Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

gmholler · 02-07-2011, 09:00 AM

I'd like some opinions on using boneless, skinless chicken thighs in competition. Hubby and I did a practice cook last night where we compared "regular" (skin-on, bone-in) thighs to the boneless, skinless variety; we found the boneless, skinless type held the brine better and had a better flavor overall, but they weren't very visually appealing - I guess because we weren't really sure how they were supposed to be shaped! The boneless, skinless thighs had a more intense flavor from the brine, but I'm not sure if this was due to their being boneless and skinless or if it was because we got them fresh, whereas the other thighs we could only find frozen and had to thaw.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Lynn.

Smokin' Hicks · 02-07-2011, 09:20 AM

bone in is the way to go for flavor and for general control of the chicken.....the store machines that debone and deskin or an over anxious butcher can really hack apart a chicken...as far as the skin and brine go always take the skin off before brining so the brine can penetrate the meat otherwise the skin will act as a protective barrier.....after deboning and deskining shape the thighs the way you want then with your knife otherwise they will tend to look a little ugly and uneven

Hub · 02-07-2011, 09:36 AM

Boneless thighs are somewhat rare in my judging experience but not unheard of. Most judges grasp the thigh by the bone ends and take a bite through the side. A few will pull meat off of the bone. All will, of course, taste the skin if it is provided. If you're getting results you like for flavor and texture, you can experiment with shaping (e.g. small muffin tin or similar) to get uniformity of appearance.

Aside from judging, where there is no requirment that it be served bone-in, I use bone-in for my "friends and family" cooks because I like the flavor and am an old "bone gnawer" from way back.

Good Luck

Ashmont · 02-07-2011, 09:41 AM

I am thinking for fun to do a bacon wrapped muffin chix thigh. I dont compete very much because of the cost. Thanks just wonderin.....

expatpig · 02-07-2011, 09:43 AM

Theres a tutorial at the pickledpigforum, for competition boneless chicken thighs, they are labor intensive but well worth the effort.

AZScott · 02-07-2011, 10:20 AM

Could you "shape" the boneless thighs by using skin after you brine the chicken? I have tried so many things over the past year for chicken and have finally settled on what I think is good competition chicken. Keep playing with what you're doing and you'll find out what you want to turn in.

gmholler · 02-07-2011, 12:54 PM

Thanks for the ideas!

Oh that's right...we should've removed the skin before brining! Why didn't we remember that! Time for another practice..!

Lynn.

Smokin Mike · 02-08-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashmont

I am thinking for fun to do a bacon wrapped muffin chix thigh. I dont compete very much because of the cost. Thanks just wonderin.....

great idea, going have to try that! probably would sell great. Thanks

but you can't use that for comps, bacon is a foreign object,,,,,

Ashmont · 02-08-2011, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokin Mike

great idea, going have to try that! probably would sell great. Thanks

but you can't use that for comps, bacon is a foreign object,,,,,

Good idea and prolly would sell great! Now if you did bacon wrapped boneless skinless chix thighs for a comp and removed the bacon before boxing would that be against the rules?

02-07-2011, 09:00 AM	#1
gmholler Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 04-15-09 Location: Lafayette, LA	Boneless, skinless chicken thighs I'd like some opinions on using boneless, skinless chicken thighs in competition. Hubby and I did a practice cook last night where we compared "regular" (skin-on, bone-in) thighs to the boneless, skinless variety; we found the boneless, skinless type held the brine better and had a better flavor overall, but they weren't very visually appealing - I guess because we weren't really sure how they were supposed to be shaped! The boneless, skinless thighs had a more intense flavor from the brine, but I'm not sure if this was due to their being boneless and skinless or if it was because we got them fresh, whereas the other thighs we could only find frozen and had to thaw. Thoughts? Thanks! Lynn.

02-07-2011, 09:36 AM	#3
Hub Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-01-10 Location: Lincolnton, NC	Boneless thighs are somewhat rare in my judging experience but not unheard of. Most judges grasp the thigh by the bone ends and take a bite through the side. A few will pull meat off of the bone. All will, of course, taste the skin if it is provided. If you're getting results you like for flavor and texture, you can experiment with shaping (e.g. small muffin tin or similar) to get uniformity of appearance. Aside from judging, where there is no requirment that it be served bone-in, I use bone-in for my "friends and family" cooks because I like the flavor and am an old "bone gnawer" from way back. Good Luck __________________ [FONT=Impact][SIZE=3][COLOR=red]Committed Pellethead[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] KCBS MCBJ & CTC Memphis Advantage NOS American Made Traeger 075 Weber Performer Author of [I][FONT=Times New Roman]Burn It In The Back Yard[/FONT][/I] Grillin' and Smokin' like crazy for over 40 years :whoo: [COLOR=red][I]There's No Smoke Alarm In My Outdoor Kitchen![/I][/COLOR]

02-07-2011, 09:41 AM	#4
Ashmont Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-13-05 Location: St. Louis MO	I am thinking for fun to do a bacon wrapped muffin chix thigh. I dont compete very much because of the cost. Thanks just wonderin..... __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ashmont Proud member of Brethren Weber's for life (Rescued 7 kettles in 2007, 1 in 2008, 2 in 2009 and 1 in 2010 Three of which I have and 8 that have gone to Brethren. PM me to get on the waiting list) Weber Kettle Dabomb Weber Kettle Justintime Weber Kettle (Yet to be named by Daughter) Evil Twin Suggested! Weber Kettle Grace WSM "Winni" WSM "Dumas" One Smokey Joe UDS "Peggy Sue" http://ashsmoderndayclubhouse.blogspot.com/

02-07-2011, 09:43 AM	#5
expatpig is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-20-10 Location: Cochrane, On.	Theres a tutorial at the pickledpigforum, for competition boneless chicken thighs, they are labor intensive but well worth the effort. __________________ "When I was in Canada, I had a lot of time to think."- Doug Sahm [B][COLOR=red]UDS x 5[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=red][B]Weber Performer[/B][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=red]Napoleon Apollo[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=#ff0000][B]GOSM[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=blue][B][I]CSBBQA, KCBS, NOBS(Northern Ontario Barbecue Society)Professional Barbecue Team. USAJFKCENMA.[/I][/B][/COLOR]

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02-07-2011, 09:20 AM	#2
Smokin' Hicks On the road to being a farker Join Date: 01-24-11 Location: Imperial, MO	bone in is the way to go for flavor and for general control of the chicken.....the store machines that debone and deskin or an over anxious butcher can really hack apart a chicken...as far as the skin and brine go always take the skin off before brining so the brine can penetrate the meat otherwise the skin will act as a protective barrier.....after deboning and deskining shape the thighs the way you want then with your knife otherwise they will tend to look a little ugly and uneven

02-07-2011, 10:20 AM	#6
AZScott Take a breath! Join Date: 02-22-08 Location: Phoenix, AZ	Could you "shape" the boneless thighs by using skin after you brine the chicken? I have tried so many things over the past year for chicken and have finally settled on what I think is good competition chicken. Keep playing with what you're doing and you'll find out what you want to turn in.

02-07-2011, 12:54 PM	#7
gmholler Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 04-15-09 Location: Lafayette, LA	Thanks for the ideas! Oh that's right...we should've removed the skin before brining! Why didn't we remember that! Time for another practice..! Lynn.