KCBS Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

[YokeUp]

hey, how about some feedback on using boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are sliced for KCBS turn in.... thoughts? Positive/Negative - anybody won out there using them?

[indianagriller]

I used them all last year, highest i scored was 5th place... went back to thighs this year...and havent walked yet LOL.

[Jorge]

I know some folks that have had some success, but every single one of them have gone back to thighs. Breasts just dry out too easily/quickly, and aren't as consistent. If you can solve those problems I think you could do well with them.

[big matt]

here is a box from New Years eve..I know the breast is a little off but the thighs were on point..I won't ever risk it again it cost us an RGC

[Hot Sauce Hoss]

We just cooked the "best" boneless, skinless breasts i have ever made this past weekend at the roman river roast and we got killed in chicken. I had to try it because i really wanted to do something different. I trimed each breast to 2 inch wide and 4 inch long pieces and injected them to death so they could not dry out. We thought they we very,very good.Even our cooking neighbors said they we awesome. This was a kcbs event and our scores were two 9.0s two 7.5s a 7.0 and a 5.0. Well, we won't be doing breast again. Ahh, more sugar tasting muffin pan chicken thighs coming up.


Hot Sauce Hoss

[quarters69]

Originally Posted by Hot Sauce Hoss

We just cooked the "best" boneless, skinless breasts i have ever made this past weekend at the roman river roast and we got killed in chicken. I had to try it because i really wanted to do something different. I trimed each breast to 2 inch wide and 4 inch long pieces and injected them to death so they could not dry out. We thought they we very,very good.Even our cooking neighbors said they we awesome. This was a kcbs event and our scores were two 9.0s two 7.5s a 7.0 and a 5.0. Well, we won't be doing breast again. Ahh, more sugar tasting muffin pan chicken thighs coming up.


Hot Sauce Hoss

Those scores are what i was talking about in another post. why a 5??? That should not happen!!

[Rookie'48]

I'm curious - how do you get a 7.5 in a KCBS comp? KCBS scoring is whole numbers from 2 through 9 with a 1 being a DQ.

Originally Posted by Hot Sauce Hoss

This was a kcbs event and our scores were two 9.0s two 7.5s a 7.0 and a 5.0. Hot Sauce Hoss

As far as the breast meat goes, the biggest drawback is the fact that it dries out so quick. That and the fact that the dark meat has more flavor stops breast slices from being very popular.

[Hot Sauce Hoss]

You are correct Rookie' 48. According to my wife we had two 9's in the score and a 5
and said the rest were mid 7's. Honest mistake. We did bonless, skinless thighs at sotw in thomaston, ga and our scores were about the same. As high as 9.0's and one score that was a 5 or 5.5.

[Lake Dogs]

Also remember that once it's sliced it doesn't hold temperature as well (it gets cold MUCH faster). The hotter (temp) generally the better...

[BBQchef33]

last contest, we got a 1st in briosket, 2nd in ribs, 3rd in pork, and then 13th in chicken.

The chicken thighs were pretty good, but we also added a row of breasts and i think thats what killed us. I really believe if we left the breast out, we would have hit chicken too. Once its sliced, it gets cold faster, and tends to dry out.. also, unless you absoilutly nail it, it wont stand up to a good thigh and will drag the score down when the judges samples both.

[Rich Parker]

At the GLBBQA practice cook last month, I decided to give breasts a try and turned in a box like big_matt's above.

I left the skin on because i didn't want a judge to think i couldn't cook the skin properly and I personally thought that it was a perfectly moist with bite through skin. I ended up 12th out of 15 and ended up 3rd overall. I won't be suckered in to that again!

[meatinc]

We also did something similar to Matt's at the same NYE comp in Wildomar. Same result - out of the top 10. DIdn't ruin our chances at a RGC - the brisket and ribs took care of that.

I thought the breast was really good but who knows how it was on that cold cold cold day (mid 50's in SoCal) after sitting for 15 minutes before judging. The pieces back in the booth were certainly dried out and cold - still good - but dried out and cold.

[QansasjayhawQ]

Originally Posted by BBQchef33

last contest, we got a 1st in briosket, 2nd in ribs, 3rd in pork, and then 13th in chicken.

The chicken thighs were pretty good, but we also added a row of breasts and i think thats what killed us. I really believe if we left the breast out, we would have hit chicken too. Once its sliced, it gets cold faster, and tends to dry out.. also, unless you absoilutly nail it, it wont stand up to a good thigh and will drag the score down when the judges samples both.

I've seen that happen SO many times when judging -

The judges are instructed that if a team turns in both styles to take a bite of both. So many times a team will hit one of the styles spot on - and then totally miss with the other, dragging down their otherwise outstanding performance.

But - we are to judge the meat that's been presented.

The two styles make for more presentation options - and I have to say the appearance scores can go up with more than one style (not necessarily, but can). But taste is weighted far more than appearance.

So when I compete - I am turning in one style only.

And congrats on your excellent results!

[AUBBQ]

I’ve never really considered breast meat myself since they tend to get cold and dry out pretty quickly. I have considered adding a row of wings, but I don’t have them dialed in just yet. I’ll stick to strictly thighs for the foreseeable future.