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chicken wings in a comp?

I asked this once before and the vast majority said they didn't know anyone who consistently did well with chicken wings.

I LOVE my wings versus thighs or breasts also, but I guess they just don't stand up in comps for whatever reason.

I'm just an amateur competitor so maybe some of the more seasoned folks will chime in also though.
 
I've cooked wings at a number of comps with the intention of turning them in. Each time I back out for one reason or an other and go with the old stand by- thighs. I'm just kinda chicken, pardon the pun. I've judged 14 KCBS comps and only seen a handful of wings turned in, none of them were very good. I still believe that a good wing has just as good a chance as anything else. This weekend, it's thighs alone, but next weekend I'm thinking of giving the wings a shot again
 
I'm doing wings all season this year. I've only done two contests so far. They finished 11th out of 33 in the first event, 45th out of 47 the second. I don't count the poor finish though because bad weather screwed up my timing and I had a terrible cook on all meats.

I have four more events on the schedule in the fall, so we'll see.
 
As a group, judges prefer thighs over wings. You will take a hit on your score with just wings the majority of the time in my experiences.
 
davefan360 said:
I don't like thighs, I can cook them but I just don't like them. I know I can do wings but has anyone done them with ok results? Just an idea.
Click to expand...

First, what you like has nothing to do with competition BBQ :-D

Second, There's no reason why perfectly cooked and seasoned ribs wouldn't do well, but there is much less leeway with wings. Thighs, since they are fattier, have are more forgiving.
 
but I thought the judges were only supposed to judge what was in the box, not what they want to see in the box. I know this has going around and around. so I have do what some thighs and wings. and see what I turn in come 12 O'clock,
 
I can cook AMAZING wings. And never was more than 3 from DAL. Feel free to cook them. Expect to lose though.

Like Ronelle said. It ain't about you, it's about dem judges.
 
davefan360 said:
but I thought the judges were only supposed to judge what was in the box, not what they want to see in the box. I know this has going around and around. so I have do what some thighs and wings. and see what I turn in come 12 O'clock,
Click to expand...

True, but I have gotten wings in the box on the few occasions when I judge instead of cook. I didn't mark it down for being a wing. I DID mark it down for flavor and mouth feel though. The flavor was OK, and I might have liked it better if there was MORE of it, but biting a drumstick just doesn't deliver the goods the way a thigh does. It's just too small to fill your mouth with chicken-y goodness. <<insert comment about my big mouth here>> :becky:

Judges shouldn't hold it against you for putting in a wing, but they will judge the entry as an overall BBQ experience, and in that regard I just think it's hard to deliver that whole experience to the judge with a small piece of meat.
 
Myself as a KCBS judge I would love to see some wings in the box. But then
again, its just me.............
 
CBQ said:
True, but I have gotten wings in the box on the few occasions when I judge instead of cook. I didn't mark it down for being a wing. I DID mark it down for flavor and mouth feel though. The flavor was OK, and I might have liked it better if there was MORE of it, but biting a drumstick just doesn't deliver the goods the way a thigh does. It's just too small to fill your mouth with chicken-y goodness. <<insert comment about my big mouth here>> :becky:

Judges shouldn't hold it against you for putting in a wing, but they will judge the entry as an overall BBQ experience, and in that regard I just think it's hard to deliver that whole experience to the judge with a small piece of meat.
Click to expand...

This is SO true.
 
Rub said:
As a group, judges prefer thighs over wings. You will take a hit on your score with just wings the majority of the time in my experiences.
Click to expand...

Thats a big problem because the judges are not supposed to let their personal preferences affect their scores.
 
Sawdustguy said:
Thats a big problem because the judges are not supposed to let their personal preferences affect their scores.
Click to expand...

Actually, I don't think that judges have preferences any different than the general population. Thighs are going to land on the judging plate hot and moist and the skin is easy to manipulate for tenderness either by using enough heat or scraping.

Wings are much more likely to either be dry or have tough skin. Put your wings and thighs in a garnished box for 20 minutes and decide which you prefer at that point, taking one or two good bites from each.
 
Sawdustguy said:
Thats a big problem because the judges are not supposed to let their personal preferences affect their scores.
Click to expand...

That sure would be nice wouldn't it? It doesn't take much to knock you out of the running.
 
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