Chicken, Oh how I hate you...


 
K

Kirk Hetzel

TVWBB Fan
Haven't posted in a long time but I know you guys the best place for help. I used to rock chicken, lately I couldn't get a call if my life depended on it. Even pulled out my old technique this past weekend. 4th from the bottom, ugg. We could have been close to a top 10 finish in Mason City if it wasn't for that infernal chicken category! Anyone got a hint or tip on what's been working lately?
 
Kirk, might help if we knew how you felt about your bird turn in. What problem areas are you having, taste, tenderness, presentaion?

Mark
 
Have you and your team sat down and evaluated your chicken as-cooked using the methods you're currently using? It's easy to get caught up in the process and quit paying attention to the results, especially if the process worked for you previously.
 
I think my problem is in the taste. I've been doing my variation on the jumpin Jim method (marinade, rub, smoke, wallow in sauce and then set it) and it used to score really well. Lately not so much which leads me to believe the judges tastes have changed. I've played with the rub and sauce combinations looking for an answer but while I've liked most of it the judges have not. I've got a month until my next comp to figure it out. I'm at a point where I'm spinning in circles trying to decide what to do next.

I've been thinking go hotter on the rotisserie (I've played with this a little). Get a little char for flavor but the skin can be a problem with this method. I've seen people win with this method but not sure exactly what their whole process is. Wondering if placing the thighs in a pan of sauce for a bit after the rotisserie would fix the skin?
 
Whew, lot in that question. I'll give my opinion, but it's just that, my opinion.

I've noticed that the judges tastes and expectations are changing/evolving. Teams that even up to a couple of years ago were consistantly winning are now struggling mightily. Even the team that took the top honors last year didn't get a walk at all in last weekends competition.

Judges have seen the muffin pan chicken and they aren't impressed any more. They know the butter trick and the jelly shine. They now want chicken that is perfectly uniform in size, trimmed to perfection, not a trace of ugliness, skins so thin you can read through them, and a more let's say interesting flavor profile. They also are pretty much done with super sweet. They now want that first bite to go through like biting a through a tender steak with no chin slap. They are also looking for combinations like thigh meat with chopped, or maybe thighs with slice breast, or try going all out with a lollipopped leg and some chopped.

I haven't gone sweet flavor in quite a while and it seems to be working. Back when I started the rule was 'Spicy Never Wins', well, not so much anymore.

Last weekend I spent almost 3 hours prepping 20 thighs. Obviously I won't go into specifics but suffice it to say that the difference is in the very minor details.

Russ
 
What kind of chicken are you using? The quality of chicken at the warehouse clubs isn't very good, imo. I've had better luck with better quality chicken. Seems obvious but easily overlooked.
 
david brociner said:
What kind of chicken are you using? The quality of chicken at the warehouse clubs isn't very good, imo. I've had better luck with better quality chicken. Seems obvious but easily overlooked.
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The last contest we got the chicken from Tower poultry in Milwaukee. Chicken and Turkey is all they do, if it's not fresh from them then there's no such thing.
 
We have been brining our chicken and using a little spicier rub and then a sweet sauce. It has been working quite well for us. We have had 4 walks out of 5 contests since going that route. The brine has been adding a great flavor to the meat.
 
I was a judge at the competition Russ cooked in last weekend. Five of the six boxes were thighs, all uniform in shape and size as possible. The flavor tended to be more spicy than the sweet that has come across in the past. I can't really remember; but, at least four of those boxes had thighs on a bed of chopped chicken. One box, in particular had chopped in the front of the box, then bone in thighs in the middle, then boneless skin on meat cut like medallions in the back of the box. There was one box out of the six I judged that was breast meat with Alabama White Sauce.
 
S.M. Swanny said:
I was a judge at the competition Russ cooked in last weekend. Five of the six boxes were thighs, all uniform in shape and size as possible. The flavor tended to be more spicy than the sweet that has come across in the past. I can't really remember; but, at least four of those boxes had thighs on a bed of chopped chicken. One box, in particular had chopped in the front of the box, then bone in thighs in the middle, then boneless skin on meat cut like medallions in the back of the box. There was one box out of the six I judged that was breast meat with Alabama White Sauce.
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So what was the preferred turnin to the judges?
 
I don't have a copy of the scores so I can be 100% sure of the scores I gave and I can't speak for the other Judges at our table; but. . . In FL BBQ Assocation contests there is no garnish in the box. So, the one entry was a white box, with white meat chicken pulled off the bone, covered with some white sauce. To me it didn't appeal to the eye; however, it was very tender and had a very good, unique, flavor.

The one box with chopped, thighs, and medallions looked good, was tender and also had a very good flavor. I am almost sure that entry received my highest score.
 
Do you remember what part of the bird were the medallions from? No garnish does leave extra room. I usually do KCBS contests so the garnish takes up a bit of room.
 
My thoughts are that they were boneless thighs rolled up like cigars then the skin was wrapped over that, then prepared like the rest of the entry then sliced for presentation. I don't remember them having a taste profile different than the chopped or the thighs. I just remember it being a good looking box.
 
Peter Matijevich said:
We have been brining our chicken and using a little spicier rub and then a sweet sauce. It has been working quite well for us. We have had 4 walks out of 5 contests since going that route. The brine has been adding a great flavor to the meat.
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Peter is spot on with the brining. We just brined for the first time and took first. Previously we used the Pickled Pig method with the butter bath and did well, but I think we will be sticking with the brine from now on!
 
Hmmm.... Interesting....

Won't say what was in my box but it sounds like it is possible that you may have had my box. Hard to say.

I think that the days of just plopping an un-prepped piece of chicken in the box and hoping for the best are over. It's quickly getting to the point where winning teams are fast becoming specialized barbecue chef's (with all due respect to the professional chef's reading this), rather than just a local backyarder throwing a leg quarter on a grill 'as is' and calling it good.

Russ
 
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