KCBS Cook's Meeting

At every KCBS-sanctioned contest, the KCBS Representative holds a cooks meeting, usually on Friday evening, to explain the rules for cooks.

Cook's Meeting

The purpose of the cook's meeting is to welcome the competitors to the contest and to go over the rules and turn-in times and answer any questions the cooks may have. 

At typical cook's meeting my go something like this:

Welcome to the [Contest Name]!  I would like to introduce you to your Contest Coordinator [Coordinator Name].  We would like to thank [him, her, them] for this contest.  Without all their hard work, this contest would not be possible!

The following are changes to the contest rules since last year:

Pork is defined as Boston Butt, Picnic and/or Whole Shoulder weighing approximately five pounds or more.  Pork must be cooked (bone in or bone out) in its entirety (may not be parted).

The Health Department requires that the following meat holding conditions must be met:

1.  All meats must be on ice or refrigeration before being cooked.  Holding temperature must be 40 degrees F or less.

2.  After cooking, meat must be maintained at 140 degrees F or above in a covered container (unless in the cooking process).

Electric accessories such as spits, augers, or forced draft are permitted.  the use of gas to cook meat is prohibited.

Cumulative points for only the four KCBS classifications will determine the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion.  Other categories are permitted, but do not count towards Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion.

The turn in times for this contest will be:

Tri-tip 11:30 a.m.

Chicken 12:00 Noon

Pork Ribs 12:30 p.m.

Pork 1:00 p.m.

Brisket 1:30 p.m.

You will have a 10 minute turn-in window .  You have from 5 minutes prior to 5 minutes after the scheduled time.  If your entry is due at 12:00, you have from 11:55 until 12:05 to get your entry to the turn-in table.  Do not be late or your entry will be disqualified.

Garnish is limited to leaves of green lettuce, common curly parsley, flat leaf parsley, or cilantro.  You may not use kale, endive or red-tipped lettuce.  Any entry not complying with this rule will be given a 1 on appearance.  Garnish is/is not provided by the contest organizers and is available {Location].

There are no toothpicks, skewers, foil or foreign materials allowed in the turn-in container.  There will be no sculpting, painting, etc.  No pooling or puddling of sauce, and no container of sauce.  There will be no marking of the container, and the contestant's number should be on the top!

A minimum of six identifiable portions must be submitted.  In the case of Pulled or Chopped Pork, etc., there needs to be enough for each judge to take a sample.  You are encouraged to include more than the minimum 6 portions, to take care of table captains, volunteers, etc.

For those of you that have not experienced KCBS judging before, it is a blind judging system.  Your entry will be received, and the number on the box will be changed.  You will not know this new number, and neither will the judges.  Only the contest representative will know the number.

Rule 11. CAUSES FOR DISQUALIFICATION:
A. Excessive use of alcoholic beverages by a team, its members and/or guests. (Under no circumstances are alcoholic beverages to be distributed to the general public by contestants and/or guests.)
B. Use of controlled substances by a team, its members and/or guests.
C. Foul, abusive, or unacceptable language by a team, its members and/or guests.
D. Excessive noise generated from speakers or public address systems.
E. Use of gas or other auxiliary heat sources inside the pit. In addition to disqualification, the team and its members will be banned from competing in KCBS events for two years.

Remember, KCBS quiet hours of between 11:00 p.m. on Friday to 7:00 a.m. will be enforced!

If you have any questions about what we've covered here, or anything else about this contest, please see us after this meeting.  If you are a first-time cooker and would like a little one-on-one, please feel free to stay after this meeting and we'll try to answer any questions you may have.  If any of you don't have a copy of the current KCBS rule book, we have copies available.

Last, but, certainly not least, the first rule of a KCBS Contest:  keep your areas clean!  Leave the contest area in better condition at the end of the contest than when you found it when you moved in.

The turn-in area is located [Area location].

Hot coal bins are located [Locations].

Ice is available here [Location]

Your turn-in boxes will be passed out at this time.  When we call your name, please come forward and please check each container to make sure the numbers on each box are the same and coincide with your team number.

Are there any questions?