Finding the elusive Bite Through Chicken

[SierraBBQGuy]

I’ve come to the conclusion this is urban legend!

Every year around this time, I start searching the Internet for any new info to achieve bite through chicken for KCBS competition. We enter the Silicon Valley BBQ contest each summer, in the Back Yard division, just Tri Tip and Chicken. We have always done very well with Tri Tip, but always suck at chicken. Over the years, we’ve tried everything, including even "glueing" the skin on with Moo Glue. Yes, that’s a thing, Google it!

Weve tried Lollypop legs, different sauces, always skinned the thighs and scrapped off the sub cutaneous fat... cooked in butter, margarine etc... can never reliably achieve this bite through skin.

Is there a secret society of chicken cooks? There must be some deeply held secret. Please let me know how I can find out. I’ll pay...I’ll sign a non disclosure! I’ll agree to never compete at the professional level! I just need to know the secret!!!

[HawkerXP]

Good luck on your quest! I unfortunately rarely see chicken with skin on it.

[ColonialDawg]

Harry Soo has the best video tutorial I have seen on cooking chicken with bite-through skin. Now, I don’t compete so have never tried it, but I figure he knows something about it since he was the KCBS Chicken Champ a few years back. I personally like my skin crispy. But, I wonder if it has something to do with the quality of meat you buy (like any other meat). Better ingredients often equal better results, as you probably already know. Anyway, here’s the video I referenced:

https://youtu.be/VC8fdTsj_jY

[SierraBBQGuy]

I’ve experiment a lot with heat too. Like you, I like my chicken skin crispy, but apparently the KCBS judges don’t. Crispy skin usually comes off in one big piece, a big delicious piece. They want to see their teeth marks clean through the skin and meat.

[Troutman]

Watching Harry Soo’s video it seems like he doesn’t try to get a crispy skin. He cooks at 275* then sauces at the end. He seems more concerned about dry brining and flavor then the crispness of his skin. I’d follow his advice if cooking comp, can’t argue with his success.

[Nate]

I was thinking fzxdoc had a recommendation on another thread recently.

[DWCowles]

Competition judges don’t want crispy skin just bite through skin.

[Frozen Smoke]

I wet brine in a mix of about 75% apple juice and the rest water. I think, no I know the apple juice achieves a very nice mahogany color and the sugars from the apple juice will caramelize on the skin even at lower temps like 275 to 290 where I usually cook chicken. It's a crispier skin than if I didn't wet brine in apple juice. Is it bite through enough for judges. I have no clue and quite frankly I don't think some judges know exactly what they are looking for either.

I have also heard that leaving your chicken uncovered in the fridge for a few hours also helps for crispy skin.

[Dewesq55]

How much salt do you put in your apple juice brine?

[Frozen Smoke]

Usually 1 cup Kosher salt per gallon of liquid. I switched to using Oak ridge BBQ's brine mix. Everything in a mix no need for other spices etc. Sometimes I will drop some orange halves in but it's great just as it is.

[HouseHomey]

I have not attempted to make soft, bithrough chicken skin. Just guessing but it seems to me that a moist, long cooking times to break it down would do. However..... I cooked at higher temps and come up with soggy (non crispy) skin plenty of times in my youth.

I'm pretty much in agreement with the above. I've caught a lot of flack from people about brining, ez to little smoke on a lot of my food, ez bark and little to no heat etc.... but that is from people (unlike the pit) who believe there is only one way to do things.

Obviously you can cook, what are you cooking the chicken on? How close are you to what you are looking for? 50%? Is it the top side of the skin where the issue is or the bottom side closer to the meat?

May I suggest testing the chicken without any smoke/wood and going straight charcoal or straight gas with a moist/dry chamber and start that way at 350°.

Off the cuff it seems to me the fat needs to be rendered and the skin needs to stay moist/saturated. I do not know all of the science behind "what skin is" but I'm assuming that's what "bite through" is?

i have no idea who this Harry guy is but I guess I need to watch that video above.

I'm very intrigued with this soggy skin. Of course I'm Also the guy who likes day old soggy sandwiches and salads. What can I say, I'll eat the crud out of soft skin too.

[Thom Emery]

I’ve experiment a lot with heat too. Like you, I like my chicken skin crispy, but apparently the KCBS judges don’t. Crispy skin usually comes off in one big piece, a big delicious piece. They want to see their teeth marks clean through the skin and meat.

What type of cooker are you using?
275 is a fine temp to run at
inject the thighs, go butter bath, cover later
Crisp will not stay crisp under sauce and then the time it takes to get to the table
So crisp does not mater Bite through does
I have tried Smart Chicken brand (air dried) with good results but Sanderson will do fine also

[Powersmoke_80]

The only advice I can give is I did one KCBS comp and took 6th in chicken with bone in thighs. I scraped the skins ( what a PITA) salted the meat the night before. In the morning I rub with mayo seasoned, applied skin, rubbed with mayo and seasoned outside, set in a pan uncovered with butter and grilling oil. put in my offset temp was about 325-350 and sauced after temp. hope this helps, Smoke out.

[Thom Emery]

http://blog.gatewaydrumsmokers.com/basted-competition-thighs/

[T-bone]

Very interesting article. Thanks for sharing!

[SierraBBQGuy]

http://blog.gatewaydrumsmokers.com/b...tition-thighs/

This article explains things very well. After setting the rub on the skin with an initial smoke, the thighs are braised in something, to tenderize the skin and get some of the fat and proteins out from under the skin. This braise seems to be very time/ temp sensitive. Too little and the skin is rubbery, too much the the skin starts to shrink and release from the meat, either way, the skin wont bite through. Most competition types who write about this stuff and the ones I talk to at events, have gone to scrapping the underside of the skin, then reattaching. I’ve done this each time, but still get mediocore scores, so this time....why bother. Harry Soo, as mentioned here, does NOT scrape, and has won world championships. It’s all about timing I think. And the flavor, moistness and tenderness of course, but seems none of that matters if yours skin isn’t BITE THROUGH. Aargggggg....

[Troutman]

Just another reason why I cook for my self and family and steer clear of competition. Good luck with your at least trying.

[SierraBBQGuy]

Yes, family and friends always give a great score!