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Another IBCA chicken question.

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Mike in Corpus

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I recently read where some IBCA judges are complaining that most chicken entries seem like they are grilled hot and fast with sticky sauce, and the meat has no smoke or true bbq flavor. Being entered in a IBCA cook off next month, I'm worried that if I go low and slow I'll get that pink "smoke" colored meat that some volunteer judge may mistake for raw, undercooked chicken. I know how to cook chicken slow/offset or fast/grilled, but can't decide which way to go. As you can see, I'm new here but, I heard this was the place to go for some friendly advice. Thanks.
 
We tend to cook our comp chicken at a higher temp than some of our other meats. 300-325 ish with cherry wood. It has done well for us at times and has done nothing for us at times.

Hopefully, the IBCA rep will make sure that judges dont mistake smoke coloration for undercooked chicken.

I suggest cooking it the way that you cook it the best.

Best of luck.
 
We cook our chicken on a WSM at around 250 with Kingsford comp and pecan. We are in the top ten more often than not. I'm in the process now of gettin' that IBCA 1/2 chicken flavor profile into KCBS style thighs. I've got 'till May.
 
We cook IBCA chicken relatively low and slow. 225-250. "Full smoke". We don't do it too often, bur our IBCA chicken does pretty well (a second last year).

I like cooking IBCA chicken. I wish KCBS required half chickens.
 
225 - 250, to date on a UDS and in the money more often than not for IBCA.

KCBS is another matter all together. I was all over the map.
 
Mike,

I wouldn't worry about someone mistaking it for being raw. The head judges would be called if any question regarding doneness arises as they would have to make the call to DQ the chicken if it is not cooked. I sure they would explain that the pink hue to the meat is due to the smoke.
 
It is a bit of a catch 22, no doubt. I would err on the side of pinky smoked chicken
and hope that the judges actually have a clue. Most do, so you're probably fine. I'm
actually glad they were complaining (ala. above) of no smoke. Most of the chicken that
places down here is grilled with very little if any smoke flavor.
 
Grilled chicken (or baked like in a Backwoods or other upright) is winning more than smoked chicken these past few years. No matter what you hear in the background. Rumors abound, don't listen to them. If you have the oppotunity to help a judging official you will see what wins across the board. Grill on! As far as pink meat in a smoked bird that's a risk we all have to deal with. A very low score of all 1's or a DQ is a possibility sometimes. What IBCA cookoff are you planning on doing?
 
I really do agree with Zilla's advice. If you have a chance, go assist in judging at an IBCA competition. I did that in Port Allen, La last year at the suggestion of some nice IBCA folks and it sure does open your eyes to what IBCA is all about. I didn't actually sample as a judge but worked as what in KCBS would be a table captain. It certainly let me know i was cooking all wrong for IBCA.
 
Sauce can be used but it needs to be cooked on. No sauce can be added after the meat has been removed from the pit. If you use it or not is your choice.
 
That's the million dollar question. Texas is funny that way. You can win 10 comps in one area or one town even and then go cook 30 miles west of that and you couldn't hit a top 10 walk to save your life. This is very evident the further south you go from San Antonio. So my experience has left me and scores of other Texas cookers scratching their heads. I've decided to stop trying to second guess the sub region and cook one recipe, then let the averages take over. I can say that south Texas in general does not like sweet BBQ very much.
 
I am a straight KCBS cook, until about a month or so ago and I cooked a Lone Star contest in Austin, and a IBCA in Sinton....I pretty much stayed with the flavor profiles that I have used all over the Country, and besides being conservative in Austin where I got 6th place rib call...I have pretty much kept things the same. I had a couple teams beside me in Sinton tell me that there is no way that I would get a call with the flavors that I turned in......Sinton was 3rd chicken and 4th brisket.....so, it is hard to tell....everyone will tell you that good is good....and I can also go with sometime luck is just lucky.....but, it was not worth trying to chase a flavor profile when I am more comfortable with what I do. With the half chickens I did it the same way I do KCBS, just had to alter a few things due to it being a half chicken rather than thighs/legs/breasts.....
do what you are comfortable with, and do it well....you will do fine
 
chromesporty said:
We cook our chicken on a WSM at around 250 with Kingsford comp and pecan. We are in the top ten more often than not. I'm in the process now of gettin' that IBCA 1/2 chicken flavor profile into KCBS style thighs. I've got 'till May.
Click to expand...
:becky: no, it is ok, dont make any changes, just go ahead and do the half chicken and then cut it up into 6 parts....I am sure that it will be fine...:crazy:.....well, ok, maybe not
 
U2CANQUE said:
:becky: no, it is ok, dont make any changes, just go ahead and do the half chicken and then cut it up into 6 parts....I am sure that it will be fine...:crazy:.....well, ok, maybe not
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advise, amigo. I think I'll keep workin' on it. BTW, cooked my kcbs pork butt today. Turned out purty good for a Texfo.
 
I've turned in no glaze once. 4th place. Only turn in glazed now, and have done better. Same comp the next year I got 5th.
 
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