2011 Cook-Off Rules

1. COOKED ON SITE: All meats that are entered into judging will be cooked from scratch within the constraints of the event. Pre-cooking, pre-marinating, etc. will not be allowed either on or off the cook site prior to start of the cook-off as defined by the cook-off promoter. Meat may not be seasoned or marinated prior to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, the day before a cook-off. 2. SANITATION: All cooks are to prepare and cook in as sanitary manner as possible. Cooking conditions are subject to inspection by the judging committee at any given time. Hand sanitizer should be available and used. No use of any tobacco products while handling meat. Shirt and shoes are required to be worn. 3. MULTIPLE ENTRIES PER TEAM: We recognize that there may be times that more than one cook will cook on a given pit. It will be the head judge’s responsibility to monitor and handle this is a professional manner. Head cooks must notify the Head Judge on multiple entries. Multiple entries in the same category by the same cook will not be allowed. Multiple entries can be turned in per category, per team and an additional $10.00 is required per additional entry of each category. 4. COOK’S MEETING: After the welcome, the HEAD JUDGE will be responsible to address the cooks on rules and judging procedures. Pit- Any commercial or homemade trailered or untrailered pit or smoker. May include gas or ectricity to start natural fiber substance but under no condition can gas or electricity be used for cooking, however, electric rotisseries will be allowed. *Please keep all vehicles out of the park area once your equipment has been unloaded. 5. OPEN FIRES: No ground pits or burn down barrels will be used. Non-compliance could be grounds for disqualification. All cooking teams should have a minimum of one fire extinguisher readily available. 6. CATEGORIES 1st, 2nd & 3rd place skillets given for each of the following: BEEF - Brisket only, after all this is Texas. RIBS - Beef or pork, spare or baby back. CHICKEN - Can be stuffed and/or bacon wrapped (no Cornish Game Hen). SEAFOOD - Grilled also be stuffed and/or bacon wrapped. DESSERT - Cooked on site, on the grill. SALSA – For sanitary reasons, can be prepared off site (must be homemade). MARGARITA – Any recipe/flavor goes (on the rocks or frozen). BEANS – Prepared on site (nothing bigger than the bean). CAMPSITE – Decorate your spread. DONATIONS – Remember this is a fundraiser. 7. CRITERIA FOR TURN IN SAMPLES: A minimum of one showpiece for each category plus a number of samples that will be determined by the head judge (usually 6), and announced at the cooks meeting, on the day of the cook-off. Rib samples must have bone in it and can be any length as long as lid will close. 8. JUDGING TRAYS: A Styrofoam tray with a hinged lid and without dividers or the best readily available judging container that is approximately 9 inches square on the bottom half as well as bean / salsa cups will be provided. Silver foil can be used in the judging trays supplied by cookers to keep entries warm. All judging containers must be clean and free of obvious marks. Marked containers will be disqualified at the Head Judges discretion. Cooks are responsible for insuring that the containers they receive are clean and undamaged. If a judging tray become damaged it may be replaced when it, along with the ticket attached to the lid, is returned to the Head Judge. 9. JUDGING TRAY CONTENTS: The Head Judge will advise all cooks entered into competition at any given event of the exact quantities (usually 6-10) and cuts of meat or meats that will be placed into the judging tray. 10. GARNISHES: Unless specified, any and all garnishes and condiments are prohibited. Meats may be cooked with sauces, but once cooking is completed, sauces cannot be used. No sauce may be visible in the judging containers; this will be grounds for disqualification. Chicken and Seafood may be stuffed and or bacon wrapped. 11. TURN-IN TIMES: The Head Judge has pre-set firm turn-in times for each category to be judged. Official time clock will be displayed. Once this time is set and announced to the contestants, no change or variation will be made. We will allow for a turn-in time window that will be 5 minutes before turn-in time and 5 minutes after turn-in time. Judging trays received after this window time will be accepted but not judged. Turn-in times are as follows: FRIDAY SATURDAY 6:00 pm Cook’s Meeting 10:00 am Campsite 7:00 pm 42 Tournament 11:00 am Beans & Horseshoes 8:00 pm “Kick Off the Cook-Off Dance” 12:00 pm Seafood 9:00 pm Salsa Contest 1:00 pm Chicken 10:00 pm Margarita Mix-Off 2:00 pm Ribs 3:00 pm Beef 4:00 pm Desert 4:30 pm Donation Jars 5:00 pm Awards Ceremony 12. JUDGES: The use of participating Cooks and/or team members as tasting judges in all phases is prohibited. They may however, be used as table monitors. Since judges are volunteers that are selected the day of the event, some may be affiliated with a Unit that is represented with a Cooking Team however they may not actually be on a Cooking Team. Any questions regarding a judge’s affiliation to a Cooking Team should be brought to the attention of the Head Judge immediately and before the event is judged, or forever hold your peace. Remember judging is blind and entries are identified by tickets, not by team names. No one will know who won until the winning tickets are announced at the Awards Ceremony. 13. JUDGING: Judging will be done by primary (secondary if needed) and finals tables. Amount of Judges for tasting (usually 6-10) will be decided according to the number of entries. Twenty-five pieces should be the maximum per Judge per category. 14. BBQ PRIZES: Trophy Skillets will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place entries in each cooking category. NO CASH PRIZES-ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE GIVEN TO CPOF 15. 42 TOURNAMENT: This will start at 7:00pm on Friday night. Entry fee is $10.00 per team. Prizes will be awarded to the winning team only, both team members getting a trophy. Any questions about the rules will be addressed at the time of the event. 16. SALSA CONTEST: Will be judged on Friday night at 9:00 pm $10 per entry. We require a minimum of 4 cups (1 quart) of your product be submitted in the provided cup. Entries will be judged in a blind tasting based upon aroma, appearance, texture and taste. Excessive heat is not a factor. Entries must be the contestant’s own original creation, and must not be professionally packaged, marketed or sold. Anything goes, does not have to be tomato based. Can be made off-site and brought to the event already prepared for sanitary reasons. Multiple entries by the same team is allowed, but not by the same cook, at $10 per entry. 17. MARGARITA MIX-OFF: Will be judged on Friday night at 10:00 pm $10 per entry. We require a minimum of 4 cups (1 quart) of Margarita be submitted in the provided cup. Any recipe goes. Can be frozen or on the rocks. Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place entries. NOTE: No show pieces will be accepted or required. 18. BEST CAMPSITE: This category will be judged at 10:00am on Saturday. Have your team on site and ready for a team photograph at this time whether you entered your Campsite or not. This would be a good time to police up the area around your site. 19. BEANS: This category will be judged at 11:00am on Saturday. Only dry pinto beans will be used for cooking. Nothing larger than the bean will be allowed in the provided cup. The beans must be prepared at the Cook Off. (The beans may NOT be cooked off site and brought to the contest and heated up.) 20. HORSESHOES: This will start at 11:00am on Saturday. Entry fee is $10.00 per team. Prizes will be awarded to the winning team only, both team members getting a trophy. Any questions about the rules will be addressed at the time of the event. 21. DONATION JUGS: You will be provided with a donation jug that will be turned in at 4:30pm on Saturday. The team that turns in the most money with their donation jug will be recognized during the Awards Ceremony and this will count toward the consideration for the Grand Champion Skillet Award. Your entry fees for all the categories your team entered will be counted toward your team’s total donation. 22. GRAND CHAMPION: Grand Champion will be awarded based on several different factors to include the team who wins the most trophy skillets, collects the most money for CPOF (remember this is a fundraiser), wins the Margarita Contest, wins the 42 tournament, wins the Horseshoe contest, wins the best Campsite, etc. All of the weekend’s events will count toward the Grand Champion Traveling Trophy. This trophy must be returned to the event each year and given up to be awarded to the present year’s Grand Champion winners. GOOD LUCK! 23. TEAM COMPOSITION: At least one member of your Team must be a current or former TDCJ Employee and you must declare an affiliation with a TDCJ Unit/Facility or Department. 24. CONDUCT: Each Team’s head cook will be responsible for the conduct and behavior of their team members and their guests. In the event that a member of your team is expelled from the park, it is the head cook’s responsibility to see that the offending member and or guests are removed from the grounds. In the event the head cook is expelled, then his designee will be insuring the person is removed. If the banned person remains in the area, the offending team can be in danger of disqualification. Amplified sound systems are to be used with moderation and consideration of others in the cook-off area. This cook-off is intended for family participation. The excessive use of alcohol shall be grounds for disqualification and will be handled as mentioned above. In the event of a disqualification, entry fees are not refundable. 25. CLEAN-UP: Each team is responsible for the maintenance and clean-up of their areas. All cooking sites must be kept clean and cleaned before leaving. Absolutely no beans, grease, or trash will be left in the cook sites except in available trash containers. Hot coals or ashes should not be disposed of on the grounds or in the trashcans. Remember, Community Squad Offenders clean the park so make sure that no tobacco products or containers of alcohol are left behind. A Community Squad Offenders may be utilized Saturday morning between 8am and 10am to empty trash containers in the park. Do not leave alcohol or tobacco unattended or vehicles unsecured during this time. The Head Judge reserves the right to add rules and regulations as circumstances warrant. ALL DECISIONS BY JUDGES ARE FINAL!