"Bite thru chicken skin"

[jrod667]

Funny thing is, just about every other BBQ forum out there from pickled pig to bbq brethren to virtual weber bullet all have detailed instructions on how to accomplish bite-through chicken skin. So, I have two questions for all of you:

1. Why did you pay $199 to learn something you can read online in a dozen different places for free?

2. Why would you not want to post such information on this forum and increase the quality of info on this site (which we should all have a little more pride and time invested in)?

[BBQCZAR]

Well,for 1 we paid $199 to learn a heck of alot more than what you can find on the Internet.There are things that are taught at BBQ classes that are priceless and cannot be found anywhwere else,don't believe,take one like the QN4U class and you will see what I mean.

2nd why should someone pay for a class and then give the info out for free ? General BBQ cooking info is one thing,but giving away competition tips,tricks,secrets ,that you paid to learn, and to teams who you have to compete against,(again, paying big money to enter these contests)is foolish at best, and it is a disservice to the people who teach these classes,it's just wrong all the way around.

[glenntm]

Well,for 1 we paid $199 to learn a heck of alot more than what you can find on the Internet.There are things that are taught at BBQ classes that are priceless and cannot be found anywhwere else,don't believe,take one like the QN4U class and you will see what I mean.

2nd why should someone pay for a class and then give the info out for free ? General BBQ cooking info is one thing,but giving away competition tips,tricks,secrets ,that you paid to learn, and to teams who you have to compete against,(again, paying big money to enter these contests)is foolish at best, and it is a disservice to the people who teach these classes,it's just wrong all the way around.

Totally agree Tim.  Well said. 

[jrod667]

So trim down the info and give out the "basics" for newbies to get started in the right direction. For instance, telling someone to do something like try scraping the fat off the back side of the chicken skin before they cook it is not exactly a "secret" but it will probably make the person who asked the question a whole lot happier than: "Go pay $200 for a bbq class". Also, let's face it, giving someone vague directions on how to go about making bite-through chicken does not mean they will suddenly become a great chicken cook. There's still the right seasoning, smoke, cooking time, cooking temp, doneness, sauce, and presentation. Do you braise it in butter? Do you use lump or briquettes? Stick burning only? Low and slow, or power burn it? Also, most people who run classes use a mixture of information gained online, information gained from family, information gained from friends, information gained from others, information gained from books, and information gained through their own experience to create their cooking methods and recipes. They canonize all that info and make a class out of it. I sincerely doubt there exists a BBQ instructor that can claim: I got me a smoker and figured everything else out by myself without any help at all from anything or anybody.

The only reason I bring it up at all is that such replies to honest BBQ questions is what keeps me from asking serious BBQ questions on this site. I know if I want real answers its best to go elsewhere. Also, the sense of "community" on this site is not helped by such answers. It gives the illusion that there is a ruling class on the website that know the answers, but we're not sharing them with the likes of you.

[Cornbred]

Relax Jared! There is a wealth of experience in this endless hole of BBQ here at AZBarbeque.com. Don't shy away from asking "Serious BBQ questions".

[Crash]

The problem that a lot of good competiton cooks have with giving out secrets is simple.  They learned them over years of practice and dont really care to give them away to Joe Schmo that walks in the door and says: "Teach me to cook, I have nothing to offer".  It amazes me how many people want the easy answer without truly doing the legwork, not just in cooking but in life as well.

[revgodless]

know what bugs me? Being asked to go to school for cooking, getting there and then being asked by the instructor not to attend anything but the final to keep his bell curve from being broken.

and that the answer to most cooking questions are not the answer that the person is looking for anyway.

I probably won't ever attend a 200 buck bbq class.... I'm broke, and figure the journey is more important than the destination. find the basics someone and then play with it until you like it. It's the soul of BBQ tinkering, trying, making, eating, and then tinkering more. read, listen and try it for yourself.

Everyone loves showing off what we cook, at what temp, what we did it in, and what was tried, or wasn't tried. Glean what you can from that. go out and taste, see, smell and find that inspiration to read, learn and experiment. Share it here when something goes really wonky and someone here will ask a couple of questions and give you a pointer of what happened- not because of some class but because it has happened before ( to everyone) and the answer is there.

If you are a newbie and want to get started, do what my dad did, get a bullet smoker, put in some charcoal, some soaked chips, and fight with the bastard for five days cursing, drinking, burning yourself and making creosote flavored everything. Read some posts here about what has happened to other people, what people thought was the answer, put it to your failures and successes to get consistency. BUt remember, we're here to have fun, talk some fun and get together here and there to share something we all love to do-

make BBQ

[jmcrig]

know what bugs me? Being asked to go to school for cooking, getting there and then being asked by the instructor not to attend anything but the final to keep his bell curve from being broken.

and that the answer to most cooking questions are not the answer that the person is looking for anyway.

I probably won't ever attend a 200 buck bbq class.... I'm broke, and figure the journey is more important than the destination. find the basics someone and then play with it until you like it. It's the soul of BBQ tinkering, trying, making, eating, and then tinkering more. read, listen and try it for yourself.

The second half of your comment I completely agree with. The first part I don't. I've been playing with BBQ for over forty years. It wasn't until about a year ago I attended my first BBQ class. I understand your momentary situation with the dollars, but life is full of pikes and valleys. I'm sure this situation will change. Anyway, more to the point, I don't understand your point of breaking the instructors bell curve. These classes are very "hands on". And Chris Marks will answer any question you have short of the recipe for his rubs or sauces.

As for giving out information, call it what you want, but I'm not compelled to teach someone all about BBQ when they haven't even contributed to the group. Besides my view of BBQ probably isn't the same as most others. I don't eat at Applebees.

Also, what was taken off the Pickled Pig is only one persons view of "Bite Through Chicken Skin". There are many others.

[jrod667]

Look I agree that we should keep certain aspects of our cooking "close to the vest" so to speak. I don't think anyone should just give away their techniques and recipes they worked so hard on. I also don't think they should give away class instructor's techniques and recipes. I just think there are ways of giving advice and a point in the right direction without giving away everything. Also, one thing I've learned in BBQ is that there about a dozen different ways to cook something and have it turn out fantastic. The Pickled Pig method for chicken is a great example. Their recipe/technique (which I've tried) produces excellent chicken. Maybe even award winning chicken. But it's not the way I choose to do it. So, what would it hurt to point people in the direction of the pickled pig, or Myron Mixon's cupcake chicken as a starting point. I guarantee you that any beginner who tries those methods will come away thinking you gave them the mother of all recipes. That way, they get what they were looking for and become better BBQers for it, and you keep your secrets.

[Mike (AZBarbeque)]

Also, if you do a search for it on You Tube, there are lots of videos of people teaching it.

If you want to find it, it's out there..  Between the amount of books, video's, Forums & classes, there is plenty of info available...

Or just turn in skinless chicken...   

[Crash]

I honestly think that this is one of the best BBQ sites for asking for general help regarding almost any BBQ topic.  Once you start asking in-depth questions that border on the competition world you will usually find yourself at a roadblock.  It's not that cooks dont want to share, it's that they wont share for fear of allowing another competitor to gain an advantage.

I can guarantee you that there are cooks out there that will help you off-line and will do so gladly.  I can also honestly tell you that if you ask for competition specific info and receive that info, you just got a gem.  There are teams out there that have gladly shared competition info off-line only to see it posted elsewhere just days later.  Tell me that wouldnt make you very leary of sharing competition info with a competitor??
If you get a competitor to share some tips or tricks, the fastest way to guarantee you never get any help again is to post it on another internet forum.

Unfortunately, whether it's needed or not, attaining bite through chicken skin is something that competition cooks generally strive for.  It's going to be really tough to get that info from a competition cook, even if you dont compete.

[CarolinaQue]

Or just turn in skinless chicken...   

I've seen that done!!!

[Mike (AZBarbeque)]

I saw it done in Boise, Bonless, Skinless Chicken Breast.

It looked great, but was dried out, otherwise, I think it would have done really well with the judges..

[CarolinaQue]

Well, the team I saw do it actually took the skin off of the thighs they were cooking. It was a little strange to say the least!

[desertdog]

The secret to Bite through chicken skin is to cook the chicken in such a way that the skin can be easily bitten through.  This is, and always has been the only way to achieve bite through chicken skin.

Practice various methods, then practice some more, when the skin of the chicken can be easily bitten through, you have achieved bite through chicken skin.

Ask Vince or Jay or Jim or Chuck or Dave or Brent (or anyone else who has had success in the chicken category,) how much chicken they went through to get the results they were looking for.  It really is about the practice.  There is no magic involved, you need to become good at chicken through practice, finding your own way is always the best way, and it will lead you to the answer you are looking for.