Chicken box

[Rolling Smoke]

For a better picture, indoors, go for a shutter speed around F13, ISO 100-200, with a flash. ouside in the sun, ISO will need to be bumped up. watch the glare off the meat. Prime glass if you got it, and always shoot in RAW so you can mess with it later, especially if your histogram is off. take several pics with slight angle adjustments incase the lighting isn't right.

Okay, I'm just trying to tie this all in with what Ford was saying. The person taking the picture should be sitting and the one holding the box should be at a more elevated position, right? Like maybe the height ratio between a shower stool and a bar stool?

 

[stlgreg]

the left size looks real good
the right size looks a litle outta whack
if the bottom right piece was turned around it would look better but the top right really doesnt match anything.
I would give it a 7 or 8 depending on my mood

 

[Solidkick]

A solid 8, a little better on the trimming next time. Seeing it in person, on a once by at the table, it could possibly be a 9. We're able to study the pic and pick it apart.
Garnish looks real good!
Did you notice the sauce glob in between the top two pieces? (see what I mean about being about to pick the picture apart? :lol: )

 

[Coz]

Kick,I saw the glob,actually there were 2.I was gettin Poed with the sauce and just got tired.I was trying to cover my finger marks in the sauce from putting them in the box and didnt have the right tool.Sauce is tough for me as we dont usually use it for ourselves but from what I understand it scores better with.
I want to thank every one for the comments,We are going to do our first comp in June and from the commentery I have seen on the boards there should be a pretty tough field.I Am shooting for the top 1/4 of the field.High expections/Yes but I have done the research and spent the time cooking.Now its just tuning,tuning,tuning.

 

[Bentley]

I have to give it a 8. It was well presented, trying to say to myself, what is not a 9 about this box? Was having difficulty, outside of a little skin pull back and color, which really should not make a rats arse difference. I guess I just have a hard time giving a perfect to many things, got upset on that back in the 72 Olympics when that little Russian gal started getting them 10's...I digress. 8, leaning towards 9!

 

[Just Smokin' Around]

....
We are going to do our first comp in June and from the commentery I have seen on the boards there should be a pretty tough field.I Am shooting for the top 1/4 of the field.High expections/Yes but I have done the research and spent the time cooking.Now its just tuning,tuning,tuning.

Coz - Good luck. Shoot for the moon and if you miss, you're still amongst the stars. Remember - the key is to have fun and enjoy it. Just give it your best shot.

 

[Dale P]

I would give it a 7 or 8 depending on my mood

Good one right there! All judges should score by their moods! :razz:
Chicken looks great but Im in a bad mood so I give it a 7. Brilliant!

take the joke Greg, just messing with you. Im in to good of a mood to argue.:mrgreen:

 

[SP]

Anyone willing to share what they do to prevent the postage stamping of the skin. I have heard may things like trying to leave overhand of the skin so it is bigger than the meat. I also know that many people use toothpicks. Thanks in advance

I trim my thighs so there is more skin, so when it shrinks up it looks better. I feel i have a decent technique of trimming chicken that i've done since day 1.. but it's quite time consuming. it takes me about an hour and a half to trim 20. I start off with about 40, so a lot goes to the trash, but thighs are cheap.

Pull the skin around and tooth pick it into place. Just take out those tooth picks.

 

[Scottie]

Podge scored first place chicken last year at the Jack... Anytime he wants to tell me all of his secrets, I am all ears...

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner....

 

[Podge]

Pull the skin around and tooth pick it into place. Just take out those tooth picks.

i've tried that a few times.. everytime it looked like a fat man about to bust out of a button-up shirt. skin shrunk where the toothpicks weren't attached..also, i've got some inconsistent results from that and just got frustrated and kept what i had to begin with.. I personally like my way better, as it works just fine for me.

 

[Jeff_in_KC]

i've tried that a few times.. everytime it looked like a fat man about to bust out of a button-up shirt. skin shrunk where the toothpicks weren't attached..also, i've got some inconsistent results from that and just got frustrated and kept what i had to begin with.. I personally like my way better, as it works just fine for me.

I agree with you on inconsistent results with this method. Some definitely look better than others when finished. I also go through a bunch of thighs (but not 40! :shock and take the very best. I'm always able to find six or eight that stand out.

As for this box in question, for whatever reason, I prefer to see three horizontal rows of three rather than two vertical rows of three. I think it probably gives the appearance of a box that is fuller.

 

[ique]

i've tried that a few times.. everytime it looked like a fat man about to bust out of a button-up shirt. skin shrunk where the toothpicks weren't attached..also, i've got some inconsistent results from that and just got frustrated and kept what i had to begin with.. I personally like my way better, as it works just fine for me.

I'm sorry did I miss it? What is your way? :-D

 

[Podge]

I'm sorry did I miss it? What is your way? :-D

i trim the skin to be slightly larger than the meat. it's a pain in the ass, but it's paid off, so i keep doing it.

 

[Dale P]

Quality of the meat matters too. Some birds I have used seem to have tougher, thicker skin. Yellow vs white skin. Do you guys think you can tell any difference?

I thought your box looked good. How about an 8

 

[paydabill]

I would give it a 9 - From the picture, it makes me want to reach out and grab some. It does look like a lot of sauce on the entry, but I am not sure if it is because the picture.

 

[Divemaster]

I would have given it a solid 8 for the reasons stated above...

Thanks for sharing it... I'm too am trying my first comp and am learning more and more each day....

 

[Solidkick]

i trim the skin to be slightly larger than the meat. it's a pain in the ass, but it's paid off, so i keep doing it.

I agree with Podge....I think it takes about as much time to get 24 thighs trimmed and ready as it does for me to prep 2 butts and 2 briskets.......trim, lay it out, look at it, trim some more...it's a pain in the a$$, but it makes a difference.....

 

[Podge]

I agree with Podge....I think it takes about as much time to get 24 thighs trimmed and ready as it does for me to prep 2 butts and 2 briskets.......trim, lay it out, look at it, trim some more...it's a pain in the a$$, but it makes a difference.....

yeah, and the thing people have to remember, is chicken is cheap, and pays the same as brisket, ribs, and butts.. might as well invest the time, focus, money and care into it. if you lost the G.C. by .0001 points, probably could've used another 10 minutes on chicken prep.

 

[Scottie]

You sure are giving out some useful info today Podge!!! Thanks and I am taking notes!!!! Just a plethora of useful information...

 

[Dale P]

I do appreciate all the things I am learning from you pros.
Meijers has split chicken breast on sale for .99 lb. Must be Foghorn Leghorns.