The off season....

Big Poppa

Big Poppa

Administrator
Its fun....you sort of hate it because you dont have anywhere to compete...but on the other hand you lick your wounds...study your stats...talk to friends...think about all the different ways to can improve....

Big test cook today...two briskets, three different butts, 8 different racks and about 24 chickens! The search for improvement

A different kind of fun!
 
TentHunter

TentHunter

Moderator
Wow 24 chickens is a lot!

I'm sure one of the things you're practicing is getting that coveted "Bite-Through" chicken skin.

BP, can you please describe for us exactly what "Bite-Through" chicken skin is/isn't. Is it slightly crispy? Is it skin that's cooked but still moist and soft?

Thanks!
 
Thom Emery

Thom Emery

New member
maybe they are eating a great lunch at Sterlings day job today ;0)
I think 24 chickens is 24 thighs
Crispy wont stay crispy when sauce is added
Bite through is pick it up take a bite
and the whole skin does not come off with that first bite
 
H

HoDeDo

New member
Off season? was there an off season this year? I'm trying the new stuff live! LOL 0-1 but that is Texas, IBCA. I have high hopes for Winter Q in great bend, and the Chest to Chest Brisket Invitational next weekend!!! Stay tuned!
 
Matt Dalton

Matt Dalton

New member
I'm pretty sure there not practicing bite through..once you have the technique down it's very easy to repeat over and over..Tent bite through is where the fat has totally rendered out of the skin and almost becomes part of the meat itself.
 
Thom Emery

Thom Emery

New member
with as high a chicken scores as BP hits
Yes safe bet that's not what's being practiced
because they got that down
 
scooter

scooter

Moderator
Tent, The only thing I can add to what Andy, Matt and Thom have said is "bite through" skin and "crispy" skin are two different things. Bite through skin is very soft (it's been poached in butter usually) and just gives way when you bite through it. Like Matt said, for the most part, it has almost become part of the meat.
 
TentHunter

TentHunter

Moderator
Matt Dalton said:
Tent bite through is where the fat has totally rendered out of the skin and almost becomes part of the meat itself.
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scooter said:
"bite through" skin and "crispy" skin are two different things. Bite through skin is very soft and just gives way when you bite through it. Like Matt said, for the most part, it has almost become part of the meat.
Click to expand...

Yes, a very good description of what I was wondering; What is the texture of Bite-Through skin like. I usually get a nice crispy skin, and everyone seems to like it, but it's not exactly what I would call "bite-through" which is why I wondered.


Thanks guys!
 
Big Poppa

Big Poppa

Administrator
Comp chicken isnt what I cook at home...it is good...I like it and it is cool to see your teeth marks on the skin and no fight to eat it... I think its important because it proves that it isnt rubbery...it is rendered of all or most of its fat...
 
scooter

scooter

Moderator
The texture of bite through skin on comp chicken is that of nearly approaching gelatinous in nature. It's very difficult to correctly describe. Like I said, a lot of teams will, for the most part, cook their comp thighs in a butter bath which is poaching it for all intents and purposes. When chicken skin poaches in butter it gets verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry relaxed and will present little or no resistance when you bite through it. A great deal of care is taken by pitmasters not to have a judge take a bite of their chicken and have the chicken skin pull away from the thigh and flop down on the judges chin. Some judges will take a point away for that.
I agree with BP, I'd never cook comp chicken for my family. In fact, for my family I wouldn't do a comp brisket all juiced up with phosphates and MSG or a pork butt done the same way either. Of the four meats I think comp ribs are the only comp meat I prepare for family consumption.
You'll hear this quite often that competition BBQ is "one bite" BBQ and it's sadly true. The cooks are packing a lot of flavor "bang" into a single bite because they know that one bite is all most judges will take before moving on to the next entry. For my part, if an entry is so-so flavor wise I'll take at least two bites from different areas or opposite sides of the entry. If one side is dry, off tasting, etc and the other side is tasty and succulent I will average the two and come up with a score for each criteria that way.
Now if an entry is good I'll take more than two bites and if it scores 8's, or especially 9's, I will finish it every time, nothing but bare bone left. BBQ that good deserves to be consumed completely. Sometimes, if an entry was a 9, I won't finish it but leave some for my daughter Taylor to try after her table is done with the category. She judges with me sometimes and we often will hold a particulary good (or bad) entry for each other to try. Or I will bag it and take it home for Mrs scooter to try as she also appreciates good Q.
 
Matt Dalton

Matt Dalton

New member
scooter said:
The texture of bite through skin on comp chicken is that of nearly approaching gelatinous in nature. It's very difficult to correctly describe. Like I said, a lot of teams will, for the most part, cook their comp thighs in a butter bath which is poaching it for all intents and purposes. When chicken skin poaches in butter it gets verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry relaxed and will present little or no resistance when you bite through it. A great deal of care is taken by pitmasters not to have a judge take a bite of their chicken and have the chicken skin pull away from the thigh and flop down on the judges chin. Some judges will take a point away for that.
I agree with BP, I'd never cook comp chicken for my family. In fact, for my family I wouldn't do a comp brisket all juiced up with phosphates and MSG or a pork butt done the same way either. Of the four meats I think comp ribs are the only comp meat I prepare for family consumption.
You'll hear this quite often that competition BBQ is "one bite" BBQ and it's sadly true. The cooks are packing a lot of flavor "bang" into a single bite because they know that one bite is all most judges will take before moving on to the next entry. For my part, if an entry is so-so flavor wise I'll take at least two bites from different areas or opposite sides of the entry. If one side is dry, off tasting, etc and the other side is tasty and succulent I will average the two and come up with a score for each criteria that way.
Now if an entry is good I'll take more than two bites and if it scores 8's, or especially 9's, I will finish it every time, nothing but bare bone left. BBQ that good deserves to be consumed completely. Sometimes, if an entry was a 9, I won't finish it but leave some for my daughter Taylor to try after her table is done with the category. She judges with me sometimes and we often will hold a particulary good (or bad) entry for each other to try. Or I will bag it and take it home for Mrs scooter to try as she also appreciates good Q.
Click to expand...
Your EXACTLY the kind of judge that I cook for!..great description!..I wanna hit your table every time.
 
TentHunter

TentHunter

Moderator
scooter said:
I agree with BP, I'd never cook comp chicken for my family. In fact, for my family I wouldn't do a comp brisket all juiced up with phosphates and MSG or a pork butt done the same way either. Of the four meats I think comp ribs are the only comp meat I prepare for family consumption.
Click to expand...

I think we're on the same page with this. My family seems to like the skin on the crispy side like we usually do. And for brisket, I don't care much for slices of the flat (my wife & daughter do), so I probably cook it more tender than you'd want for comp brisket. For ribs I like them done a little towards the "falling off the bone" stage (as do the rest of my family and friends).

Thanks again for the great descriptions guys, I now understand what "bite-through" skin is. :)
 
Matt Dalton

Matt Dalton

New member
I just want to let you guys know that are going to the class..just don't go and expect to see and taste 1st place entries..what I mean is they show you what NOT to do..you could ask Brad(BPS team)we sat across from each other and he had already done pitmasters at this point mind you..I had maybe 6 comps and 2 RGC's already under my belt..when the chicken hit the table in front of us we both looked at each other and Brad said to me"what am I supposed to do with this!"..PRICELESS!!..I was thinking the same thing too..anyway the point I'm making here guys is the class is a ticket into the tent..that's where it's at!
 
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