What is best for turn in on chicken

In KCBS type contests,the poultry turnins tend to look like a thigh contest.

All the reasons we know about cooking,holding,shape,etc.

There are folks that may pull/shred chicken to go as a base,under their actual entry-especially in Fl BBQ Assoc,where there is no garnish allowed.

IMO ,if a judge sees pulled chicken as your entry,even though they are taught to judge it as presented,they guess that you messed up the cooking and that is all you could present.

My guess is if you don't score "DAL",you will compete for it.

Hi zchris and Tom,

See you both have competition back rounds and have a question: what is the secret for the absolutely moistest chicken with best looking texture? Not just smoking a chicken...

Whole chicken- rotisserie? Brine? Cook low then mark on the grill? or mark on the grill and finish cooking in smoker(no smoke) or oven?

Chicken parts, same question?

What about rubs and if you use sauce, do you sizzle it on at the end?

Thanks Tom. I was just wondering. That is what I was thinking that turning in the thighs would score you better. Like you said the judges probally would think you messed up. I did find something out this past weekend at the cookoff though. When leaving the skin on it does keep them moist. I was taking the skin off and they was drying out way too much and my scores showed it also down at the bottom of the pack. Have to practice some this winter to get the rubbery skin fixed but have ideas on that. Going to try two different things with them. Was going to grille one batch first then put on the smoker and the other batch smoke them first then grille and see how they turn out.

Grillemaster. Your question. When I do the rotissery style chicken I beer can them so you dont' get any marks on them at all. The turn out moist. Drink half the beer then add honey, your favorite seasoning and stick the chicken on the can and cook away. As far as idividual pieces I am still experimenting with them But I use cookshacks spicey chicken rub and about the last hour on the smoker I use my homemade barbeque sauce with about a quarter cup of honey in it and use a mop and mop the sauce on. Do this at half hour intervals. It turns out in a nice golden brown look. Kind of a light brown. Good luck to ya and just expierment and all the info on this forum is great.
Thanks
Smell Whats Cookin'
zchris

Lots of approaches,and most folks will say experiment to see what works for you.

Let other folks taste side by side samples and take good notes.

There are folks that simply use the grocery pumped chicken,cooked on a small weber kettle,and win big.

Others use a combo of several approaches.