They say that chicken is one of the easiest categories to prepare and cook for a KCBS competition, but I am beginning to have my doubts. I've been reading about cooking competition chicken including the types of things judges look for. The Holy Grail appears to be crisp, bite through skin. When bitten, the skin should not slide off, nor should it have shrunk away from its edge during the cook. I found a website called
The Pickled Pig which outlines one method I found interesting. Although a ton of prep-work, the method made sense to me, so I thought I'd try it.
Using Purdue thighs, I first removed the skins...
Next, I deboned each thigh, cut them into same size rectangles and marinated them in Italian salad dressing for 2 1/2 hrs. I then scraped the fat from the skin....
After seasoning each thigh with my blend, I re-wrapped the skin around the meat and sprinkled on a little more blend...
I then braised the thighs in the smoker using Parkay for 30 minutes at 250 degrees. Tell me that doesn't look good...
After taking them out of the Parkay, I placed them back into the smoker for another 40 minutes at 250 degrees. I used Maple wood for the smoke.
I finished them on my Weber over high heat to crisp up the skin. Once done, I dipped them in my homemade apple BBQ sauce. Admittedly, some of the skins did not come out as crisp as others, some shrank away and even slid off. I will probably toothpick the the skins into place next time. But I think with some practice, this method has potential. Afterall, no pain, no gain!
I think for competition I'd double the batch, thus increasing my odds of ending up with 6 pieces I'd be proud to place in my box. The chicken was delicious, packed with flavor, extremely moist and super tender. This particular specimen was very crisp.
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The Fine Print: The Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ is an unofficial community gathering that is run by neighborhood volunteers and is not affiliated with any organization other than its 
Looks good, Pig Daddy.
ReplyDeleteFYI, Matt Whiteford's BBQ sauces are now avaialable at the Buikema Ace Hardware stores in Wheaton, Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield, and Romeoville!
Hey there Anonymous, yes, you are correct! How awesome is that? We're proud to have Matt as Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ judge, committeeman and sponsor. Many folks have been asking where they may find his products. Tonight, I will post a link along with some other information informing everyone where they may pick up some. Thanks again for reading and posting this!
ReplyDeleteAlso, stay tuned, I know I’ve been saying this for a while, but we are getting close to announcing that Glen Ellyn's Third Annual Backyard BBQ Cook-Off will soon be accepting applications!