Competition Chicken

You sometimes see a local restaurant/backyard team submit whole sectioned chickens.

They have not done well, in my experience.

Of course,this could have to do with the cooking ability,seasoning/saucing,knife skills,and presentation.

Kevin/Burning Desires from SC did win chicken at the Jack with one.

He cooks on a Fast Eddy and has the knife skills of a surgeon.

Just some general chicken thoughts. I've gotten a few emails lately about this category. I think there are a lot of factors Chicken is the hardest to score. Hard category? Yeah, win 2 firsts in a row in chicken the next week? 14th. ah, the chicken category.

My reasoning, the judges and eating chicken. More than one at my table says they don't like chicken...

Remember this, in scoring what the weighting factors are:

• Taste 2.2858
  
• Tenderness 1.1428
  
• Appearance .5714
  

Spend time on taste and tenderness first, the appearance, of the three has the least value.

I've seen/heard them all.

Legs/thighs
Breast
Legs/thighs/wings
Whole chicken dissected and parted out
everything above mixed

As a certified judge, Table Captain, competitor my take (and unfortunately I don't think the norm) is to judge the entry as submitted. If someone submits perfect breast (moist/tender/flavorful) I'll just it accordingly.

I've also had those at my table say "I don't like white meat" and then they get a verbal correction from the Retired Military Table Captain (me).

But if they turn in dry breast I'll judge it also accordingly.

I think you hit it exactly. Thighs are most forgiving, look pretty all in the box. Cooking any white meat (whole breasts or whole chicken) present a challenge of getting the dark done and not overcooking the white.

Remember ,that you never put any thing in the box that will be that judges only perception of your product.

Rootsman,you will have 100% CBJ s and several Master judges at this cookoff.

Sometimes,if they are not used to something,they might think YOU don't know how to "play the game".

This perception might color their thoughts about your entry.

Remember,we all eat with our eyes-first.

This is where you see if "the courage of your convictions" was worth the shot.

Great comments!

Critical point is being perceived as knowing how to "play the game" or being a professional.

For example, I think a whole chicken is most attractive and I don't have a problem with getting dark and white meat cooked just right. However, judges may be of the school that says "what's this team thinking cooking a whole chicken" and not giving it much of an appearance chance. Of couse dissecting skills are a must.

How do wings fear?
How do cornish hens fear?

Tom, please explain the judge classification CBJ, Master?

Thanks!

CBJ -- Certified BBQ Judge
Master -- CBJ with 30+ contests and they wear pink suspenders (right Tom)

Actually, I don't think Tom has a pair. Maybe you should send him some. But they would clash with his orange clogs. LOL, that's a picture.

No John, that's a fashion statement.
Bill

Hey,I need a big straw hat and one of those cute over the shoulder coolers.

There are a couple of top teams that do wings.

I also know a couple good chicken cooks that have done cornish.

Thanks All!

Cornish Game Hens are nothing more than a young Cornish Rock X chicken.

We raise them with our Cornish Rock X, they are butchered at 3 weeks instead of 7-8 weeks like our roasters.

Good luck! Roger