Myth: crisping chicken skin after low 'n slow cook


 
but instead, that the fat never got hot enough to crisp the skin before it rendered away.
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Correct. And if you cook at higher temps for long enough --but not so high to 'fry' the skin, as in your post upthread-- the skin becomes leathery due to a combination of good rendering but inadequate moisture loss.

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Correct. And if you cook at higher temps for long enough --but not so high to 'fry' the skin, as in your post upthread-- the skin becomes leathery due to a combination of good rendering but inadequate moisture loss.
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Its great when reality agrees with me!
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It seemed like we were on the right track, but I hate to jump to conclusions.
 
Originally posted by Dan H.:
I then do as direct as I can w/ out burning, yes until the skin is crisp. The time on direct heat is ussually around 10 or 15 minutes.
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Thanks, Dan. I think that might be the key. When I did it, I was only able to leave the chicken over the coals for a couple minutes before the flare-ups were starting to blacken the skin. With the WSM disassembled and the grate moved over the coals, the distance between the fire and meat is minimal. Maybe if I remove the water pan and move the meat to the bottom grate I can achieve a more "gentle" direct heat.

I'll keep at it.

Bill
 
again though it certainly isn't quite the same as leaving it to cook indirect at 400+ the whole time, but we enjoy it and Im always telling my other half "dont lie to me! Is it any good?... is the skin no good!?" It turns out well enough for me. And what better excuse to get a couple beers down during the week then jerk chicken!
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the slow come up and the thigh and drum pieces inside texture is probably my reason for doing chicken this way often though.
 
My normal routine for chicken was a super-smothered with apple wood smoke on an old open grill, raised up high from the fire below for lower temps (barring the occasional fires I would beat back with a camp shovel--you have to see it to believe it) for somewhere around 3 hours (depending on how much beer is in the fridge and how hungry we are). More on this whole setup in my intro post--I'll try to dig up some photos to add there. This was normally done with legs and thighs. I have been doing this method for a few years now and the meat is moist and tasty, and the skin is amazing (to a fault...fat content and all).

Anyway, I did a butterflied chicken on my offset smoker last weekend (my new WSM just arrived day before yesterday and still awaits the proverbial first smoke). I was cooking it along with some KS cut ribs, 3-2-1 method with temps between 225-250*, so when I got to the three hour mark the chicken halfs came off and I put them skin side down on a grate in the firebox of the offset for around 90 seconds, or so. The results were fabulous!!!! The skin was crisp and delicious. Dry rub only, no brine.

I'm thinking maybe the brine combined with low and slow = rubbery?

Just another data point since I am very new to this low and slow stuff and learning from you all!
 
why not air dry the chicken on a cookie sheet in the fridge overnight after being rubbed, of place it over a window fan for about 3-4 hrs. air drying skin is a Asian technique. You could also use i think baking soda (reference cooks illustrated).
 
Lowering the pH, as baking soda does, will promote faster browning. It can also react with proteins allowing them to denature/cook faster -- but high heat is still required if one wants crisp skin.
 
Originally posted by Mike Veglia:
The results were fabulous!!!! The skin was crisp and delicious. Dry rub only, no brine.

I'm thinking maybe the brine combined with low and slow = rubbery?
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I agree.
Seems to me the brine causes more water retention in the skin itself and this in turn prevents optimal drying and crisping of the skin.
 
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