Hey Larry, so my assumption was correct that the skin was secondary AFA the recipe/cook under discussion. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Done plenty where the skin gets tossed.
I'm not thrown off by the Sprite, it's just the boiling part. I try not to do that as to me it pulls too much flavor out, especially with agribusiness commercial pork and poultry. So little flavor that loosing it to the "bath water" can pretty much eliminate it. Then the rest of the recipe ought to be about how to get flavor back in
Sprite as in citrus notes/sugar might very well do that and also help with the texture.
But then again I make chicken pot pies and I often start with boiling a whole chicken to pull the meat, roast the bones, make stock and that meat goes in the pies.
I'll go outside the box and it's often worth it as you note.
Your cooks here look great. I wouldn't have any trouble eating my share
That said subbing in brining (buttermilk base or standard salt water) might be a good substitute for boiling. Maybe work a brine that has Sprite in it - curious what that would do. Sub the sprite for the water.
Boiling is usually for efficiency or quicker IMHO brining takes longer and introduces a significant time delay vs boiling, but usually is better IME as far as injecting flavor, tenderizing and holding in moisture.
With dark meat as I think about it - it may be less of an issue perhaps.
