What will score better to line the bottom of turn in boxes with?

1/12/2013

QUESTION:

As an FBA contest judge I know filling the box is important. For brisket and pork boxes. What will score better to line the bottom of turn in boxes with? Chopped brisket from flat or pulled brisket from the point. For brisket box. Chopped or pulled pork for the pork box. And do you expect this as heavily sauced as the presentation pieces? Thank you so much for any help you can lend.

Bob Altomari
ST George, Georgia

11 Comments

George

1/12/2013 09:56:28 pm

All are legal presentations and, therefore, should be scored the same. If it looks great and is legal, then I would score any of them high. Having said that, I don't recall seeing pulled brisket in any of the more than 50 contests I've judged. Maybe it is a midwest thing, but the boxes I've scored have all been slices and most also include the burnt ends.

Splat

1/12/2013 10:26:38 pm

A quick comment to the uninformed. In FBA, nothing goes in the box but meat. Therefore, to provide a stable presentation, teams will use chopped pork, brisket and chicken where KCBS would see the green/garnish.
With this in mind, consider also that ANYTHING you put in the box can and likely will be judged. Therefore putting that bed of chopped brisket could be a good thing in the presentation, but if it's doesn't taste as good as the slices, you're likely to get marked down as the score is a representation of what that judged overall within the box.

I've judged boxes for chicken where the white chopped meat used to make those thighs look good, if fact get the taste scored down.

Putting more or less sauce is the teams option. There seems to be a prejudice on an abundance of sauce. The meat is the object being judged and if it tastes like candy, chances are a majority of the judges will mark it down for that.

Greg MCBJ/KCBS

1/12/2013 11:57:00 pm

Depends on whether you want a sunken look or a bulging look. The first judge or two on an overfilled box won't have access to the bottom layer anyway. Keep it legal and if it looks like you'd walk to Denver for the second bite you'll get a 9.

jim v mcbj

1/13/2013 12:30:43 am

being predominantly a kcbs judge, i don't see many meat on meat boxes but i like the looks of pulled vs chopped meat, especially if the meat chop is not too small. as far as sauce. i like to see meat that does not appear to be dry and sauce or glaze helps to knock down a dry appearance. as far as the sauce taste profile, if it helps the meat, i am all for it but if it masks the meat, i will lower the score. a fine line, granted!

Doug KCBS MCBJ & CTC

1/13/2013 01:07:03 am

I have only judged KCBS contests, but I have seen a couple of times where the cooks used shredded brisket as a base for the slices and burnt end cubes. As mentioned above if it is in the box, it can and most likely will be sampled!

As to sauce, less is better. First and foremost a BBQ contest is about the MEAT not the SAUCE. The sauce should compliment the meat, help keep it moist, but never, ever, should it overpower the meat.

Dan KCBS CTC,MCBJ

1/13/2013 01:40:22 am

My only consideration of the filler or base is legality. If its meat on meat I would not a sample the filler just as I would not sample the greenery.

Frank MCBJ

1/13/2013 02:13:57 am

What Splat said.

Tom - CBJ w/ KCBS, MBN, NCPC & comp cook

1/15/2013 04:15:40 am

While I don't judge FBA contests, I am seeing more and more KCBS boxes with a bed of chopped meat in the bottom - both with chicken and with pork, but never with brisket. Personally, I think that chopped meat works better as a platform than pulled meat. Careful with the sauce on ALL meat! Moist is good, but sauced with flavor that overpowers the meat will hurt you!

Ike, CBJ/KCBS

1/15/2013 10:52:30 pm

I've only judged KCBS contests but I have been to a couple where they have used meat for a liner. I like the idea. I think the pulled meat would offer a better layer and would look more even. As for sauce, bbq contests are for judging the meat, not sauce. Use it only lightly so that the judges can taste the flavor of the meat.

Keith - KCBS CBJ

1/16/2013 04:00:10 am

I don't thing any of the above should affect score -- it shall be judged as presented and as long as it is legal...

Beyond that I agree with Tom above -- he put it very well.

Doc K

4/21/2013 01:22:58 pm

I think we should all use the same color green plastic grass that you find in an Easter basket. That would level the field. Hahaha just kidding, or am I?

What will score better to line the bottom of turn in boxes with?

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