Need some chicken parts advice

Botch · May 2014

Next weekend I'm checking off a Bucket List entry, I'm entering my very first barbeque contest. I'll be cooking a couple briskets, and a chicken. The contest organizers just notified us that a local grocery is donating chicken parts, so we'll be cooking those.

So, I'm looking for tips for cooking parts, instead of a whole chicken. I normally spatchcock, raised indirect, at 275-300 or so, and the thighs and breasts are pretty much done at the same time. With parts, should I put the dark meat on a half-hour before the breasts? Put the breasts in the center of the grate, with the dark meat around the perimeter? Do some kind of dance halfway through?

Also, a couple of "Judging" questions. This contest is being put on by the Hill AFB Club, who've never done a barbeque contest before; likewise, it sounded like none of the entrants have ever done a contest before either, makes for a low-stress situation where we'll probably all have a blast. We're supposed to give a one-ounce portion into each of six trays for judging, no garnish or sauce (yay!) Do folks normally give the judges a couple slices of breast, or thigh? I know thigh is supposed to be juicier and taste more "chickeny", but breast has always been my favorite (and a slice of breast with perfectly-Egg-bronzed skin would, I think, wow some judges).

Any hints?

DMW · May 2014

The most common chicken part turned in for competition is thigh. Bone in thigh specifically. If you have time and feel like putting in the effort, peel the skin back, trim visible fat off. Now for the messy part, scrape the fat from the skin with a sharp knife. When you are finished the skin should be translucent. Place the skin back on and use some toothpicks to pin it in place around the edges. This will produce crispy bite through skin.

DMW · May 2014

Forgot to mention be sure to remove the toothpicks completely before turnin. Also, sliced breast meat as a turnin is fine as well. The challenge is that it can easily dry out between turnin and judging. Should be fun. As far as arranging on the grid I would probably place the breast in the center and thighs around it. Maybe even move the thighs to the area outside the platesetter at the end to give it a bit of direct heat if doing the overall cook indirect. Raised direct would be another option, but I would go with what you are most comfortable with.

Big_Green_Craig · May 2014

I've seen the cupcake pan method on chicken thighs on every BBQ competition tv show.

TexanOfTheNorth · May 2014

Here's a link re: trimming a chicken thigh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XxCQOaIXdQ

Need some chicken parts advice

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