Competition Chicken, Competing With Myself

[ChileRelleno]

I picked up a few trays of chicken thighs with my CSRs today.
I've always been impressed with the the thighs I've seen put before BBQ competition judges, and I'm starting to think that they're the true litmus test of a Pitmaster.

Thankfully the only person I'm competing with is myself, so I'm not going overboard looking for perfection, nor getting crazy with shapes, butter braising or any of the other tricks and shenanigans.
Them competition guys have to in search of that perfectly tender and juicy hunk of fowl, with the ideal bite through skin, every piece almost identical in every aspect of appearance.
I'll be trying to just meet the tender, juicy and bite through skin.

So here we go...  Competition Chicken

Picked out trays with the biggest, nicest thighs and closest to uniform size.
Also payed attention to skin color and complexion.

Inspect them for the best sized skins to work with, as free of imperfections as possible.
Remove the skin and any large amounts of fat and/or membrane.
Trim it to as large a rectangular shape as possible and lightly dust with rub.






Then take the meat and trim both knobs of bone/meat off, the same with both fatty ends, also and large sinews or globs of fat.
Trim them all into as roughly uniform rectangles as possible.
Then dust the bottom of them with rub.
Lay the meat back onto the skins and roll them together, then dust the top of the skins lightly with rub.






Lay in a pan, cover with foil and allow them to dry overnight.


Preheat the smoker to 275°, smoke with your preferred wood, I'll use cherry.
Before placing in the smoker I secure the skins with toothpicks, plain wood or stainless, no colored wooden.
Smoke these for one (1) hour, at the half hour mark spritz lightly with Parkay Butter and again just before foiling.
[insert pics]
Then cover the pan with foil, cook for another forty five (45) minutes.
By covering the pan we're getting the collagen in the skin to render and give us that perfect bite through consistency.
Now it is time to glaze with BBQ sauce and to taste test one piece for bite through consistency, I'm also checking IT, my goal is 170°-175°.
[insert pics]
I'll let them go another another fifteen (15) minutes uncovered for the sauce to set up and then pull for presentation to the family.
Talk about brutal, nobody can judge you like your family judges you... LOL!

The Presentation
[insert pic]

[David Hall]

I always wondered how those competition folks always got their chicken looking so consistent. 
Thanks again Chili.

[ChileRelleno]

I always wondered how those competition folks always got their chicken looking so consistent. 
Thanks again Chili.

Yep, lots and lots of attention during prep, cooking tricks and etc.
Them guys are dead serious, you should see the trouble they go to just for the presentation boxes.

[ChileRelleno]

Preheat the smoker to 275°, smoke with your preferred wood, I'll use cherry.
Before placing in the smoker I secure the skins with toothpicks, plain wood or stainless, no colored wooden.
Smoke these for one (1) hour, at the half hour mark spritz lightly with Parkay Butter and again just before foiling.






Then cover the pan with foil, cook for another forty five (45) minutes.
By covering the pan we're getting the collagen in the skin to render and give us that perfect bite through consistency.
Now it is time to glaze with BBQ sauce and to taste test one piece for bite through consistency, I'm also checking IT, my goal is 170°-175°.




I'll let them go another another fifteen (15) minutes uncovered for the sauce to set up and then pull for presentation to the family.
Talk about brutal, nobody can judge you like your family judges you... LOL!

The Presentation

[conchydong]

Pretty soon you will be in the company of Myron, Stump and Big Mo if you keep this up. 
Looks like another winner.

[MarkT]

So, who won?

[ChileRelleno]

Pretty soon you will be in the company of Myron, Stump and Big Mo if you keep this up. 
Looks like another winner.

Thanks

So, who won?

According to everyone, myself included, the unglazed won.

Except for my two youngest kids, they preferred the regular thighs I smoked/grilled.
They said they like the chewier skin and more meat.
Smoked these with the competition and then crisped the skin on the upper rack of my grill.