I'm about ready to give up on skin-on BBQ chicken


 
C

Chris Smith

TVWBB Fan
...tried so many times to get crispy skin but the saucing just makes it impossible. I always pat the pieces dry; few times I've brushed with olive oil to try and get some crust. I have a Charbroil RED and it sears meat pretty well. I've tried searing direct and moving to indirect and saucing last 10 min, indirect and then searing direct at the end while saucing...tonight with thighs I seared direct, moved to indirect, then simmered in sauce on the stove before returning to the grill to sear again. As usual, the result is the same...good sauce flavor on rubbery skin that fall off in one piece. This is ruining a favorite kind of food for me. It shouldn't be this difficult.

Any suggestions?
 
This works for me. Maybe give it a shot. Brown the chicken pieces over the coals skin down for about 5 minutes. Watch them and move as needed if getting flareups. Fire shouldn't be too hot or you'll burn rather than brown, around 350-400. Flip and do same on other side. The chicken should be nicely browned on all sides after about 10 minutes. Move to indirect to finish up. Apply sauce if desired during the last few minutes.
 
Chris if ur brining the chicken it is impossible to get crispy skin. most people cook the chicken to hot. cook the chicken around 300-325 indirect heat should take around 30-45 min. then just do a reverse sear works for me. and i never sauce anything i cook. sauce to me is just to cover mistakes. dont get me wrong i will have sauce on the side. if u do sauce just cook the chicken on indirect for the whole cook. start saucing after 30 min into the cook and the sauce will start drying a little like creating a bark skin should not be chewy when done.
 
I do not marinate or brine. Usually dry with some s&p sprinkled on, sometimes brushed with olive oil.

I will have to give those recipes a try.
 
Chris,

I saw something on America's Test Kitchen that I want to to try. They pierced the chicken skin to allow more fat to render and claimed it had crisper skin.

If you try it before I do, let me know how it turns out.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">They pierced the chicken skin to allow more fat to render and claimed it had crisper skin.

If you try it before I do, let me know how it turns out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I read about someone who uses a dog grooming brush (lots of tiny needles for puncturing) on duck skin. it sounds crazy but it comes from a reputable source.
 
Don't sauce. Ain't gonna work.

I put compound butter under the skin, oil or butter plus rub on top. I cook high - 450 or better (I see no need to stretch the cooktime). Crisp every time.

I dislike any Q sauced during cooking so not an issue for me, but saucing adds significant moisture which dry, crisp skin will absorb some of, wrecking crispness. If you are really wanting to sauce duing cooking, fine, but go for tender, bite-through skin in that case, and don't worry about crisp.

(If the skin is rubbery it is not cooking long enough (lower the heat and cook longer) relative to its thickness. You can finesse this somewhat by marinating in something a bit acidic to begin the breakdown of the skin. You can also skip the typical commercial chicken and get something of higher quality, preferably young, free range and organic. Many breeds used for this have thinner skin to begin with.)
 
You could take an approach similar to making snoots. They have to be crispy... and most people like them sauced.

Cook till crispy like Kevin says, then dip in a pot of simmering sauce right when you serve.

Many good restaurants do this with ribs, chicken, and other stuff.

Might be your only chance to have crisp with sauce for a few minutes.
 
The technique I've found that works for me is hot indirect cooking. I fire up a good amount of lump, throw it on some more lump one one side of the kettle and put the chicken on the other.

I usually pat it dry with a paper towel, brush some oil, and salt it pretty heavily. At the end of the cook the skin is usually just about right but I can finish it off to perfection over the hot coals for 30-90 seconds.
 
As Kevin notes, saucing and crisp skin just don't work. The introduction of water is counter productive to the crisping process. I generally cook my chicken indirectly at medium temps (350-400). This process allows for a longer cook time and a better chance to render more of the fat from the skin. Personally, I don't think you need additional oil (olive) to help crisp up the skin. Since the skin is very high in fat, it will crisp up on its own (without the addition of a sauce). You can also try gently separating the skin from the flesh; not completely but enough to let air in during cooking. If you enjoy sauce, you might consider serving it on the side when plating.

Paul
 
Oil or butter won't help much at moderate cooktemps. At high temps (425, 450 or better) it can, fostering a scenario where the skin 'fries' in the fat. I also like the additional flavor compound butter under the skin provides, and the separation it causes, especially important, imo, when cooking whole chicken.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ernie D:
...You could take an approach similar to making snoots. They have to be crispy... and most people like them sauced... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

OK. I'll bite.

What are snoots? Pig Noses?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">OK. I'll bite.

What are snoots? Pig Noses? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

yes. I read a bit about them in Smokestack Lightning, they are very regional specialty but I can't recall where. I'll guess from Ernie's location that it was St Louis. Hopefully he can enlighten us.
 
I dont get it. I dont ever have a problem with crispy skin. Its not hard to do... at all. All I do is cook the wings (will work for anything) indirect at about 450 to 480 on my Genesis for about an hour. I even marinate them overnight and dont pat dry before cooking.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I dont ever have a problem with crispy skin. I </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Agreed. I don't either. But I cook at the same temps (in a kettle). Many don't though, or don't wish to.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom Fischer:
St. Louis has snoot for sure. This place is supposed to be pretty good but I have not tried it yet.

http://smokios.com/catering.html </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Their snoots are pretty good. It's been about six years since I've had them though. One of the better, smaller joints in St. Louis.
 
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