River City Smokehouse
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2005
- Location
- Jefferso...
I see a lot of discussion on a couple of message boards that I frequent about the skin of finished chicken thighs for compettion turn-ins. To me it seems that many people either get tired of not achieving the ultimate skin doneness or they just don't want to mess with it because it requires a lot of effort and constant testing. I don't really know but in the past it had been an issue with me and I wanted to get it right.
I'm not saying that I am perfect in any way, but I have finally come to a place that I am comfortable enough to have confidence in my finished chicken thighs with the skin on. I have finally been able to turn my chicken in and not stress about whether or not the skin is edible enough for a judge or a family member or even a friend.
I have eaten so much chicken in the past that sometimes I feel like laying an egg. I kept on cooking sometimes only chicken to work on the skin. Even if I only cooked 4 pieces at a time. I would work all night thinking about it and when I would get home from work I would BBQ before going to bed. I think that it doesn't help anyone's scores if you get rid of the skin hoping it will keep your texture scores from dropping.
I know as a judge(newly certified) I would knock the score down for someone removing the skin. Right or wrong, it would send a signal to me that the cook could not produce a skin that could be turned in. I know that watching the fat wouldn't have been a factor in why it was removed.
I stress to all BBQ cooks as a cook myself to keep working on the ultimate chicken skin. There is a reward in the end. Once you get it down, it's smooth sailing from there. I am now re-working my ribs. I have a lot of work ahead of me too.
I'm not saying that I am perfect in any way, but I have finally come to a place that I am comfortable enough to have confidence in my finished chicken thighs with the skin on. I have finally been able to turn my chicken in and not stress about whether or not the skin is edible enough for a judge or a family member or even a friend.
I have eaten so much chicken in the past that sometimes I feel like laying an egg. I kept on cooking sometimes only chicken to work on the skin. Even if I only cooked 4 pieces at a time. I would work all night thinking about it and when I would get home from work I would BBQ before going to bed. I think that it doesn't help anyone's scores if you get rid of the skin hoping it will keep your texture scores from dropping.
I know as a judge(newly certified) I would knock the score down for someone removing the skin. Right or wrong, it would send a signal to me that the cook could not produce a skin that could be turned in. I know that watching the fat wouldn't have been a factor in why it was removed.
I stress to all BBQ cooks as a cook myself to keep working on the ultimate chicken skin. There is a reward in the end. Once you get it down, it's smooth sailing from there. I am now re-working my ribs. I have a lot of work ahead of me too.