Chicken prep question.

esselle · 01-10-2012, 05:15 AM

This year we will be competing in a few competitions in the U.S. and up until this year our (British BBQ Society) rules haven't allowed us to do any preparing of meats prior to meat inspection. So I have no problems with ribs, pork and brisket but my question is to those of you that pre-prep chicken thighs the day before a comp, do you have any issues with the meat (and/or skin) drying out or spoiling in anyway? (especially if you are skin scraper).
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Scott.

southernstyle · 01-10-2012, 05:53 AM

i usually prep on wednesday. i place in 2 gallon freezer bagon the top shelf of the fridge then transfer to a cooler with ice thursday nite. never any problems. "so far"

Rich Parker · 01-10-2012, 06:07 AM

If I prep chicken more than a day in advance I freeze it and let it thaw in the cooler.

esselle · 01-10-2012, 06:21 AM

thanks...do either of you pre scrape the skin?

southernstyle · 01-10-2012, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esselle

thanks...do either of you pre scrape the skin?

everytime. after im done i put them in a ziplock sandwich bag and put the bag in the same 2 gallon bag as the thighs. when it comes time to brine on friday i just remove the bag with the skins and pour the brine in.

GreenDrake · 01-10-2012, 07:13 AM

I hated chicken, like many others in comps, I also wrecked it several times during comps. Until I decided that the yardbird wasn't going to win and that I would dedicate two packs of thighs per week until I got the method down pat. I do not pre-prep my chicken at all, I prefer to select it from a top secret grocery store that has fresh, never frozen chicken, and I now only prep about 8 thighs to get the six I want.

I do scrape and trim and knock the knuckles off, but my trim time has been cut down to about five to ten minutes per thigh, which I can live with. Here's a shot of one of my turn ins from last year, followed by one I wrecked previously.

This one was a total disaster, too much smoke drew up unscraped skin, I sauced it heavily to stick the skin down, placed in the middle of the pack with it, but was totally unhappy with the end result.

esselle · 01-10-2012, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southernstyle

everytime. after im done i put them in a ziplock sandwich bag and put the bag in the same 2 gallon bag as the thighs. when it comes time to brine on friday i just remove the bag with the skins and pour the brine in.

Perfect ....thanks again.

esselle · 01-10-2012, 07:23 AM

Lovely looking chicken GreenDrake!

Greendriver · 01-10-2012, 09:05 AM

as soon as possible I trim, place on rack in fridge a few hrs, brine a couple hrs, back on rack in fridge till time to go in cooker next morning, just before going in cooker season and cook @ 350 in butter half pans. skin drying out = good.

Parts_Guy · 01-10-2012, 09:40 AM

We pre-prep ours a day or 2 ahead of time(we are scrapers). The morning of the cook, I brine ours for 3 hours. It seems to be working ok for us so far.

El Pistolero · 01-10-2012, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esselle

This year we will be competing in a few competitions in the U.S. and up until this year our (British BBQ Society) rules haven't allowed us to do any preparing of meats prior to meat inspection.

I'm confused...I thought KCBS comps didn't allow prep before inspection, yet I see from all the replies that a lot of cooks do prep ahead of time. Is pre-prep allowed for chicken, but not pork, brisket, or ribs?

Fatback Joe · 01-10-2012, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Pistolero

I'm confused...I thought KCBS comps didn't allow prep before inspection, yet I see from all the replies that a lot of cooks do prep ahead of time. Is pre-prep allowed for chicken, but not pork, brisket, or ribs?

You can trim, scrape, etc all the meats. You just can't rub, inject, season, etc. Only knife work pre inspection.

southernstyle · 01-10-2012, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Pistolero

I'm confused...I thought KCBS comps didn't allow prep before inspection, yet I see from all the replies that a lot of cooks do prep ahead of time. Is pre-prep allowed for chicken, but not pork, brisket, or ribs?

you can definately pre trim just not season or marinade. rule # 7 http://kcbs.us/pdf/2011_Rules_and_Re...12-10-2010.pdf

CMALANGA · 01-10-2012, 11:27 AM

I pretrim. I have not had aproblem with anything drying out. I don't scrape the skins as when the fat renders during cooking = flavor. The few times I did scrape it was diasterous, otherwise no problems with butchering ahead of time.

huminie · 01-10-2012, 11:59 AM

I trim ahead and seal them up in my Foodsaver vacuum sealer. That always keeps em nice and fresh!

01-10-2012, 05:15 AM	#1
esselle Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-25-10 Location: Leicester UK	Chicken prep question. This year we will be competing in a few competitions in the U.S. and up until this year our (British BBQ Society) rules haven't allowed us to do any preparing of meats prior to meat inspection. So I have no problems with ribs, pork and brisket but my question is to those of you that pre-prep chicken thighs the day before a comp, do you have any issues with the meat (and/or skin) drying out or spoiling in anyway? (especially if you are skin scraper). Thanks in advance for any advice. Scott. __________________ Miss Piggy's BBQ. U.K. European Champions. Jack Daniel's 2012 Top International Team.

01-10-2012, 05:53 AM	#2
southernstyle is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-26-11 Location: okeechobee, fl.	i usually prep on wednesday. i place in 2 gallon freezer bagon the top shelf of the fridge then transfer to a cooler with ice thursday nite. never any problems. "so far" __________________ roger. Sponsored by oakridge bbq. stumps baby with digi q 2. doublebarrel 250 gallon offset

01-10-2012, 06:07 AM	#3
Rich Parker Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-20-09 Location: Grand Rapids, MI	If I prep chicken more than a day in advance I freeze it and let it thaw in the cooler. __________________ Outlaw BBQ Smoker - TheBBQSuperstore.com

01-10-2012, 06:21 AM	#4
esselle Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-25-10 Location: Leicester UK	thanks...do either of you pre scrape the skin? __________________ Miss Piggy's BBQ. U.K. European Champions. Jack Daniel's 2012 Top International Team.

01-10-2012, 07:23 AM	#8
esselle Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-25-10 Location: Leicester UK	Lovely looking chicken GreenDrake! __________________ Miss Piggy's BBQ. U.K. European Champions. Jack Daniel's 2012 Top International Team.

01-10-2012, 07:13 AM	#6
GreenDrake is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-21-10 Location: Right over there	I hated chicken, like many others in comps, I also wrecked it several times during comps. Until I decided that the yardbird wasn't going to win and that I would dedicate two packs of thighs per week until I got the method down pat. I do not pre-prep my chicken at all, I prefer to select it from a top secret grocery store that has fresh, never frozen chicken, and I now only prep about 8 thighs to get the six I want. I do scrape and trim and knock the knuckles off, but my trim time has been cut down to about five to ten minutes per thigh, which I can live with. Here's a shot of one of my turn ins from last year, followed by one I wrecked previously. This one was a total disaster, too much smoke drew up unscraped skin, I sauced it heavily to stick the skin down, placed in the middle of the pack with it, but was totally unhappy with the end result.

01-10-2012, 09:05 AM	#9
Greendriver is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-27-06 Location: Dalton, Ga	as soon as possible I trim, place on rack in fridge a few hrs, brine a couple hrs, back on rack in fridge till time to go in cooker next morning, just before going in cooker season and cook @ 350 in butter half pans. skin drying out = good. __________________ Greendriver, -------------------------------------------- Blog - Carpet Capitol Living

01-10-2012, 09:40 AM	#10
Parts_Guy On the road to being a farker Join Date: 10-26-11 Location: Coloma,WI	We pre-prep ours a day or 2 ahead of time(we are scrapers). The morning of the cook, I brine ours for 3 hours. It seems to be working ok for us so far. __________________ Peter Matijevich Smokin' Croatians

01-10-2012, 11:27 AM	#14
CMALANGA On the road to being a farker Join Date: 10-22-07 Location: Farmingdale, NY	I pretrim. I have not had aproblem with anything drying out. I don't scrape the skins as when the fat renders during cooking = flavor. The few times I did scrape it was diasterous, otherwise no problems with butchering ahead of time. __________________ Bad Ass Competition BBQ Team Certified BBQ Judge 22" WSM 26" Weber Kettle 22.5" Weber Kettle Large BGE

01-10-2012, 11:59 AM	#15
huminie is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-11-10 Location: Gilroy, CA	I trim ahead and seal them up in my Foodsaver vacuum sealer. That always keeps em nice and fresh! __________________ 2011 CBBQA Rookie ToY - 6th Overall, 2012 American Royal Invitational - Huminie's Hogalicious BBQ

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