Looking for a few pointers

[jefmker]

I competed in my first BBQ contest Friday,Saturday. The Lenexa BBQ Competition here in KS. It was a lot of fun and had a great time doing it. Not sure how we did but I doubt it was very good.
I was wanting to work on my chicken as its pretty basic and not sure what to try. I am wanting to try and find a way to get the meat more flavor. The outside has the rub flavor but wanting to get more flavor into the meat so I was thinking about a brine. Typically i have been using chicken thighs with the skin and peel the skin off when serving, keeping the skin on to keep the moisture.
I've been using the Ployboy Yardbird rub which I like a lot but thinking of trying a brine on them to get more flavor in the meat. Anybody have a good idea on brine.
Also, what wood do you guys prefer when smoking chicken, i've been using just mesquite for now but looking for something that might be better.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[meat-man]

On the last whole fryer I did I put some garlic in the brine and put some minced garlic in the cavity while it was smoking. It turned out good but my family likes garlic, and I used hickory wife likes it alot.

 

[mossymo]

If brining does not tickle the taste buds you can also inject the brine also.

Another thought may to give the chicken some breading since you are deep fat frying it....

 

[erain]

brining does wonders, i have not injected a bird but imagine it would boost flavor. another thing you can do with the rub is work it under the skin especially in breast area.

 

[richoso1]

Brine can really add some flavor to the birds, just need to find the right combo for you. The same for wood, try some cherry or a mix of apple and hickory. The flavors are endless. Just got to keep on trying.

 

[richtee]

Brining, injection of brine/maranade, and wood... all touched on here. The rub is the first step! Injecting a maranade is a great way to "flavor up" poultry. I will use a white wine/butter/spice mix..works VERY well. And I'm not a mesquite fan, but I doubt many would recommend it for poultry even if they were a fan. It's too strong. Apple, cherry, maple...along those lines for the poultry IMO.

 

[smokebuzz]

You are using a proven winning rub, the only one i would endorse. more people brine/inject in comps than what you think, i do it also. its some thing you will have to experiment with. And leave the skin on for turn ins it helps for the appearance points.

 

[travcoman45]

I agree with all my friends here, brines an injections yall just gonna have ta play with ta see what ya like, they definetly add flavor. There are several posts on here with alot a recipes fer that, or ifin ya like I have a basic one ya can start out with an tweak ta yer likin. Let me know, be glad ta share it with ya. Now fer wood, on pieces, I like apple wood, very mild nice flavor an a light color. Fer whole birds er breast, I like hickory, much stronger (yer workin a bigger piece a meat afterall) an more of a smokey flavor. Hickory is my prefered wood, I use other woods, but fer specific items. Try mixin woods an see what ya come up with that ya like. Mesquite is quite strong on it's own, I would cut that with apple, cherry er such. Maple is very nice.

Competition is hard, yer dealin with different folks at each one, an they all like different thins, ya just gonna have ta keep workin the craft an find the thins that produce the type a food yall lookin fer.

Good luck.