Thighs or drumsticks

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NASTY

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Is anyone having luck putting legs in the box rather than thighs? I have always liked the legs myself but don't want to take a chance in a comp. Let me hear your guys experiences.
 
NASTY said:
Is anyone having luck putting legs in the box rather than thighs? I have always liked the legs myself but don't want to take a chance in a comp. Let me hear your guys experiences.
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I've always used thighs. But judging from the two replies, maybe I should try legs.

My team has taken a first in Wings in the past, but that was a Wing competition. I'd like to try legs sometimes, should be fun.
 
Legs can do well. Can bomb too. Last weekend, a box of thighs and sliced chicken breast were offered. It was awesome chicken! And totally out of "norm." My opinion is that the box has to be neat and pretty, but taste on chicken is where it's won or lost. I believe that those cooking chicken hot and fast and quick should be careful with temperatures. IMO, texture of smoked (low and slow) chicken is very nice. Hot and fast chicken can be squishy. Especially if the judge takes a big bite.

I like legs, not lollipopped or dolled up. Just legs, seasoned with a dunk in sauce. Simple!
 
we like legs.
1395435_218065955028309_1196241743_n.jpg
 
I like the way they look in the box and have cooked them, but always seem to go with the thighs
 
Legs for us - they were pretty hit and miss this year.

We will be practicing thighs in the off-season so we have more options...
 
Having judged, I've seen good & bad from both. If done well I think a leg box can be better than thighs just like making a combo box w/ breast can score better than w/o. It's outside the norm so can be more appealling to judges but then again there's some judges who'll score it down because it's not thighs :sad:
 
If you are thinking about trying it, go for it. Chicken is that category that is so inconsistent for many that we will give anything a shot. We have won with both. We have also got crushed with both.
 
I judged a box last weekend at the Eastern Carolina BBQ Throwdown that had 5 thighs and 3 legs. By the time it got to me the legs were gone. After scoring we discussed our scores, all 6 judges were within 1 point. Go for it.
 
For the judges, do most people remove the tendons in the legs or just leave them?
 
I've began to just purchase the hind quarters, separate the drumstick and thigh, trim them up, cook them both and turn in whichever I'm more comfortable with. I've even turned in a combination of the two if I was comfortable with them both at the same time. I will say though that if the thigh has a lot of fat under the skin, so will the leg and it is a LOT harder to remove than the thigh skin without breaking it.

I will say though, when I'm judging I am probably a little harder on drumsticks just because they are kinda easy to cook properly where Thighs take more attention to timing to get them perfectly between chewy and overdone.
 
Smokin' Sparky said:
I will say though, when I'm judging I am probably a little harder on drumsticks just because they are kinda easy to cook properly where Thighs take more attention to timing to get them perfectly between chewy and overdone.
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I thought it said judge what is presented based on appearance, taste and tenderness...I don't think it says you base your score on how difficult you think it is to cook. SMH :confused:
 
We did drums for two years straight. We found that it is too polarizing for the judges... Our scores were either at the top or near the bottom. Some people just don't like legs but thighs are the excepted norm. We are back to thighs and our scores have evened out.
 
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