Virginia 4-H Contest Guide - Turkey Barbecue

Description of Contest

1. To demonstrate and teach proper skills and techniques to use in preparation and use of poultry meat.
2. To acquire knowledge and improved understanding of the economy, versatility and nutritional value of poultry meat and its relationship to human nutrition and health.
3. To help youth develop skills in the preparation and use of poultry and to acquire the ability to express their ideas proficiently and efficiently through participation in projects, talks, discussions, demonstrations and exhibits.

Levels of Competition

Unit (county), District, State, National

Age categories:

• Junior contestants – 9 to 13 as of September 30
• Senior contestants for any Virginia-held Turkey-Que are 14-18 as of September 30
• Note! National contestants must be 14-18 as of January 1 of the competition year. It is possible for a youth to eligible for the state competition and ineligible for the national competition.

This age eligibility conforms to the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference Rules

Awards to be Earned

• Danish Awards: Blue Ribbon 100-90, Red Ribbon 89-75, White Ribbon 74 and below.
• Top senior individual (14 years of age or older as of January 1 of the present year) at the state contest is eligible to compete at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference, Louisville, Kentucky.

Rules for this Contest

VA 4-H Rules

The Virginia state Turkey-Que contest will use the national rules except for the following:

• Grills will not be provided like they are at nationals. Participants should plan to provide their own grill at unit, district, and state level contests, though they may wish to work with contest coordinators to see what options are available. Grills should be of reasonable size for the competition area; grills should not be commercial size or pull-behind trailer types.
• Contestants will need to provide charcoal and lighter fluid at unit and district contests.
• Contestants should not bring their own charcoal and lighter fluid to State 4-H Congress (due to safety reasons); these items will be provided. Participants may not have lighter fluid in the dormitories or on buses used to trans- port youth to Congress.

The Turkey Barbeque Contest is divided into three parts and contestants will be scored on the following areas:

• Sensory Evaluation
• Barbecue Skills
• Oral Presentation

Sensory Evaluation & Barbeque Skills

1. Each contestant will prepare 1 to 2 pound turkey filets (skin optional) provided to them by the contest monitors. They will be evaluated during the preparation of their turkey by judges utilizing the barbecue skills score sheet.
2. There will be a 3 hour time limit for the preparation of the turkey. The turkey will not be available to the contes- tant prior to the contest starting time. The fire may not be lit until the contest starting time. Points will be deducted for extra time used. One point for every 5 minutes late.
3. Turkey shall not be marinated prior to start of the contest. Parboiling and/or deep-frying competition meat is not allowed. Contestant may not inject or insert any fluid, sauce, or additive into the turkey. Turkey may be cooked in aluminum foil wrap.
4. Fire is restricted to inside the provided grill. Burning materials outside the grills will be considered as a fire haz- ard. The use of non-charcoal combustible fuel is to be limited. Chimney-starters may be used but such devices must be placed inside the grill before and during ignition and removed from the grill prior to addition of the turkey for cooking. Accessories such as spits, augers, or forced draft are not permitted. Electricity will not be provided or used.
5. Each contestant will be assigned a cooking space and grill along with a work area of one half of a 4’ by 8’ folding table adjacent to their grill.
6. All other equipment and supplies, including sauce, must be furnished by the contestant. Sauce, if used, may be commercial or private recipe (description must be provided to judges on the recipe card to assist during flavor and appearance evaluation).
7. Contestants are expected to use a meat thermometer.
8. 8.  Commercial devices for covering of meat during cooking will not be permitted; only aluminum foil wrap may be used.
9. Contestant will work alone, except for setting up for the demonstration or in case of emergency.
10. Contestant must provide recipe or preparation outline cards describing sauce, rubs, or other treatments associ- ated with the cooking of the turkey to include ingredients and special instructions if necessary for food safety, relating to these ingredients such as keeping sauce ingredients either cool or heated. Recipe cards need to include the following information: a) name of recipe and contestant number, b) ingredients and general cooking instructions, and c) if special cooking techniques were used to achieve unique flavoring.
11. Each contestant will present two barbecued turkey filets to the panel of judges at the conclusion of their cooking time on plates or containers provided. Contestants will be notified 15 minutes prior to the end of the cooking time. No garnishes, dips or additional items shall be presented on the plates or submitted to the judges. Note that one recipe card or cooking outline card for the sensory judges must accompany the product. Product will be evaluated using the sensory score sheets.

Oral Presentation

1. An illustrated presentation, including factual information about turkey, will be made by each contestant (see score sheet). The participant is to demonstrate their knowledge in the following areas:
   1. a.  The turkey industry in the United States and its economic importance
   2. b.  General food safety, including safe storage and handling of turkey (uncooked and cooked)
   3. c.  Nutritional value of turkey and role in a balanced diet
2. Contestants will be allotted a maximum of 10 minutes for their presentation. Judges will have up to 3 minutes for questions directed to contestants. Questions may be related to statements made by the contestant during their presentation that the judges feel might need further explanation.
3. No contestant will be allowed to have any form of identification as to name or unit represented.
4. Easels will be provided. PowerPoint presentations using a computer and computer projector can be used. A Win- dows based laptop computer and computer projector will be available. PowerPoint 2010 will be installed on the computer and contestants should have their talk on a USB flash drive device. PowerPoint presentations are not to include audio.
5. The top contestant (14 years or older as of January 1, of the current year) will receive a trip to the National Poul- try and Egg Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
6. In case of a tie following tabulation of contestant scores, the tie scores of the top five contestants will be broken in descending order by:
   1. Highest score in Sensory Evaluation.
   2. Highest score in Barbecue Skills portion.
   3. Method determined by contest committee

National Rules:

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/national4hpoultry/TurkeyBBQ.html

Resources to Help Prepare for this Contest

National Turkey Federation - http://www.eatturkey.com

Tyson On-line Recipe Site - http://www.tyson.com/Meal-Ideas-And-Recipes/Occasions-And-Situations/Grill.aspx

Score Sheets for this Contest

Cooking Skills - http://www2.ca.uky.edu/national4hpoultry/ScoreSheets/National%204-H%20Turkey%20BBQ%20Cooking%20Skills%20Form.pdf

Sensory Evaluation - http://www2.ca.uky.edu/national4hpoultry/ScoreSheets/National%204-H%20Turkey%20BBQ%20Sensory%20Evaluation%20Form.pdf

Oral Presentation - http://www2.ca.uky.edu/national4hpoultry/ScoreSheets/National%204-H%20Chicken%20and%20Turkey%20Presentation%20Form.pdf