Postby All_Grilla_No_Filla » Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:50 pm
Wow...I had every intention of heading to a 'hello' section to introduce myself when I read this rather interesting thread.
Am I understanding correctly that there is anyone in the free world who feels that an ungloved hand is as sanitary, or even more so, than a gloved hand? Notwithstanding rules of any sort, I'm not sure anyone we've ever competed with or against (IBCA, LSBS, KCBS) ever felt it was a good idea to use bare hands if they could keep from it. Especially since water is often in limited supply at comps. A bare hand has folds and ridges, hair, fingernails to trap grime and bacteria, etc., that can't be gotten out except with a significant brushing of very warm water, good soap, etc. If I'm eating one's food, it doesn't matter that they're germ free, it would gross me out to know they handled raw meat or really any other contaminants with their bare hands, gave it a quick wash with a splash or two of cold water and some dish soap, and then put their nasty paws all over something that I was being served. At least with gloves they aren't porous and when they're washed, more particulates may be removed than off the bare hand.
It just seems like such an easy practice to wear gloves, anytime. I do this both at home and in competition, and I also have a rigorous cleanliness regimen that my team abides by without exception. They're inexpensive and easy to get and keep on hand. I did this long before the TV shows, because it just seems like good sense, not to mention it's incredibly easy to change them, wash them, sterilize them, etc. I don't have to have someone standing over me with a ruler waiting to rap my knuckles and pointing to a rule in a book for a sanitation violation to understand it as being a good idea. I understand that I can't control everything that goes on in restaurants, etc., but I can absolutely control how I serve my guests, judges, the public, etc. My team understands it as absolutely imperative that cleanliness and sanitation are more important than anything else, period, because I'd be mortified if something we served caused someone to get sick or even have an unfavorable experience where they thought us as nasty, unclean, etc., ever, period, without exception or question. I'd rather not cook. We follow a very rigid process on glove cleanliness, and change frequently.
Those who think no one notices...people absolutely notice. They just may be in a situation where they've already paid money for samples, or have obligated themselves to be a judge, or are guests at the house and don't want to be rude- so they keep quiet. But they notice. If asked, I'd bet they would rather see gloved hands. We've had people come by our tent and compliment us on the attention we paid to how clean we were and how those sort of details were apparent just by watching us. We were/are not looking for an award or badge, it just seems like the right thing to do.
To the OP, great-looking brisket! (And, apologies for the glove dissertation.) It did look like maybe it hadn't rendered out all the way, so another 15 or so degrees internal (hour or so cook time) and a good rest time and you'll be on target! Inject will help, and also an au jus type of liquid that you can bathe the pieces in just before putting in the box might keep the slices a little more moist and glistening?
... you go any further south than what I am and you're swimming in the Gulf (unless of course you follow the coastal curve) and I've worn gloves from day one of doing comps, for multiple reasons.
