Chicken Advice

motoeric · 06-04-2011, 12:12 AM

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 · 06-04-2011, 12:19 AM

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 · 06-04-2011, 12:30 AM

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 · 06-04-2011, 02:52 AM

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 · 06-04-2011, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boogiesnap

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 · 06-04-2011, 07:04 AM

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 · 06-04-2011, 07:51 PM

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 · 06-04-2011, 08:46 PM

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

Sledneck · 06-04-2011, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerguy

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 · 06-05-2011, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sledneck

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 · 06-05-2011, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerguy

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

Tuck FAIL

PimpSmoke · 06-05-2011, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerguy

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 · 06-05-2011, 10:21 PM

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 · 06-06-2011, 09:58 AM

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 · 06-06-2011, 11:39 AM

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.

06-04-2011, 12:12 AM	#1
motoeric Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-07-06 Location: huntington, ny Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Chicken Advice 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 __________________ Smoke Signals Current Issue A BBQ Brethren Publication 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Exodus 12:9

06-04-2011, 12:19 AM	#2
smokeyokie is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-26-11 Location: Vinita, OK Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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.... __________________ open brick fire pit weber smokey joe with homemade WSM 2 weber kettle maverick ET 732 1 really, I mean really UGLY Drum Smoker super fast RED and BLACK thermapens _____________________ Billy"Smoke on Brothers and Sisters"

06-04-2011, 12:30 AM	#3
boogiesnap Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-22-10 Location: NEW ENGLAND Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ S'mo Q Competition BBQ Team Q so good you gotta have s'mo. Sponsored by Oakridge BBQ twin WSM 22.5's 48" DCS gasser certified MOINK baller farkanaut in training avatar by grillman CLICK HERE to visit the BBQ Brethren Throwdowns

06-04-2011, 02:52 AM	#4
BBQchef33 Grand Poobah and Site Admin Join Date: 08-11-03 Location: Long Island, NY Downloads: 10 Uploads: 4	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. __________________ Site Administrator and Grand PooBah CBJ with a Fuzzy Blue Hat, 18 Foot Competition Trailer, Customized Klose BYC, Custom Klose built MoAB (Mother of All Banderas) passed on to Big Dog, 1 Double Barreled Lang 84, 1 Heavily Modified Bionic Bandera, 1 Custom Super Medium Stickburning Spicewine w/stoker, 1 XL BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 1 Pit Barrel Cooker, 3 WSMs, 3 Weber Kettles, an NB Hondo, A Modified Brinkman Horizontal, DCS 48" Grill, a Broilmaster P3, a covered, pellet pooping FEC100, and our duck died. :( News Flash: "A mans worth is judged by the weight of his integrity " You know your getting older when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy Smoke on KC. WWW.BBQ-BRETHREN.COM

06-04-2011, 07:04 AM	#6
bmanMA is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 03-02-10 Location: Lunenburg, MA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	if you plan on doing a kcbs comp this year, use this as a practice run and do some thighs. Otherwise, what they said :) __________________ Pork Butt and Chicken Legs

06-04-2011, 08:46 PM	#8
douglaslizard Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 02-17-09 Location: willacoochee ga. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	i would go with what poobah said and do leg quarters, __________________ Mojo Smokehouse BBQ Team 22.5" WSM 18" WSM 22.5" Weber OTS bbq pro offset smoker bbq grillware stainless charcoal grill 2 ecbs 120 Gallon stickburner GO GATORS

06-05-2011, 10:21 PM	#13
Bentley Babbling Farker Join Date: 03-14-07 Location: Eden After the Fall Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ Certified Master Judge #5382 What is best in life? "To crush your BBQ opponents, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." Last edited by Bentley; 06-05-2011 at 11:34 PM..

06-06-2011, 09:58 AM	#14
monty3777 is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-13-08 Location: Happytown, IA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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 :) __________________ John 21:9

06-06-2011, 11:39 AM	#15
Brewmaster is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-05-07 Location: St. Louis Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ FEC-100 PG-500 Large Egg Weber Ranch Kettle BBQ070 (Lil Tex) BBQ075 (Texas) UDS

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