help w/ chicken skin


 
Dan H.

Dan H.

TVWBB Pro
I wanted everyone's best go to method for bite through skin. I have found old posts but I've done almost everything. I dont like soft mushy skin, and my biggest problem is getting skin thats plastic consistancy, which I don't like either. Sometimes Im tempted to throw it all out before I cook. I make great chicken and crappy skin. I've smoked a lot of chickens now and after all this time i've never had very good skin, its kind of funny. I gotta think i'm not the only one with the trouble. I've almost just gotton used to it. Thanks.
 
I always do my chicken at about 350 to 375 indirect for a good hour and a half or more for drummies and thighs and give or take a half hour for a full chicken, I never sear it directly and the skin is always just fine.
 
i see competition folks take the skin off and carefully scrape the fat off and then put the skin back on. i'm not a skin guy so i never worry about it and the wife likes it burnt so i got it made as both are easy to do.
 
I am a backyard/weekend warrior so I don't smoke chicken at lower temps anymore because of rubbery skin. I grill it at highr temps because I want crisp skin. I know this doesn't help. ...just my .02
 
I recently did a pair of Cornish Game Hens on my new 18.5 WSM. I cut the back bone out and split the chickens through the breast for chicken haves. I foiled the water pan (dry), opened the vents wide open and used a chimney full of lit Kingsford Original. I placed the chickens on the top rack with the breasts in the center. The WSM ran about 350+ degrees and the chickens had crisp skin (45 minutes and they were done perfectly). Some of the best chicken I have had. Regular 3-4 lb chickens should work the same (will take a bit longer for larger chickens, of course).

Edible chicken skin just requires 350-375 degrees and a bit of time. Splatch cocking the chickens allows even cooking. I always brine my poultry before grilling.

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?37856-Cornish-Game-Hens-on-the-new-WSM

FWIW
Dale53
 
I have never been able to get crispy skin at low temps. If you cook at 350 or higher, the skin should be crisp.

Ray
 
The last one I did I ramped it up to 400 a short while and the skin crisped up nice.
 
Ray Crick said:
I have never been able to get crispy skin at low temps. If you cook at 350 or higher, the skin should be crisp.

Ray
Click to expand...

That's it exactly. You will not achieve crispy skin at low temps. Even with my WSM it can be touch and go at high temps but with the kettle, that's another story. The lower lid height of the kettle reflects the heat back down on the bird so if your temps are up in the 325 range or higher you get the crispy skin. I also like to follow Chris A's recommendation of letting the bird air dry in the fridge for a while and then I use O/O and give it a light rub down before.
 
Gary S said:
...Even with my WSM it can be touch and go at high temps but with the kettle, that's another story. The lower lid height of the kettle reflects the heat back down on the bird....
Click to expand...

Yep. I agree. Gave up on crisp skin off the wsm long ago. Gotta leave the pan out or drop grate to the ring.

Lots of prep needed for tender all over 100% bite thru skin, and too much trouble for me. Good results with moderate temp, buttermilk brine, long cooking times (leg quarters), but not 100% bite thru. Cooking indirect, I only get reliably truly crisp skin off the kettle at 350+.
 
ill go back and try out higher temps. I've been trying things like foil pans and butter and basting and all kinds of stuff. They make it look workable on television but skin is difficult. I've done plenty high temp cooks but thats when I felt it was that plastic consistancy. Ill focus on trying as hot as I can get it. I have a pair of tongs that fits perfect in the coal door to keep it proped open. I'll make it a mission and report back but it might be a month or so. thanks everyone.
 
I usually use high heat on my chicken(s), but I have used a weed burner a couple of times with good results. Smoke your chicken as usual, and use a burner on the skin. Works like a charm, as long as you are a bit careful. It's easy to burn the skin, hold the flame a bit away from the chicken, and increase the time it takes instead. It does not take a lot of time.
 
I apply a very thick coat of salt on top of my rub (which has salt in it) on my chickens at low temps and that gets the skin crisper and alot tighter. I always do my chickens low and slow. I mainly cook whole chickens split.
 
LOL. I was just going to say that kettle chicken @ 450* works for me. Take off the grill at 155*. Crispy skin and meat that isn't dried out. Carryover brings the temp up during rest
 
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Chicken skin is the reason I bought a kettle. I could not get anything edible off of the WSM. I still can't get that "bite through" skin but at least it tastes good now. I refuse to peel the skin back and scrape it.
 
here is a method I have tried with some success. I have a couple portable grates with legs that allow me to double up my capacity for the smaller meats (ribs, chicken pieces, brisket flats). I purchased at Cash and Carry in the Portland metro area. Place your chicken on the top grate. Position the portable grate above the chicken. Place a dutch oven lid filled with hot coals on top of the portable grate, effectively creating a radiant heat broiler. Close the lid and let it do its thing. My success has come from working with higher temps overall (350+) rather than low and slow (215-240). Also have burnt the skin as it was too hot. Still experimenting with pattern and quantity of coals for the DO lid. Thinking a checkerboard pattern might be best. I tried straight rows of coals and found the effect to be uneven crispness and color. Good luck.
 
Dan, the day before cooking chicken let the chicken air dry in the fridge. If cooking indirect cook at 325+ anything below and you will get rubbery skin. Imho 350-375 is ideal for chicken pieces, whole chicken 325+ will be just fine. After chicken is done must be eaten immediately or crispy skin will soften up. Do not tent and let rest. Good luck!
 
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