The Texas BBQ Forum

Ive been reading several diff posts on chicken and not undertanding why Texas makes u use a split chicken...lol..but thats not my question..ive seen 2 diff methods for splitting the chicken and just am curious about somethings ive read on here..do u split on the back to open or the bottom as ive seen it done both ways but havent seen anything for comps on prefered method.Ive also seen where u can smoke it some but need to grill it to crisp up the skin so its not rubbery, just am wondering would any decent grill work for comps for this..Im not asking for exact science of it just a nudge in the comp end..Ive cooked chicken on the grill b4 with good results just not a split...thanks a heap...

Split it all the way through to make two pieces. I recommend splitting before you cook it as some comps may consider it marking if you split the cooked bird. I've never grilled chicken at a comp, only smoked them, and place pretty much every time. A lot of teams do grill their chicken and I'm sure that success can be had either way, just comes down to preference.

Split the chicken thru the breast, then open the chicken up and cit on both sides of the back bone to remove it. This is done to give the bird a consistant look and also if you are cooking a big bird (4.5 lbs and up) so the tray lid will close. The lid MUST close or the tray will considerd "marked" and wont be judged.

As far as grilling or smoking, I have won both ways, but it is entirely a personal choice to produce the best bird you can...most of us that grill over direct heat try to cook 2 halves of chicken in 1 hour...hope this helps...RED

Only time I've gotten my calls on chicken was when I grilled it.

Jeff, are you leaving the breast bone in?

FR8 Train wrote:Jeff, are you leaving the breast bone in?

no I take it out.

thanks guys..the info was what i was looking for...i had gotten used to the idea of thighs or legs or breasts and when i read the tx rules for 1/2 a chicken i was taken aback abit...lol...thanks as always and as soon as i get the cook done tomm ill post pix.prob gunna be a brisket and some pork butt...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGKLtbiUflk

Here's a video on how to spatchcock a chicken.

great video Kemper, thanks

Agreed. I split morning of.. And remove backbone trying to leave equal meat and most important, skin on both sides. Smoke, for flavor.. Then grill, to crisp a bit.. But to answer the question.. Any good charcoal grill will do fine. Or I use UDS, to smoke and glaze.. Then remove lid and spike temp to crisp it, good luck !!

Chad

RWBTEX wrote:great video Kemper, thanks

That will help me in my cooking thanks for putting it in the forum !

Later
Tuck

My simplified process:

Thursday - Split, clean, and expose meat.
Friday - Into brine in the PM.
Saturday - Remove from brine in the AM and back into the icechest. Two hours and 15 min. before turn in (depending on ouside temp) remove and season. Done is just over/under an hour.

Prep work on Thursday will make for a much more enjoyable Friday. But that's just me.

I split the yardbirds on Thursday at home as its just easier and more sanitary. Put 2 halves into a gallon ziplock bag. Go into fridge and then into ice chest on Friday enroute to comp.

remove from ice chest Saturday morning & season at 8 am. back into ice chest. start fire at 10:10 am. birds on at 10:25 or so at 300-325 degrees indirect heat. I cook on a weber kettle. birds off at 11:40 or so. let rest skin side down in foil pan so as to not lose juices. 11:50 back on heat for a little bit of glazing sauce, not much, to even out the color. off at 12:00 to 12:05. Put in tray and turn-in.

Our team partner Tom, tends to start gettin nervous at 11:50! but, we always make the turn-in on time!

so do you normally turn in both halfs or do you only turn in one half to the judges , I an guessing it must be turned in as a half bird? What is the prosess for judging a 1/2 bird once its in the judging area?

It depends on how many teams there are and the amount of judges.
40-50 teams is usually 2 halves. I bring 3 chickens and pick the best 2 halves out of the 6.