IMPPA & IAMP Cured Meat Championship Rules 1. ELIGIBILITY: Competition is open to all meat processors who are members of the Indiana Meat Packers and Processors Association, Inc. or the Illinois Association of Meat Processors. 2. ENTRIES: Products can only be entered in one class. The same product cannot be entered in two different categories. Only one entry is allowed per processor, per class. All entries must be derived from inspected meat. The only variation from this rule is game categories. 3. REQUIREMENTS: Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: The actual product label (or copy) used for the sale of this product with product name, ingredient statement, and mark of inspection if you are under Federal or State Inspection. If you are a Custom or Retail Exempt establishment and do not utilize Federal or State Inspection, you must provide one label with mark of inspection (i.e. from the box) or raw materials used for each protein, in addition to the above product label (or copy) used for the sale of this product with product name and ingredient statements. 4. INGREDIENTS/ COOKING/ COOLING: Each cured and smoked product must contain the correct amount of restricted ingredients according to the FSIS Directive 7620.3. The products must have been thermally processed according to compliance guidelines of USDA/FSIS Appendix A and cooled according to Appendix B of the Compliance Guidelines for Meeting Lethality Performance Standards. Any variations to this rule will be stated in the item descriptions. All pork products entered in the contest shall be subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. 5. IDENTIFYING MARKS: Exhibitors are required to remove all identification marks branded or stamped on entries. 6. JUDGES: Entries shall be judged by judges who are particularly qualified in their respective fields. Judges shall be responsible for handling and cutting entries in the class they judge. It is the responsibility of the judges to disqualify any entry that does not meet any of the rules or requirements of the show. The judges shall refrain from discussing disqualified products during the awards session. Decisions of the judges shall be final. The Cured Meat Committee along with the Judges have the final say in all matters. 7. RELEASING PRODUCTS: The cured meat products in the show may be picked up following the close of the session on Saturday. All product not picked up may be donated to a local food panty. 8: RESPONSIBILITY: Although IMPPA will exercise every reasonable precaution to protect and safeguard all cured meat product entries, it does not assume any responsibility for any entries; all cured meat products are entered solely at the risk of the owner. IMPPA will not assume responsibility for sickness, illness, disease, infection, malady or other affliction caused by ingestion, handling, or cooking of products entered. 9: REGISTRATION: No mail entries will be accepted. Operators who cannot attend the convention may enter cured meat products in the contest by sending them with another meat packer, provided that person assumes responsibility for the entries. 10. SCORES: Shortly after the convention, the scores of all winning products will be mailed to all exhibitors along with their individual scorecards.
IMPPA & IAMP Cured Meat Championship Categories 1) Bacon- Non-Traditional 2) Bacon- Traditional 3) BBQ Products 4) BBQ Ribs 5) Bratwurst- Cooked 6) Braunschweiger 7) Franks/Wieners 8) Ham- Bone-In 9) Ham- Boneless Whole Muscle 10) Ham- Sectioned and Formed 11) Jerky- Whole Muscle 12) Lunchmeat 13) Poultry Products 14) Smoked Sausage- Non-Traditional 15) Smoked Sausage- Traditional 16) Snack Sticks 17) Summer Sausage- Cooked 18) Variety Cured 19) Whole Muscle Beef Products- Cooked 20) Exotic Summer Sausage 21) Exotic Variety- Cured Innovative Beef Indiana Innovative Beef Illinois Innovative Pork Indiana Innovative Pork Illinois Best of Beef Indiana Best of Beef Illinois Best of Pork Indiana Best of Pork Illinois Best of Show Cured Meat Excellence Award
IMPPA & IAMP Cured Meat Championship Rules 1) Bacon- Non-Traditional This class is restricted to pork or beef entries only. To be eligible for this class, bacon shall be of standard approved trim. Pork skin may be on or off. This product must contain specialty nonmeat ingredients on the exterior of the product entered, such as visual coatings, or topical spices such as black pepper, crushed red pepper, ground cinnamon, parsley, fennel, oregano, or any other exterior ingredients. Incorporated flavorings should be predominant enough to define the product as a flavored bacon. The product must be entered whole and shall not be cut nor sliced. 2) Bacon- Traditional This class is restricted to pork only. To be eligible for this class, bacon shall be of standard approved trim. Pork skin may be on or off. This product must be a traditional type bacon and must not contain specialty non-meat ingredients on the exterior of the product entered. Although incorporated flavorings such as maple, brown sugar, etc., are acceptable but not required, these flavorings are not to be predominant enough to define the product as a flavored bacon. This product must be entered whole and shall not be cut nor sliced. 3) BBQ Products This class is restricted to pork, beef, chicken, turkey or buffalo only. To be eligible for this class, products must contain meat and sauce. BBQ Ribs or like products may not be entered in this class as they would be entered in the BBQ Rib category. The total product entered must be a minimum of two pounds. 4) BBQ Ribs This class is restricted to pork and beef only. To be eligible for this class, product must be fully cooked. Ribs must be heated to a minimum of 150 degrees F. Seasoning and cooking of the ribs are at the discretion of the entrant. The ribs may be presented with or without sauce, but must not be excessive. Product entered shall be whole not cut nor sliced. The total product entered must not be less than one slab. 5) Bratwurst- Cooked This class is restricted to pork and beef only. This is a traditional cooked Bratwurst. This is not a cured and smoked Bratwurst category. Product must be coarse ground (German style- 1/8 minimum). Emulsion type products are not eligible for this class. Product must be stuffed in edible or natural casings and not exceed 40 mm. Skinless products are not allowed. This product must not contain specialty ingredients such as cheese or jalapeno. The total product entered must weigh a minimum of 1.5 lbs.
6) Braunschweiger This class is restricted to pork and beef only. Liver sausage products containing variety meats are not eligible for this class. Product must be finely ground or emulsified. Product must be sliceable and not spreadable. No natural casings are allowed. This product must be stuffed in an artificial casing (colored or uncolored). This product must be traditional Braunschweiger and must not contain specialty non-meat ingredients such as pistachios, etc. Liquid smoke and smoke flavorings are permitted. Product entered must be whole, not cut or sliced. The product must weigh a minimum of two pounds. 7) Franks/Wieners This class is restricted to pork and beef only. To be eligible for this class, franks/wieners can either be coarse ground or emulsified. Product must be seasoned with a traditional type frankfurter/wiener seasoning. Product must not contain specialty non-meat ingredients such as cheese, jalapeno, beans, mushrooms, etc. The product may be stuffed in a natural casing, edible casing or cellulose casing. No colored casings are allowed. The diameter of the casing should be consistent with small diameter cooked and smoked sausage. The product must weigh a minimum of 1.5 pounds. 8) Ham- Bone-In This class is restricted to pork only. This product is cured and smoked. To be eligible for this class, bone-in hams must contain the following bones: aitch bone, leg bone, and a portion of the shank bones. The product must be entered whole, not cut or sliced. The net must be removed. 9) Ham- Boneless Whole Muscle This class is restricted to pork only. To be eligible for this class, boneless hams must contain whole boneless ham muscles. Hams should not contain ground, chunked, flaked, or reconstituted meat. The boneless ham must contain at least three specific muscles (inside cushion, outside cushion, and eye). Use of knuckle and/or sirloin muscle is optional. Hams may be shaped, formed or pressed. This product is smoked. Boiled hams and cuts other than pork hams are specifically excluded in this class. The casing or nets must be removed. The product must be entered whole, not cut or sliced. The product must weigh a minimum of seven pounds. 10) Ham- Sectioned and Formed This class is restricted to pork only. To be eligible for this class, boneless hams must be manufactured from whole muscle pieces, chunked pieces, and/or ground or emulsified pieces of the wholesale cut of the ham. Whole muscle pieces are allowed. Hams may be shaped, formed or pressed. The product must be entered whole, not cut or sliced. This product is smoked. Boiled hams and cuts other than pork hams are specifically excluded. The casing or nets must be removed. The product must weigh a minimum of five pounds.
11) Jerky- Whole Muscle This class is restricted to beef only. To be eligible for this class, jerky must be made from one whole piece of beef. This is a traditional jerky class. Product may be seasoned according to the discretion of the entrant, but topical spices such as black pepper are not allowed. This product must have been thermally processed so that it does not require refrigeration and is ready to eat. The product must weigh a minimum of ½ pound. 12) Lunchmeat This class is restricted to pork and beef only. This class may contain Bologna. To be eligible for this class, large diameter luncheon meat may be fine ground or emulsified. This product cannot be a summer sausage in a large diameter casing. Exterior and interior spices such as black pepper, cheese, olives, etc. are allowed in this class, but are not required. The product must be stuffed in a clear casing or an uncolored cloth bag. No colored casings are allowed. Casing must be left on the product. The diameter of the casing must be a minimum of four inches in diameter. The product must be entered as a whole sausage, not cut or sliced. The entry must be a minimum of 12 inches long. 13) Poultry Products This class is restricted to chicken or turkey meat only. No other meat additives are allowed. This product may be bone-in or boneless. Whole chickens or whole turkeys are allowed. Product may be whole muscle or chopped & formed. Non-meat additives are not allowed. No sausage products are allowed. Product must be entered whole and intact. 14) Smoked Sausage- Non-Traditional This class is restricted to pork and beef only. To be eligible for this class, smoked and cooked sausage must be coarse ground, 1/8 minimum. Emulsion type products are not eligible for this class. This product may be skinless or stuffed in an edible casing. The casing size cannot exceed 40mm. No colored casings are allowed. This product must be entered as a link form. No rope sausage allowed. This product must be a non-traditional type, small diameter smoked sausage and must contain specialty non-meat ingredients such as rice, cheese, jalapenos, mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, etc. If your product does not contain specialty ingredients and is a traditional smoked sausage, it must be entered in the Smoked Sausage- Traditional category. The product entered must weigh a minimum of 1.5 pounds. 15) Smoked Sausage- Traditional This class is restricted to pork and beef only. To be eligible for this class, smoked and cooked sausage must be coarse ground, 1/8 minimum. Emulsion type products are not eligible for this class. This product must be a traditional type, small diameter smoked sausage and must not contain specialty non-meat ingredients. Examples of specialty non-meat ingredients are rice, cheese, jalapenos, mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, etc. Product may be skinless or stuffed in an edible casing. The casing size must not exceed 40 mm. No colored casings are allowed. The product entered must weigh a minimum of 1.5 pounds.
16) Snack Sticks This class is restricted to pork and beef only. To be eligible for this class, meat snack sticks must be a traditional type and must not contain specialty non-meat ingredients or flavorings such as jalapenos, cheese, hot flavorings, Cajun seasoning, teriyaki seasoning, etc. The product may be skinless, in a clear casing, or in a colored casing. Products must meet the labeling requirement: ph of 5.0 or less and a moisture: protein ratio of 3.1 to 1 or less. This product must have been thermally processed so that it does not require refrigeration and is ready to eat. The product entered must weigh a minimum of ½ pound. 17) Summer Sausage- Cooked This class is restricted to pork and beef only. To be eligible for this class, summer sausage must be a coarse ground sausage. This product must be a traditional type summer sausage and must not contain specialty non-meat ingredients such as jalapenos, cheese, etc. A fermented or tangyflavored product is acceptable but not mandatory. This may be achieved by the use of a starter culture, encapsulated citric acid, encapsulated lactic acid, or other methods to reduce the ph of the final product. The diameter of the casing must be 2 to 4. Casing must be left on the product. No colored casings are allowed. No spice-coated casings are allowed in this class. The product must be whole, not cut or sliced. The product entered must weigh a minimum of two pounds. 18) Variety Cured This class is restricted to pork, beef, chicken, turkey, or lamb. All cured products that do not fall into a specific product class will be entered in this class. This category may contain non-meat additives. 19) Whole Muscle Beef Products- Cooked This class is restricted to beef only. The product may be cured or uncured. Product entered may contain non meat additives. Product must be made from intact muscle. Sectioned and formed products are unacceptable. This category does not include beef jerky. Examples of appropriate entries are dried beef, cooked beef roast, or cooked prime rib. Product must be unnetted and ready for evaluation. 20) Exotic Summer Sausage (Including Venison) To be eligible for this class, product must contain a minimum of 2/3 meat derived from any meat source other than that defined as animal for mandatory inspection. Beef and pork only may constitute the other 1/3 of the meat block. This product must be coarse ground and may contain non-meat additives. The use of a starter culture, encapsulated citric acid, encapsulated lactic acid, or other methods to reduce the ph of the final product is acceptable. The diameter of the casing must be 2 to 4. Casings must be left on the product. No colored casings are allowed. No spice-coated casings are allowed in this class. Product must be whole, not cut or sliced. Product must weigh a minimum of two pounds.
21) Exotic Variety Cured To be eligible for this class, products must be manufactured from 2/3 of any meat source other than that defined as animal for mandatory inspection meat under federal meat and poultry inspection acts such as beef, pork, turkey or chicken. Meat sources can be bear, duck, venison, etc. Product must be cured and cannot fit into any other class. Example, a venison summer sausage may not be entered in this class; it would be entered in the Exotic Summer Sausage class. Product can be manufactured in a casing, ground and formed, or made from a whole piece of meat. This product may contain non meat ingredients such as cheese, rice etc. Innovative Beef Indiana- sponsored by the IN Beef Cattlemen Association. For IN only, no category rules are in place except to be innovative. Innovative Beef Illinois- sponsored by the IL Beef Association. The winning IL product will be displayed at the 2016 IL State Fair. For IL only, see category rules from IAMP. Innovative Pork Indiana- sponsored by the IN Pork Producers Association. For IN only, no category rules are in place except to be innovative. Innovative Pork Illinois- sponsored by the IL Pork Producers Association. The winning IL product will be displayed at the 2016 IL State Fair. For IL only, see category rules from IAMP. Best of Beef Indiana Best of Beef Illinois Best of Pork Indiana Best of Pork Illinois Best of Show This award will honor the best of the best product, which will be chosen from the Grand Champion-winning products entered in this year s competition. *Please note, only products entered in categories 1-21 are eligible for the Best of Show award. Cured Meat Excellence This award is designed to acknowledge the processor either from Indiana or Illinois whose products have ranked the best overall in the competition. Each processor having placed in the top four of a class will be awarded points based on their placing: Grand Champion = 4 points; Reserve Grand Champion = 3 points; Champion = 2 points; and Reserve Champion = 1 point. The processor with the highest total points is awarded the Cured Meat Excellence Award. *Please note, only products entered in categories 1-21 are eligible for the Cured Meat Excellence award. 1/6/16 ~ 11:30 am