Do you have to use bone in skin on chicken or can you use boneless and skinless for comps?????

We have used both in KCBS comps. We have done better with bone in and skin on. Regards.

Skin adds flavor. Don't go skinless (unless your skin svcks).

But, judges are supposed to judge what you enter... not something they think it should be.


Right?!?!?!? LOL LOL LOL

quote:

Originally posted by Jay Lopa:
Do you have to use bone ....

You don't HAVE to. Key will be go with something that matches your cooker, your techniques, your flavors, etc.

I won with skinless, but more consistent scores with skin. Had to go skinless because I had some issues, I adjusted the rub and sauce and turn in chicken so pretty it LOOKED like it had skin.

Guess they liked it all 9's on tenderness. I'm sure they're still trying to figure out how I might them "bite through skin"

Goin to be a long winter practicin chicken.

As was essplained to me during judging class, 'you can use any part of the chicken that you want. It can be breasts, thighs, legs, drummies, wings, necks, hearts, or livers just as long as it's chicken.' I would'nt try neck or livers but bone or skin isn't a DQ issue.

Work for 'bite-thru' skin. That seems to be the holy grail right now.

Russ

Your best bet is to use thighs with the skin on. Cook at least twelve and pick the best 6 or 7 to box.
Good luck!!

when judging I always have the skin last so I can get a good, unadulterated taste of the chicken meat. I like to start with the meat right under the skin and then go for a piece by the bone. Finally, I'll try the skin and then a bite of skin and meat. Given the way I taste, I think skinless chicken has a little advantage since its harder to get a bite with no sauce or seasoning.

It's never come into my mind to mark an entry down that is presented without skin. After we're done scoring and the scores are turned in, we talk about the entries and I've never heard anyone say "this piece doesn't have skin"

Why dont you just grab the chicken and eat it like it is presented? Tearing the piece up is not what we have in mind for the flavor profile. If you tear it up, it isnt what we turned in. Our bbq is intended to have a certain flavor from top to bottom that goes together, not just in the middle.

quote:

Why dont you just grab the chicken and eat it like it is presented? Tearing the piece up is not what we have in mind for the flavor profile. If you tear it up, it isnt what we turned in. Our bbq is intended to have a certain flavor from top to bottom that goes together, not just in the middle.

I totally agree with you Dale. I try to prepare my chicken assuming a judge will take a bite though the skin, and meat, on either side of the bone. If a judge is going to break the piece down, I don't really see any hope of impressing them.

back to the original question, we used bone-in thighs with skin and focus on getting the skin right. The two times we got called for chicken, the skin was right, the other 3 times...not so much.

Its like any of the meats, there's risk and reward. You CAN submit white meat chicken, but if it aint darn near perfect, don't expect love from the judges. Good skin seems to get us big scores (well bigger).

If thats the case with the skin, why not just turn in skin off to the side much like burn't ends? Wait a minute don't read this I might be onto something.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Comerford:
If thats the case with the skin, why not just turn in skin off to the side much like burn't ends? Wait a minute don't read this I might be onto something.

I would not recommend that BC. Experienced judges are looking for the holy grail, one bite skin on the chicken. In addition I believe your appearance scores would suffer with the skin on the side.

quote:

Originally posted by Dale Perry:
Why dont you just grab the chicken and eat it like it is presented? Tearing the piece up is not what we have in mind for the flavor profile. If you tear it up, it isnt what we turned in. Our bbq is intended to have a certain flavor from top to bottom that goes together, not just in the middle.

first and foremost are health concerns, I want to check the meat by the bone to ensure its fully cooked. This involves twisting some meat off the bone to get a good look.

I don't bite top to bottom because some teams load up the skin with so much flavor (rub, sauce, msg?) that it overwhelms the palate and makes it impossible to appreciate the more delicate flavor of the chicken. Is the meat a little dry? Does the chicken have a nice, smokey flavor? Tough to tell if you've got a big bite of skin, sauce and meat in your mouth.

As I stated, I do eventually get to the top to bottom bite(s) but it's done last. I do the same for ribs. I learned this technique at the hands of a master judge in my first comp. I cringe when I see people dive right in (without checking for undercooking).

Jeff, I guess it is best that I say, I will agree to disagree with you on this subject.

quote:

I want to check the meat by the bone to ensure its fully cooked.

That will not tell you a thing. Color at or near the bone means nothing. Neither does lack of color.

Jeff, master judge or no master judge Dale is right. They suggest you don't tear chicken apart but taste it the way it's presented. Would be like scraping sauce of ribs to just taste the meat. I understand your concerns about chicken as I'm a CBJ. Even though I've never had under cooked chicken I've seen judges that have.

I sm a CBJ and when I judged I would take a bite and look at the meat. If it wasnt cooked thru I can promise you I would spit it out.

Ribs are supposed to be bit into to see if it is cooked correctly. If it falls off the bone, it is overcooked. If the meat is torn off by your fingers, you have gone against what judges are taught to do.

As for loading the chicken with flavors, isnt that the point? Good flavored BBQ?


The only reason I am debating this issue is I dont want new Judges getting the same ideas.

This game is hard enough without Judges trying to over think ways to score an entry down.
Does it look good?
Does it taste good?
Was it tender?
That is all you need to score an entry correctly.

quote:

Originally posted by Dale Perry:
Jeff, I guess it is best that I say, I will agree to disagree with you on this subject.

He shouldn't be judging if he can't sample the food the way we present it....

As a cook, that is how we cook our food. We don't have all these un-documented rules that you judges seem to feel you can follow.

Yep, I agree Scottie.