referred to the sanity of reps. If you publically state your belief that the KCBS rules are bendable and pliable by the "good common sense" of reps in one area, it makes you look like a total hypocrite in my eyes to say that another part of the rules must be quoted and followed to the letter. This is not meant for Jorge, or any one else on in particular, just point it out....
dmp
Any one have some pictures of pork collar that meat inspectors can refer to?
Can you tell it is pork collar just by looking?
As for rule 6 and the FEC100, this could be argued until we are all blue in the face, but the rule says "Propane or electric is permitted as fire starters, provided that the competition meat is not in/on the cooking device." There is no minimum level of heat required, just like there is no maximum level of loin defined in the schoulder section. In at least some models of FEC100 and Traeger grills, an electric fire starter will turn on if the fire goes out. If they get a pass because of the low BTU output of those starters, that's fine, and I'm not arguing the intent nor the spirit of the rule, but I can't see how a reasonable person could deny that it is an exception if not violation to the letter of the rule. Goose, gander, and all that!
dmp