Can Chicken be too tender?

sharks_guy · Jun 12, 2011

Hi,
Got three seven's this weekend in chicken texture. It was super moist and very tender. Is there a point where chicken is so tender that judges may lower a texture score because it is too tender?

Ron_L · Jun 12, 2011

I don't think chicken can get too tender without drying out first. Was this thighs or breasts?

sharks_guy · Jun 12, 2011

Thighs..

Ron_L · Jun 12, 2011

Hmmm... My thought was that if it was breasts they may have dried out in the box. How was the skin? Could they have marked it down because of rubbery skin?

landarc · Jun 12, 2011

Say, was the chicken you used packed in solution, if so, where there phosphates or sodium in it? That could allow you to over-cook and still have moisture in them. I kind of doubt that was the problem, just throwing it out there. Many of the new bag-packed chickens have solution now.

billygbob · Jun 12, 2011

Yes

Unfortunately, judging over the years I have had received many overcooked thighs. They weren't the least bit dry. They were mushy; squeeze them between thumb and forefinger and they mashed down with no resistance and basically became grainy. Same lovely texture chewing them. Always scored a 5 at best.

mobow · Jun 12, 2011

what billygbob said

Hub · Jun 13, 2011

Thighs will take a lot of punishment and still come through but there is a point where the meat (while tender and juicy) barely holds together and turns very soft when bitten into.

Lots of folks think brisket is hard to do well and they are right, but I think chicken isn't exactly easy, either.

Smoke'n Ice · Jun 13, 2011

Chicken can turn "mushy" if left in a brine solution for a long length of time. If it contains trisodium phosphate, then more than 4 hours would be enough to change the texture. You also have to read the bag they came in, if they contain any type of solution, then more brining would be counter productive.

The_Kapn · Jun 13, 2011

If you finish chicken in a foil covered pan with moisture and let it go too long it will definitely be mush and not dry.
Don't ask me how I know this :-D

Kinda like cooking chicken in a pressure cooker or boiling it in water for chicken noodle soup. Many times you can't even pick it up in one piece.

TIM

Dale P · Jun 13, 2011

Just like most say, if you cook too long it will dang near just fall apart, and become grainy and dry. I hear all the time about Judges tearing the meat off of the bone with their fingers. I think that all judges should use their teeth. I know that some or even most will say that they want to make sure that it is done but I can tell by taking a bite. I never did mind a spitter.

rcorun · Jun 13, 2011

Yep, thighs will mushy and breast will just plain dry out.
And god help you if you slow smoke a thigh for comp - judges see
that pinkish red next to the bone and see it as undercooked.

rksylves · Jun 14, 2011

Oh yeah you can definately get chicken too tender. I did it this last weekend. It finished way too early and when I tried to hold it, it turned very mushy. Gonna make sure that never happens again.

Russ

GQue · Jun 14, 2011

Was your skin bite through?

You culd have moist well cooked meat but not bote through skin, I have seen that effect texture score even though the meat may be cooked right....just sharing my perspective not saying that is why

Can Chicken be too tender?

sharks_guy

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landarc

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