chicken pillows grrrrr

boogiesnap

boogiesnap

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does anybody have any evidence that a team can consistently win without turning in these darn little monsters? not trying to be lazy or skip the skillmanship it takes to prep that way, but, to me anything on the bone is far tastier and attractive than not. except ribeye steak, i like that black and blue and boneless. i think the bone prevents the fat from charring and melting the way i like...but i degress.
how about sauce? is there evidence that a team can consistently win when making their own sauces? or do judges just want to taste blues hog all day long?
thanks for offering any experience and info on these subjects.
 
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does 1-8 turn in chicken pillows? and blues hog/plowboys/yardbird? if so how come you go against the curve?
i've only done the pillow a handful of times, but something just doesn't sit right with me personally so far.
 
boogiesnap said:
how come you go against the curve?
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In our area, we can win that way. When that stops winning, we'll do something else.

boogiesnap said:
i've only done the pillow a handful of times, but something just doesn't sit right with me personally so far.
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There's no ego in a 9x9 styrofoam box. Once the food goes in that box, it's not about what sits right with you, it's about what sits right with the judges. :thumb:

When your appearance scores are the weakest point of your chicken feedback (i.e., taste and tenderness are more 9s than 8s), then worry about pillows. But the prettiest pillows in the world (or cupcakes, or whatever) aren't any good if they're tough or tasteless.
 
DivaHerself said:
In our area, we can win that way. When that stops winning, we'll do something else.


There's no ego in a 9x9 styrofoam box. Once the food goes in that box, it's not about what sits right with you, it's about what sits right with the judges. :thumb:

When your appearance scores are the weakest point of your chicken feedback (i.e., taste and tenderness are more 9s than 8s), then worry about pillows. But the prettiest pillows in the world aren't any good if they're tough or tasteless.
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Word.

I hate thighs but thats what wins here. I keep fighting the urge to turn in a box of drums or wings. It would be cool to do so, but it would be a waste of money.
 
naw, it's not like that. i CLEARLY have not perfected this particular presentation of chicken. i've only done it 3 times!!! ;) my feeling is more..ephereal..i guess. but, i definately agree with you. are you suggesting that EVERYONE winning is presenting as such?
 
When your appearance scores are the weakest point of your chicken feedback (i.e., taste and tenderness are more 9s than 8s), then worry about pillows.


that is sage advice. i will take it to heart, thank you.

its not about ego, i feel the pillow is somewhat restrictive and to be forced into that box for comp possibly sacrifices the ceiling with which bbq chicken can reach.
not that i could reach the ceiling, but still, its kind of a self inflicted "handcuff".
it makes the chicken category more of a recipe contest for chicken pillows than a BBQ chicken contest. know what i mean??

i'm sure this had been discussed ad nauseum and i'm just stirring the pot.
sorry...
 
Brauma said:
I hate thighs but thats what wins here. I keep fighting the urge to turn in a box of drums or wings. It would be cool to do so, but it would be a waste of money.
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You have NO IDEA how much I hate thighs. *vurp*

I have four chicken heads in my freezer, and when I get up to six, I'm going to really, really want to turn them in somewhere.
shiner.gif
 
that is the funniest thing i have read.

i'll pay the entry fee for photos of the judges table.
 
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I judged a KCBS comp last Saturday.Our table had 5 chicken entries.4 thighs,1 dumsticks.No pillows.Was the best chicken overall I have judged yet.The Drumsticks BLEW the others away on taste & tenderness but tanked on appearence.
 
DivaHerself said:
You have NO IDEA how much I hate thighs. *vurp*

I have four chicken heads in my freezer, and when I get up to six, I'm going to really, really want to turn them in somewhere.
shiner.gif
Click to expand...

You have to do it! I would LOVE to see the table captain's face when he opened the box!

BTW, maybe it's a regional thing, but what's a chicken pillow? :confused:
 
were they presented poorly and thusly judged or were they judged against what a perfect pillow looks like and therefor considered subpar?
 
ya know, boned, hyper trimmed, super scraped skin, lifted, tucked, chicken thigh.
i could really be talking out of my bum on this 1, i know. like, the pickled pigs chicken could just as well be tastier and juicier than the best chicken wing ever. i don't know so i'm fishing.

but i'm still chuckling about a box of six chicken heads...
 
I posted linked pics of pillow and cupcake chicken on the PNWBA Judges forum to gauge the reaction to them and the few responses I got was overwhelmingly unfavorable.

Legs seem to do very well for some top teams around here, and like Diva said, its about what sits right with the Judges.

Personally, I'm not wild about comp legs- I've cooked some but have not had the cojones to enter them yet. I'm into the combo box and the love/hate relationship with thighs could end if my scores start tanking.
 
Ron_L said:
You have to do it! I would LOVE to see the table captain's face when he opened the box!

BTW, maybe it's a regional thing, but what's a chicken pillow? :confused:
Click to expand...

I am thinking a chicken pillow is a boneless thigh with chicken skin wrapped around it.
 
boogiesnap said:
ya know, boned, hyper trimmed, super scraped skin, lifted, tucked, chicken thigh.
i could really be talking out of my bum on this 1, i know. like, the pickled pigs chicken could just as well be tastier and juicier than the best chicken wing ever. i don't know so i'm fishing.

but i'm still chuckling about a box of six chicken heads...
Click to expand...

stlgreg said:
I am thinking a chicken pillow is a boneless thigh with chicken skin wrapped around it.
Click to expand...

Got it. Boneless thighs like on the Pickled Pig web site. I guess I haven't heard them called chicken pillows before.
 
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