Chicken trimming prior to contest

[Fat Woody]

I like to buy fresh thighs when I can, so I buy and trim on Thursday. When that's not possible, I will pop the fresh thighs in the freezer for 4 hours and then stick em back in the fridge. They don't freeze solid, but it will buy you an extra day in the fridge (my butcher told me this).

As I'm working, I toss my skins and trimmed thighs into 2 aluminum half pans set on a full pan filled with crushed ice and water; this keeps everything nice and cold during the prep session.

Now I find chicken prep very therapeutic...

 

[Eggspert]

I like to do it Thursday, but due to schedules I have done as early as Tuesday evening for a Friday/Saturday contest. I haven't noticed too much of a difference in quality.

Eggspert

 

[BBQSanj]

Usually on Wednesday evening.

 

[Rich Parker]

I trim everything when I get to the comp. Easier that way since the mess stays out of the house.

 

[Icekub]

Rich Parker, you been to husband college or something? :biggrin1:

 

[Smokin Mike]

We trim at the contest, only takes a few minutes to whip out 12 pieces. We stopped scraping this year, and now we are only squaring them up and removing extra skin.

yep, thats what we do, first time we ever got chicken calls, 2nd, first time, next contest, 9th,,

 

[smoke ninja]

May just be me but I would have thought trimming meat should be done during the comp not the week prior. Just don't seem to fit the spirit.

 

[bigdogphin]

We trim at the contest, only takes a few minutes to whip out 12 pieces. We stopped scraping this year, and now we are only squaring them up and removing extra skin.

you are 21st in the nw power ranking... Maybe you should go back to scraping.

We trim on Thursdays but I have trimmed the week before and frozen. I think the key is to make sure you do a good job and are not tired while you do it.

 

[tduffy]

May just be me but I would have thought trimming meat should be done during the comp not the week prior. Just don't seem to fit the spirit.

Never have and never will trim chicken at a contest.

 

[Roast Beast]

May just be me but I would have thought trimming meat should be done during the comp not the week prior. Just don't seem to fit the spirit.

Wonderful idea. Requiring all meat prep to be done on-site would be a great way to make things much more difficult for the guys cooking under a couple of EZ-Ups, while changing very little for the guys in big rigs with full kitchens. Two birds with one stone, if you ask me. :thumb:

 

[Smokin69th]

Just finished trimming chicken for this weekend...

 

[columbia1]

you are 21st in the nw power ranking... Maybe you should go back to scraping.

We trim on Thursdays but I have trimmed the week before and frozen. I think the key is to make sure you do a good job and are not tired while you do it.

The times I did not scape we placed 3rd and 5th(our last two contests), the earlier contests I was playing with legs without much luck.

 

[sslak]

I trim Thursday night after work. Friday is way too busy and we usually roll out early.

 

[polishdon]

I prep our chicken when we get to the comp. It's so much fun I like to make sure I share it with my teammates. :razz:

 

[tduffy]

The times I did not scape we placed 3rd and 5th(our last two contests), the earlier contests I was playing with legs without much luck.

I am not good enough at cooking chicken to not scrape and still get bite thru skin every time. Or I don't know the secret of doing so. So I just keep scraping skins because it works for me.

 

[Rich Parker]

Rich Parker, you been to husband college or something? :biggrin1:

I was only threatened once or twice by my wife if i get chicken s**t all over the table again. :heh:

 

[ParrotheadHskr]

Not trying to hi jack the thread.. But it's related.. How many people take the skin off and scrap them as part of prep? If so.. I've had little luck scrapping much off of it. Any tips?

 

[Roast Beast]

I find it much faster to filet the fat off with a sharp filet or boning knife than to scrape.

 

[Pigs on Fire]

Wonderful idea. Requiring all meat prep to be done on-site would be a great way to make things much more difficult for the guys cooking under a couple of EZ-Ups, while changing very little for the guys in big rigs with full kitchens. Two birds with one stone, if you ask me. :thumb:

Yeah. I'd like to see someone from Michigan show up to a contest in GA in August that is on a blacktop parking lot, 93°F in the shade, 114°F on the parking lot, little to no breeze, sun at high noon, and you're 2 hours behind in your "schhhhhhedule". This after setting up a couple of pop-up tents, tables, dragging coolers around, and sweat is rolling out of cracks and crevices you didn't know you had. You're soaking wet, hot, hungry and you've got chicken still in styrofoam trays, ribs, butts and brisket still in the cryovac packs.

Why not make it a rule that all rubs, injections and brines have to be mixed and made up at the contest, too?

 

[Carolina OutlawZ]

I use this and have really good luck. Almost freeze them and they will scrape a lot easier and quicker.
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