Chicken Advice

motoeric · Jun 4, 2011

Hi!

I'm entering a sort of casual contest next week (the 12th). It's just going to be ribs and chicken. It's not sanctioned and the judges are local restaurateurs.

I'm afraid that what we consider to be BBQ chicken would look overly processed and too uniform. I have a feeling that they are looking for something more rustic.

They require two pieces of chicken in a box for each judge (four boxes total). Each piece has to be on the bone.

I'm thinking of doing 2 beer can chickens, splitting them in 1/2 and turning in a breast and leg for each judge.

I'm a little concerned about having the breast and leg done at the same time, the breast drying out and the skin getting too dark (as happens to me often when making beer can chicken).

All suggestions are appreciated.

Eric

smokeyokie · Jun 4, 2011

I love beer can chicken at home...for any kind of comp do thighs trim them uniform and cook them to perfection and kill it!!!! that being said thighs give you the best chance at uniform cooking time and being moist.. whole chicken poses the problem of breast done and dark meat undone. Dark meat done and breast dry....

boogiesnap · Jun 4, 2011

i'd suggest spatchcock over beercan for uniformity of the cook.

BUT, i'd present your best chicken product, whatever it may be. thigh, drum, wing, etc.

show 'em to what lengths we go through and the extraordinary results that can be acheived.

BBQchef33 · Jun 4, 2011

i would do 2 leg quarters, cookem at 200 for 30 mins, then ramp up to 325 and finish. Crisp skin and hard to ruin. get them big ass Chernobyl quarters, and they be done in under an hour.

Chipper · Jun 4, 2011

boogiesnap said:
i'd suggest spatchcock over beercan for uniformity of the cook.

BUT, i'd present your best chicken product, whatever it may be. thigh, drum, wing, etc.

show 'em to what lengths we go through and the extraordinary results that can be acheived.

What he said^^^^

bmanMA · Jun 4, 2011

if you plan on doing a kcbs comp this year, use this as a practice run and do some thighs.
Otherwise, what they said

beerguy · Jun 4, 2011

You could be different and do Sledneck's "bikini beercan chicken" just to be unique. Stick some cut lemons under the skin for even more effect!

douglaslizard · Jun 4, 2011

i would go with what poobah said and do leg quarters,

Sledneck · Jun 5, 2011

beerguy said:
You could be different and do Sledneck's "bikini beercan chicken" just to be unique. Stick some cut lemons under the skin for even more effect!

nice, somebodys paying attention! I teach that in my backyard classes and people love it.

beerguy · Jun 5, 2011

Sledneck said:
nice, somebodys paying attention! I teach that in my backyard classes and people love it.

i think the one on the right is really a guy in drag. NTTAWWT.

bmanMA · Jun 5, 2011

beerguy said:
i think the one on the right is really a guy in drag. NTTAWWT.

Tuck FAIL

PimpSmoke · Jun 5, 2011

beerguy said:
You could be different and do Sledneck's "bikini beercan chicken" just to be unique. Stick some cut lemons under the skin for even more effect!

(must behave, must behave, must behave)

Trailer chicken.

Bentley · Jun 5, 2011

My only suggestion would be to used a flavorful brine. Should help in evening out cooking times amongest parts if you do half or whole.

monty3777 · Jun 6, 2011

I'd stick to your competition chicken for 2 reasons. 1. It's great practice and helps towards consistency. 2. Your average KCBS judge has little to no more training/experience with BBQ than any judge at a backyard comp. So, what works for one should work for the other. Clearly many KCBS judges are really good, but the luck of the draw says that on average you probably will get a lot of folks who judge based only on what they "like." So, in my mind there's little difference. Just an opinion. I'm not claiming to have any special knowledge - unless getting beat affords me access to special knowledge

Brewmaster · Jun 6, 2011

I like the chicken quarter idea the best.

But if you want to do a beer can chicken I would brine beforehand. After brine I would get a ziplock bag of ice and lay it on the breast and let it rest on the counter for awhile. That should give your thighs a head start.

Chicken Advice

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