competition chicken
 

Is there a consensus out there on whether or not chicken thighs should be done bone in or boneless? I was at a KCBS cook recently - some said boneless o.k., some said had to be bone in to be worth anything. I'm just starting out in competitions, so it has me really confused.

No, no real consensus. I, personally, like the taste a little better with the bones
cooked in them, but then I'm from a crazy cajun ancestry... Many compete bone in
and do fine, others compete boneless and do fine.

I do not belong in this thread!

Do whichever you feel more comfortable with. I don't think there's overwhelming evidence for either side. Good chicken is good chicken with or without the bone - same goes for bad chicken.

how about skin. on or off?

I think it depends on which way you produce the best results. Personally, I get pretty good boneless-skinless breasts for home use, but I'd never turn them in for a comp.

The biggest problem with doing skinless is it's hard to keep the meat moist for the turn in.

The biggest problem with doing skin-on is getting the skin the right texture.

Pick your poison. :-D

Personally, my best chicken is rotisserie. I cook up three or four cornish hens on a spit over oak and hickory coals and turn in six leg quarters. They fit nicely in the box, have a wonderful, crunchy, crisp skin and simply ooze juicy yumminess.

Skin on, bone in!

not to sound bad here, but what is your real question?

Bone in or Bone out - skin on or skin off - next you will ask us the sauce.

You really just need to find your recipe and work it from there. My recipe goes with thighs that have skin and bones. I have tried it without the skin and i lost alot of my flavor. I tried it on white meat and lost the flavor. That is why I have not messed with my recipe for the last 4 years.

I am a true believer that what work for other might not work for you. You need just to keep trying tell you find your recipe.

I agree. We have had success with both. Good chicken is good, bad is bad.

I've always done bone-in skin on - others may do it different. Experiment with it next time you do some chicken and see what you like best.

I say do what works for you. If you do what everyone says they do in the forum, and everyone is turning in bone thighs cooked in butter then the judges have a hard time telling the difference.

Of course, I want you all to cook them that way since I don't. While the judges don't compare, that much butter does overwhelm their taste buds.

I haven't been on in a while, but I really appreciate all the replies. I figured it would take playing around with to come up with something we like, but we were hearing guys (and gals) say, if you want to win you have to do it this way (we heard both bone in and boneless) or you might as well not show up. Makes it confusing. But also reinforces the the theory to stick with what you know and like. Thanks again.

What he said!

I have a question on this topic - Can you cook thighs for a competition turn-in (bone-in and skin on) and if the skin isn't the way you want it after cooking, remove the skin and turn it in without the skin on (put your sauce directly on the meat)? Has anyone ever done this?

I don't see why you couldn't.