Skinless Chicken at comp?

jrbBBQ · Apr 5, 2011

Alright, I've been having difficulty with with bite-through skin using the pickled pig method. I think that some of it has to do with the quality of chicken I'm using. I messed up my chicken last weekend, pulled the skin off at the last minute, sauced it (crappy sauce) and threw it in the box and got 23 out of 40. I did overcook a little while i was trying to get the sauce to set up on the thighs. So here's the question... Take a well-trimmed thigh, marinate, rub, put skin on(for fat), smoke it, remove fat, re-rub, and glaze, pull off and box. Would this work, has anyone cooked skinless? and how have you done?

Q-Dat · Apr 6, 2011

People do it, I don't know how successfully, but it is done. I personally do everything I can to get the skin right, but if it just isn't working plan B is to pull it off, glaze it, then let the glaze set in the cooker and glaze again.

Bentley · Apr 6, 2011

I think you face an up hill battle with bias...Most inexperienced judges and even some very experienced judges will say...no skin, they must have mees up OR cant cook chiclen with skin, insted of judging the meat as presented!

If more teams that would like to turn in a skinless breast, leg or thigh and have the Cojones to do it maybe we can get the bias out...but its gonna take some big Steel ones to do it and do it regularly!

Rookie'48 · Apr 6, 2011

I have seen skinless chicken come across the tables that I was judging. Not often, but in my opinion it's much better to leave the skin off if it's gonna cost you points.

Meat Burner · Apr 6, 2011

jrb, are did you remove the fat from the skin? Not just cut some fat off the meat but actually from the back of the skin. Not sure what you are doing.

Hub · Apr 6, 2011

There is no KCBS requirement that the skin be used. The only judging instruction is that if the skin is included, it must be tasted. That's the official part.

Unofficially, I think Bentley is correct. Inexperienced judges may expect it and could grade down if it isn't included. I've seen several skinless entries in the last few years and wasn't surprised. I think the skin is given way too much attention. It's appearance, taste and texture we're after and the skin may or may not have anything to do with them.

I've cooked several batches of skinless thighs lately and I'm moving toward re-formatting my contest approach. I think no skin can win if you've got everything else spot-on.

smalls65 · Apr 6, 2011

keep the skin on..just keep workin till u get it right!!!! :thumb:

roksmith · Apr 6, 2011

Yea.. I think, unfortunately, most judges will automatically think that you didn't turn it in with skin because you can't cook it with skin.
..like turning in pulled chicken... or not turning in sliced brisket.
Even though it may have been your intention from the beginning, they will take it a lack of skill from the cook and score down because of it.
It's not right.. but perception is reality..

jrbBBQ · Apr 6, 2011

Meat Burner said:
jrb, are did you remove the fat from the skin? Not just cut some fat off the meat but actually from the back of the skin. Not sure what you are doing.

I removed the skin and then scraped the skin till it was almost translucent. I've done about 70 pounds of chicken in the last month and a half. I've tried it on my WSM at 300 degrees and at 215 and about every temp in between. I've also used my weber kettle. I only get a couple pieces with 'bite through skin' out of about every dozen. I don't know whats going on. I think competition chicken has gotten into my head a little bit. I like chicken, I don't mind cooking chicken, but trying to cook pretty little pieces is starting to get to me. I can cook a skinless piece that looks good and taste good. I'm not concerned about it winning, I'd just like it to place in the top 10 and not be judged poorly because it has no skin.

Ryan Chester · Apr 6, 2011

I saw a team walk with skinless chicken thighs on NYE at Wildomar. Looked phenominal! I don't have the balls to try it but they did well with it.

meatinc · Apr 6, 2011

+1 @ Ryan - they took 8th. I don't have the balls either. After they got that 8th place walk, I was ready to load in a box of feathers for my turn in!:tsk:

ModelMaker · Apr 6, 2011

If you want to turn in skinless thigh, go ahead. I'm going to taste and judge the way you send it in. I'm ok with not trying to figure out why you did it. Send it in I'll eat it and judge it.
Ed

big brother smoke · Apr 6, 2011

We actually took 3rd with skinless at Wildomar and thought our chicken was better the next day and finished middle of the pack. I tried it again a few weeks ago and did the worse I have ever done in chicken. My point is that you will not get consistent scoring, so I at least am done with skinless and back to farking removing the fat!

tmcmaster · Apr 6, 2011

I have seen it skinless, and think that if a judge scores down just because there is no skin, that judge shouldn't be a judge anymore. Once I even saw shredded chicken turned in. Totally legal and looked great.

swamprb · Apr 7, 2011

Go for flavor, don't worry about the skin.

Bentley · Apr 7, 2011

tmcmaster said:
I have seen it skinless, and think that if a judge scores down just because there is no skin, that judge shouldn't be a judge anymore.

In a perfect world...And when you start competing at contests where every judge is a MCBJ, maybe...

Rookie'48 · Apr 7, 2011

tmcmaster said:
I have seen it skinless, and think that if a judge scores down just because there is no skin, that judge shouldn't be a judge anymore. Once I even saw shredded chicken turned in. Totally legal and looked great.

If the judge scores down for no skin (at least in KCBS) then he's dead-arsed wrong :mad2: and needs a serious conversation with the Rep.

vexter1 · Apr 7, 2011

I've turned in without skin on thighs and did ok have taken a walk - so it's feasible. But then again - with my chix scores, take my opinion with a grain of salt

Skinless Chicken at comp?

jrbBBQ

Full Fledged Farker

Q-Dat

Babbling Farker

Bentley

Babbling Farker

Rookie'48

Quintessential Chatty Farker

Meat Burner

Quintessential Chatty Farker

Hub

Full Fledged Farker

smalls65

Guest

roksmith

is one Smokin' Farker

jrbBBQ

Full Fledged Farker

Ryan Chester

is Blowin Smoke!

meatinc

Knows what a fatty is.

ModelMaker

Quintessential Chatty Farker

big brother smoke

somebody shut me the fark up.

tmcmaster

is Blowin Smoke!

swamprb

somebody shut me the fark up.

Bentley

Babbling Farker

Rookie'48

Quintessential Chatty Farker

vexter1

Knows what a fatty is.

Similar threads