Chicken Skin???
- Thread starter Rick
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chrisnole88
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Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
I've had some turn out OK by running a hot WSM with empty water pan, still a little rubbery in the folds though. Your frost-free fridge removes moisture from the air so you can dry it out in the fridge for a day before you cook it but that could also dry out the meat ... K Kruger says 'gently seperate (lift) skin and rub a little butter underneath as well as on the surface' ... here is another idea
Start with 1 - 2 full lit chimneys, keep the temp down if you can for an hour to smoke the chicken if desired THEN remove the water pan altogether and let the coals rip, try for around 400F lid ... since all the coals are lit you could prop up the access door 1" - 2" by leaning a 2' 2x4 against it .... direct heat + airflow could do it for ya.
Start with 1 - 2 full lit chimneys, keep the temp down if you can for an hour to smoke the chicken if desired THEN remove the water pan altogether and let the coals rip, try for around 400F lid ... since all the coals are lit you could prop up the access door 1" - 2" by leaning a 2' 2x4 against it .... direct heat + airflow could do it for ya.
John Mason
TVWBB All-Star
I have the same problem with my chicken. My last attempt, I got the WSM up to 300 degrees first, then put the chicken on. The temp rose to 325 and held there throughout the cook. The skin was still rubbery.
I had sand in the pan, I didn't brine or dry the skin in the fridge before hand. The meat was fine, but skin inedible.
I'm beginning to think there's no better chicken than just good ol' fried chicken.
I had sand in the pan, I didn't brine or dry the skin in the fridge before hand. The meat was fine, but skin inedible.
I'm beginning to think there's no better chicken than just good ol' fried chicken.
Well, my friends, this definitely isn't gospel, but it seems to work for me most of the time these days. Goodness knows I've had problems getting dependable chicken, but this approach is getting me closer.
Brine your chicken pieces for one hour in 2 quarts water or apple juice, 1/2 cup non-iodized table salt, and 1/2 cup sugar (sugar is optional - Cooks Illustrated leaves out the sugar these days, even with a brine this strong.) Rinse well after brining, towel-dry well, and then let sit in the fridge overnight to dry.
If you don't have time to do the fridge thing overnight, then after you towel-dry them, lay them skin-side-up on one half of a heavy doubled-up bath towel, and flop the other end of the towel back over the top of the meat and gently press down to absorb all the water you can. Flip the whole thing to skin-side-down, using a dry towel if necessary, and press down again, letting it sit for a few minutes this time. Lay your pieces skin-side-up on a rack on a baking sheet, and set the whole thing in front of a small fan on your kitchen cabinet while you go get the fire ready. By the time you're ready to rub and cook, you should have significantly drier skin. I do the towel/fan approach on a regular basis since I usually don't think far enough ahead to have time to let it sit in the fridge overnight.
When I do chicken pieces in the WSM now, I'll either use an empty waterpan with foil over it, or just leave out the waterpan completely, and let 'er rip full-blast right from the start, with a probe in a couple of pieces to monitor the progress. This is how this sort of chicken usually turns out, using cherry pellets for smoke. Ignore the hand - that's my husband Robert, whom I caught red-handed filching my prettiest thigh. This particular batch had no sauce or glaze of any kind painted on because i was experimenting with skin reactions, but I HAD rubbed a little seasoning in under the skin to augment the flavor-brining. I think I used apple juice in the brine for these.
YMMV
Keri C, smokin' on Tulsa Time
(who still can't make a short post to save her life...)
Brine your chicken pieces for one hour in 2 quarts water or apple juice, 1/2 cup non-iodized table salt, and 1/2 cup sugar (sugar is optional - Cooks Illustrated leaves out the sugar these days, even with a brine this strong.) Rinse well after brining, towel-dry well, and then let sit in the fridge overnight to dry.
If you don't have time to do the fridge thing overnight, then after you towel-dry them, lay them skin-side-up on one half of a heavy doubled-up bath towel, and flop the other end of the towel back over the top of the meat and gently press down to absorb all the water you can. Flip the whole thing to skin-side-down, using a dry towel if necessary, and press down again, letting it sit for a few minutes this time. Lay your pieces skin-side-up on a rack on a baking sheet, and set the whole thing in front of a small fan on your kitchen cabinet while you go get the fire ready. By the time you're ready to rub and cook, you should have significantly drier skin. I do the towel/fan approach on a regular basis since I usually don't think far enough ahead to have time to let it sit in the fridge overnight.
When I do chicken pieces in the WSM now, I'll either use an empty waterpan with foil over it, or just leave out the waterpan completely, and let 'er rip full-blast right from the start, with a probe in a couple of pieces to monitor the progress. This is how this sort of chicken usually turns out, using cherry pellets for smoke. Ignore the hand - that's my husband Robert, whom I caught red-handed filching my prettiest thigh. This particular batch had no sauce or glaze of any kind painted on because i was experimenting with skin reactions, but I HAD rubbed a little seasoning in under the skin to augment the flavor-brining. I think I used apple juice in the brine for these.
YMMV
Keri C, smokin' on Tulsa Time
(who still can't make a short post to save her life...)
Tom Ferguson
Banned
I agree, Keri, leave the water pan completely out. My chicken comes out with very nice edible skin.
Chris Finney
TVWBB All-Star
looked at the picture, then read the text.
I thought you were going to say you had to surround them with big, intimidating sausages.
And if that didn't work... "Thing" from the Adams Family would grab at them. Scaring them into crisping their skin up.
I thought you were going to say you had to surround them with big, intimidating sausages.
And if that didn't work... "Thing" from the Adams Family would grab at them. Scaring them into crisping their skin up.
Chris Finney
TVWBB All-Star
Yeeeaaaa! Posting Activity.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rick:
... AND DO YOU THINK IT #*!% MATTERS?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sure, it matters--it's the best part
But really it matters most because it seems to matter to you. Does to me too.
I do whole chickens mostly. As Shawn says, I gently seperate the skin and work in a butter/rub combo under the skin covering the breast and thigh meats with the mix. (I like the added flavor.) More times than not I have time to air dry in the fridge. This works well.
Keri's approach with a towel is a good one if you don't have time to air dry. If you've brined (as she and I both do), don't worry about the meat drying out from air- or towel-drying.
... AND DO YOU THINK IT #*!% MATTERS?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sure, it matters--it's the best part
I do whole chickens mostly. As Shawn says, I gently seperate the skin and work in a butter/rub combo under the skin covering the breast and thigh meats with the mix. (I like the added flavor.) More times than not I have time to air dry in the fridge. This works well.
Keri's approach with a towel is a good one if you don't have time to air dry. If you've brined (as she and I both do), don't worry about the meat drying out from air- or towel-drying.
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