For The Judges(or anyone else): Which Part Of The Chicken Wing Would You Rather Eat?

[Q-Dat]

Looking to keep this confined to discussion about chicken wings. Not about whether its a good or bad idea to turn in wings.

Simply put, would you rather eat the Drummette or the Wingette?

[Rub]

The flat. Is that what you're calling the wingette?

[landarc]

The mini drumstick part, I just like the bite.

Now, the meat texture on the wingette is better, but, you can't just bite through it.

[Q-Dat]

The flat. Is that what you're calling the wingette?

Yeah thats it. I've seen them marketed as "wingettes" so I wasn't sure what else to call them.

[Q-Dat]

The mini drumstick part, I just like the bite.

Now, the meat texture on the wingette is better, but, you can't just bite through it.

I agree. I thing the wingette tastes a little better, but the drummette is easier to eat.

[Gowan]

FYI: I turned in pure flats in my chicken boxes last season.

Finishes were all top third, but no winners.

[Jason TQ]

I'm a flat guy.

[bbq.tom]

I prefer the flat, but as a judge it wouldn't make any difference to me, as I judge what is presented without personal bias.

[LMAJ]

I prefer the flat.

[mikes1212]

I agree the flat part of the wing does make for tastier bite compared to a leg.

[deguerre]

Yep. The flat. You can tear the meat off the two bones with your teeth and just peal that sucker down to the bone.

[Q-Dat]

I have to say that I did not expect it to be this even. I figured it would be lopsided toward the drum portion.

[nucornhusker]

The flat...all the way. To me they are easier to eat and taste better.

I eat them this way sometimes:

Super Bowl Tips: How to Eat a Chicken Wing! - YouTube

[Alexa RnQ]

The two-bone section, all the way. Tender, tasty, moist meat and a good ratio of skin to meat -- let's not forget that a huge part of wings' appeal is properly cooking the skin.

I absolutely refuse to eat the drummette part. Too often gristly and/or tough.

[ckelly]

Yep. The flat. You can tear the meat off the two bones with your teeth and just peal that sucker down to the bone.

Heck yeah!
Pop the cartilage off one end, hold with the other and strip that wingette down to the bone!

Not to mention, better surface to mass ratio to hold on to the flavor :wink:

[Pig Headed]

I agree, the flat is the best part of the wing. Luckily in my house, I like the flats and my wife prefers the drumette. Works out great.

[Rub]

Personally I think the flat is the best part of the whole chicken.

[BrewBQue]

I like the flat for tender, tasty, eating. Drums can be a little grisley...:-D

[MikeJ65]

So it's settled, we are all turning in flats the next contest.

[Q-Dat]

So it's settled, we are all turning in flats the next contest.

Not me. I'm going with a box of livers and gizzards.

[hogzillas]

I'm a fan of both but the downside to the wingette/flat is that a lot of them have a vein in it that shows after you take a bite so might end up being a down if not properly taken care of.

[sdbbq1234]

Not me. I'm going with a box of livers and gizzards.

Lol. Sounds like my Dad. He loved those!!

wallace

[Big Mike]

I prefer the flats.

[Gowan]

OK, time to reveal a secret. Just remember you saw it here first!

I developed a technique for removing the smaller of the two bones in a flat before cooking. Using the Jumbo wings we source through our restaurant, this resulted in an incredible product that brought white meat to the KCBS judging table with the same juicy bite you get from a thigh. In fact, one Master Judge commented to me at Dillard about the "three cornered thighs" his table received. I never let him know until the season was over that what he ate was actually a wing!

Here is a picture of that box. (we cleaned up that weird corner parsley before turn in).
The judges hammered it - it scored a 160. We turned in this box for all but two contests in 2013, and it was clear that as a group CBJs just aren't ready to score wings as high as thighs.

[J&B'sBBQ]

OK, time to reveal a secret. Just remember you saw it here first!

I developed a technique for removing the smaller of the two bones in a flat before cooking. Using the Jumbo wings we source through our restaurant, this resulted in an incredible product that brought white meat to the KCBS judging table with the same juicy bite you get from a thigh. In fact, one Master Judge commented to me at Dillard about the "three cornered thighs" his table received. I never let him know until the season was over that what he ate was actually a wing!

Here is a picture of that box. (we cleaned up that weird corner parsley before turn in).
The judges hammered it - it scored a 160. We turned in this box for all but two contests in 2013, and it was clear that as a group CBJs just aren't ready to score wings as high as thighs.

Very interesting!

[hogzillas]

OK, time to reveal a secret. Just remember you saw it here first!

I developed a technique for removing the smaller of the two bones in a flat before cooking. Using the Jumbo wings we source through our restaurant, this resulted in an incredible product that brought white meat to the KCBS judging table with the same juicy bite you get from a thigh. In fact, one Master Judge commented to me at Dillard about the "three cornered thighs" his table received. I never let him know until the season was over that what he ate was actually a wing!

Here is a picture of that box. (we cleaned up that weird corner parsley before turn in).
The judges hammered it - it scored a 160. We turned in this box for all but two contests in 2013, and it was clear that as a group CBJs just aren't ready to score wings as high as thighs.

I could id those as wings large as they may be but don't see why they'd score so low. Were they dinging you on app or one of the others to get that 160? What were the avg raw number for each? From an app standpoint on the box I'd say easy 9 maybe an 8 on a really bad hair day. I kinda wish KCBS would be a bit like FBA & do .5 increments as there's times when I'm torn between numbers to score & that .5 would probably fit.

[Gowan]

Here are the scores:

989 988 987 987 979 976

Box was 5th on the table, with the following teams:

420Q - 170.8344
Primo Oval Rulers - 167.4400
Bubba's Backyard BBQ - 166.2516
CookersAndGrills.com - 161.7260
Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse - 160.5028
Old Plantation BBQ - 160.4912

The highest finish from this table was 23rd out of 61 teams, so it was not exactly a "hot table". ;)

EDIT: It should be noted that this is the worst finish we saw with the wing box, 49th of 61. But Dillard is perhaps the toughest KCBS show in Georgia, and it just so happened that was the contest I had a photo handy for.

[Gowan]

I could id those as wings large as they may be but don't see why they'd score so low.

I think what threw the judge was the fact that there was a single bone in the sample. To my knowledge, nobody had ever turned in a one-bone wing flat before this. Of course I had hoped these wings would prove to be The Next Big Thing and take KCBS by storm, but obviously that did not turn out to be the case.

Our reward for innovation was mediocre scores on chicken that in a couple cases kept us out of the money overall. But like my brother Myron says, you have to take some risks if you are going to lead instead of follow.

[loco_engr]

So it's settled, we are all turning in flats the next contest.

deboned? :becky:

[JazzyBadger]

Man there used to be some place off in a gas station by a hotel I routinely stayed at around here for partying sessions, I forget its name... it was like Rocko's chicken or something. They sold a BOX of gizzards for like... 4 dollars. Had some bread, and a bucket of gravy. I'd buy three of those boxes and just munch them down until they were gone. Deeeeeelicious.

Flats are good.

[Crash]

I definitely love the wingette (flat) over the drums for all of the abovementioned reasons.

Would I have the cajones to try wings of any sort in a sanctioned event... nope.

And props to those that do.

[BB-Kuhn]

I think the drumettes are better function wise - holding/turning/eating, but the wingettes are generally tastier with a juicier, more tender bite and much more moist most of the time.

Taste trumps convenience IMO.

wingettes FTW.

[hogzillas]

Here are the scores:

989 988 987 987 979 976

Box was 5th on the table, with the following teams:

420Q - 170.8344
Primo Oval Rulers - 167.4400
Bubba's Backyard BBQ - 166.2516
CookersAndGrills.com - 161.7260
Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse - 160.5028
Old Plantation BBQ - 160.4912

The highest finish from this table was 23rd out of 61 teams, so it was not exactly a "hot table". ;)

EDIT: It should be noted that this is the worst finish we saw with the wing box, 49th of 61. But Dillard is perhaps the toughest KCBS show in Georgia, and it just so happened that was the contest I had a photo handy for.

Yep those last 2 judges were killers especially #6. Maybe new ones so haven't got the scoring rhythm down yet. It might be worthwhile to try a few more times just to see if the results so far were outlier results. I'd imagine Myron's cupcake chicken technique to a bit to perfect/judges like. Hate it for you

[jcog44]

The last judge gets the last piece. I have had some sorry chicken and ribs while sitting at the end of the table.

[EverettBBQ]

Well:shock:
I have done a lot of different cuts.
Last weekend did lollypops
http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p729/Everettku/CC70FA78-57F0-4550-9312-7D435F5C46BC_zpsczzgron5.jpg
Two bites great one bite had ligaments :drama:
Luck of the draw

I judge, but most importantly I cook.
I love thighs.
Look at my double bite through thighs:mod:
http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p729/Everettku/5BDA6879-2D22-4D64-8631-D4D541C0C6CE_zps5bmsjfc6.jpg

Winner winner chicken dinner:shock:

[Mister Bob]

The wingette because they're jucier and usually more tender, but mostly because I can eat the whole thing in one swipe! :wink:

[Gowan]

Yep those last 2 judges were killers especially #6. Maybe new ones so haven't got the scoring rhythm down yet. It might be worthwhile to try a few more times just to see if the results so far were outlier results. I'd imagine Myron's cupcake chicken technique to a bit to perfect/judges like. Hate it for you

I too figured judges might warm up to something new after they saw it a few times. I gave it all of last year except for two shows when I did thighs because good wings were not available - no joy.


The last judge gets the last piece. I have had some sorry chicken and ribs while sitting at the end of the table.

If you refer to the photo of the box, you'll see there were 8 wings. I cook 16 and choose the best for the box.

[PeppermonkeyBBQ]

I agree, the flat is the best part of the wing. Luckily in my house, I like the flats and my wife prefers the drumette. Works out great.

+1 for that!! I get all the flats and therefore I get to enjoy the best white meat on the bird!

[CBQ]

At a party I go for the drummies, easier to eat.

As a cook, I turn in flats. They can be more moist, have more skin, and won't have the hard sections a drummie will sometimes have near the knuckle.

I have been known to turn them in with thighs in a KCBS contest, especially when it gets near The Jack when white meat is required and we want to get it right. Last year we GC'd one of those contests, so it didn't seem to hurt us. (On the other hand, our chicken at The Jack was 22nd :becky:)