Chicken Thighs

I've been searching for good chicken thigh recipes and techniques and have come up with some ideas. It seems to me that we need to learn how to glaze our entries base upon looking at contest pictures on the Internet. One idea is to cut your standard sauce with honey and brush it on.

As far chicken thigh recipes, I have found a recipe I will try out this weekend for our K-State tailgate. Google "Jumpin' Jim's Chicken Thighs". Looks like a good place to start.

I'm also adding a link to the Weber Bullet discussion forum that has a vast encyclopedia barbeque knowledge.

Chicken . . . . It's all about the chicken

I won't admit this to just anybody, but I spent my lunch today at Dillons looking at chicken thighs. Yes, chicken thighs.

Here is an example of what will replace the skinny slivers of dry chicken breast we presented last time. Lance has instructed me to practice chicken thighs at least 3 times before the next competition. That's more chicken thighs than I have eaten in my entire life.

The beginnings . . .

This journey started one cold weekend the spring of 2008 when four friends decided to take their varied cooking skills into the public arena of competitive barbeque. When the weekend drew to a close the team had been humbled, shared fine food and drink, had many laughs, and formed memories that are sure to be embellished for years to come. But for all that seemed so right, the judges tally sheet indicated something had gone seriously wrong. But what could it be?

Some would say things started down hill before the team ever assembled in Manhattan. Five minutes into the event Todd was informed he had really mucked up the selection of ribs and brisket. What a bombshell. It could have been the fact we showed up with the price tag still lingering on our new Weber Bullet. Maybe having four different opinions for everything we did was a problem. It could have been lack of sleep since several of us nearly froze our manhood off. Should we use wood chips or wood logs for smoke? Should we use briquettes or natural chunk charcoal? Were we the only ones with an electronic instant read chef"s thermometer stuck in the vent hole to monitor cooking temperature? Then there is that small issue of presentation - we put so much planning and forethought into that critical area. How could we possibly be rewarded with a 3 spot from the judges.

And so it is from where we pick ourselves up and move on. Please feel free to post your thoughts and ideas on this blog so we may never look so silly again.