Crispy Skin


 

John Moeller

New member
First thanks for all the great answerers this week. I really liked your thoughts on cooking rib eyes a little longer to make it more tender. Anyway, the question I have is this. What technique would you use to produce crispy chicken skin on the WSM?
 
Dry brine, store uncovered in the fridge for a few hours to dry out the skin, and then cook at a higher heat in the cooker, like, 325-350. That'll do it :)
 
John,
It has truly been my pleasure. I would have to agree with Randy. It is next to near impossible to get chicken skin crisp without grilling it at temperatures 325-350 degrees. You can still impart flavor into the bird just cannot go low and slow if you want crispy skin.

Have a great holiday weekend

Kk
 
Kevin and Randy,

Thanks for the replies. Looks like a OTG might solve the problem. My wife doesn't understand that one grill is not enough, I might have to have ask for forgiveness instead of permission on this one. An OTG would only be number 4, that's far from being excessive.
 
I've grilled indirect at 400 until thigh hits 170 but have yet had the skin crisp. I've air dried overnight then rubbed with olive oil but still no luck. Wonder if it would make a difference by leaving off the olive oil?
 
I've grilled indirect at 400 until thigh hits 170 but have yet had the skin crisp. I've air dried overnight then rubbed with olive oil but still no luck. Wonder if it would make a difference by leaving off the olive oil?

I use EVOO and get crisp skin. The chicken comes right out of the packaging, rinsed then dried well with paper towels.
What I do is (whole birds, obviously) season inside the cavity with whatever rub, then drizzle EVOO over the skin then apply more rub.
It also helps out if your rub contains some sugar, I use dark brown.
Cook indirect beer can style with a good stout and the remainder of the rub in the can. Use hickory smoke for a great bacon-esq flavor.
Start out 325-350 for the first 45 min, then jack up the heat to 500* until thigh hits 170 IT.
This is easier achieved on a gasser, but a kettle master should have no problems either.

The rub:

(Good for 1 chicken)

1/8 cup Kosher Salt

1/8 cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/8 cup paprika

1 tbsp freshly ground pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 tsp dried mustard


For more heat, you can up the cayenne and / or mustard.

Mix ingredients well.
 
Last edited:
John,
It has truly been my pleasure. I would have to agree with Randy. It is next to near impossible to get chicken skin crisp without grilling it at temperatures 325-350 degrees. You can still impart flavor into the bird just cannot go low and slow if you want crispy skin.

Have a great holiday weekend

Kk

LOL, apologies, Kevin, I just noticed where the thread was started and to whom it was addressed :eek: ( Looking back I may have done that a couple of times, my apologies :0

Sorry for answering over Kevin, there, John :(
 
I use EVOO and get crisp skin. The chicken comes right out of the packaging, rinsed then dried well with paper towels.
What I do is (whole birds, obviously) season inside the cavity with whatever rub, then drizzle EVOO over the skin then apply more rub.
It also helps out if your rub contains some sugar, I use dark brown.
Cook indirect beer can style with a good stout and the remainder of the rub in the can. Use hickory smoke for a great bacon-esq flavor.
Start out 325-350 for the first 45 min, then jack up the heat to 500* until thigh hits 170 IT.
This is easier achieved on a gasser, but a kettle master should have no problems either.

The rub:

(Good for 1 chicken)

1/8 cup Kosher Salt

1/8 cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/8 cup paprika

1 tbsp freshly ground pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 tsp dried mustard


For more heat, you can up the cayenne and / or mustard.

Mix ingredients well.

Thanks Chris for the info. I'm kinda turn up the heat and do like you mentioned. Should do the trick. Gonna add a little sugar to.
 

 

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