Happy Smoke Day video greeting!
- Thread starter Chris Allingham
- Start date
Darren Lebner
TVWBB All-Star
I don't have a smoker but I have kettles and grills.
When I grill chicken, I always start with the skin side up (or in a gas kitchen over, skin side down) - away from the fire source. I do this on the assumption that the inner bone side insulates the chicken and can even afford to take more heat and burn than the skin.
Using a thermometer probe, when the chicken's inner temp reaches around 130F (55C) or above, I turn the pieces over so that the skin gets the rest of the direct fire exposure until its done. This way I avoid having 3rd degree burnt carbonized skin.
Is the right, wrong, or it goes either way?
When I grill chicken, I always start with the skin side up (or in a gas kitchen over, skin side down) - away from the fire source. I do this on the assumption that the inner bone side insulates the chicken and can even afford to take more heat and burn than the skin.
Using a thermometer probe, when the chicken's inner temp reaches around 130F (55C) or above, I turn the pieces over so that the skin gets the rest of the direct fire exposure until its done. This way I avoid having 3rd degree burnt carbonized skin.
Is the right, wrong, or it goes either way?
Kind of hard to compare grilling in a kettle to grilling in the WSM, which is really designed for indirect low & slow cooking. In a kettle, it makes sense to try to prevent chicken from burning due to high temps and close proximity of meat to fire.
It can be hard to get good char and skin on chicken in the WSM. One approach is to cook skin-side up until the meat is done, then place it skin-side down right over the hot coals for some char. But the method I used today works better. I removed the water pan and placed the chicken skin-side down on the top cooking grate, about 24" above the hot coals. 30 minutes of direct exposure to the hot coals renders the skin nicely and provides good color and char. Then flip over and finish cooking to my target internal temp. Brush with a little sauce, done!
It can be hard to get good char and skin on chicken in the WSM. One approach is to cook skin-side up until the meat is done, then place it skin-side down right over the hot coals for some char. But the method I used today works better. I removed the water pan and placed the chicken skin-side down on the top cooking grate, about 24" above the hot coals. 30 minutes of direct exposure to the hot coals renders the skin nicely and provides good color and char. Then flip over and finish cooking to my target internal temp. Brush with a little sauce, done!
Darren Lebner
TVWBB All-Star
Thanks, @Chris Allingham . That's why I first mentioned that I don't have a smoker.
RichPB (richlife)
TVWBB Wizard
So Chris, any thoughts about putting the chicken as you did but on the lower grate? No top grate.
Rich Dahl
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Thanks, Chris, for keeping the smoke day going Barb and I look forward to it each year.
Barb and I are off to a great start for the weekend yesterday Ribs on the Camp Chef, homemade BBQ beans on the Weber E320 along with corn on the bone. Tonight, KFC chicken on my newly acquired Jumbo Joe with some Cole slaw and a mystery salad.
Monday Barb is going to smoke a meat loaf and make a new potato salad along with grilled veggies.
Barb and I are off to a great start for the weekend yesterday Ribs on the Camp Chef, homemade BBQ beans on the Weber E320 along with corn on the bone. Tonight, KFC chicken on my newly acquired Jumbo Joe with some Cole slaw and a mystery salad.
Monday Barb is going to smoke a meat loaf and make a new potato salad along with grilled veggies.
Bob Bailey
TVWBB Wizard
Sounds like a great menu! What happened to the fire ban? Thought you were stuck using the gasser for the Summer.
Rich Dahl
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
As I understand it as of now the restrictions are in the campgrounds and national forests and state forests. I've heard two different versions. That the full ban will go into effect the day after Memorial Day or at the end of next week.
My plan is to use it if the wind stays down, but it's picking up now, so I'll make my decision a little later. Right now we have a red flag alert in effect for today and tonight so it might be the gasser for safety reasons.
I've not done it that way, it would probably speed up the process. I like the accessibility of the chicken on the top grate for turning and saucing, just a little easier I think. (I've never used "accessibility" in the context of barbecuing before!
)