half a thigh

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mobow

is one Smokin' Farker
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This past weekend I judged a contest where all six of my chicken samples were a half of a thigh. Looks like a meat cleaver is taken and the thigh bone is cut in half. It is then presented to look like a small thigh. I am assuming this presentation must be doing well as it is becoming more popular. My question is. From a cooks point of view what are the advantages of cooking this cut?. thanx keith
 
Besides presentation maybe trying to save a couple of dollars not cooking as much meat. Chicken is inexpensive but people are people!
 
^^^ that would be my guess as well. Maybe they go a little carried away with the cleaver when doing so.
 
Is their anything in the Judging that weights the size and appearance of the chicken, as in same size, and shape?

Could be a reason?
 
Could have been the size of the boxes... we'll cut off the knuckles to make the thighs fit nicely in th box
 
Sledneck said:
are you sure its not just them cutting off the knuckle end of the bone?
Click to expand...

I think we have a winner.

I've seen/heard of folks doing this.

I prefer to buy n cook a dozen pieces and then select the best (most uniform in size, appearance, shape, etc.)
 
mobow said:
This past weekend I judged a contest where all six of my chicken samples were a half of a thigh. Looks like a meat cleaver is taken and the thigh bone is cut in half. It is then presented to look like a small thigh. I am assuming this presentation must be doing well as it is becoming more popular. My question is. From a cooks point of view what are the advantages of cooking this cut?. thanx keith
Click to expand...

Wait a minute. Are you saying that every different entry all had these very trimmed thighs, or that all the thighs in one box had them?

I take 2 months off and standard convention for chicken changes again, :p?
 
what is the purpuse of leaving the little bit of bone in the thigh if you are going to go through the trouble of cutting off the knuckle. don't get me wrong, i did this too, trying to get uniform size and trying to get the skin to wrap all the way around on all sides, but it did not do well and leaves a good chance of a judge getting some bone chips in there. why not just debone the whole thing. how important is it to keep the bone in, from a judges point of view?
 
usually cut right at the backside of the knuckle to make them as uniform as possible. so you can square them up a little so you don't get the tear drop look
 
Do a majority of people use boneless thighs? or should I (a first-timer) consider leaving the bones in there?
 
We've done both bone-in and boneless this year.. I like the look of the boneless, but IMHO, taste and tenderness is better bone-in. Taste and Tenderness trumps looks every time.

Then again... my chicken always sucks.
 
G$ said:
Wait a minute. Are you saying that every different entry all had these very trimmed thighs, or that all the thighs in one box had them?

I take 2 months off and standard convention for chicken changes again, :p?
Click to expand...

Yes,
I am saying that all six entries that I judged had used this technique. That is why it struck me as something to inquire about. keith
 
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