New WSK owner

[SangNguyen]

Hi all! Just got my summit E6 last week. Live in Fort Erie, Ontario Canada. Coming from a Louisiana Grill LG900(with a cold smoke cabinet, still works great!). Broke it in with wings and some TriTip.

I used the CBs it came with to make a barrier on the upper cooking position and banked coals to the side. Smoked the wings indirect and then direct.

Then after did tritip. Smoked and then seared directly.

What I learned was once too many coals are lit it was hard to bring the grill temp down without creating too much dirty smoke. Still great results.

Tonight I plan to do boneless chicken thighs. Gonna try the lower position. I got intimidated with how hot it got and the amount of dirty smoke I got last time.

Plan is to throw some cherry chunks and briquettes at the bottom. Light it til it's burning clean. Close it up and bring it to 400°. Or should I start lower for more smoke and then crank it?

Throw thighs on skin side down and cook em til 160ish. Boneless so I don't expect much carry over.

Any thoughts?

So far I love this grill!

Sang

 

[Randy]

I think the most important thing you said is the last thing you said

 

[DanHoo]

Welcome Sang

Glad you've joined. Thanks for sharing your cooks.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Thighs at 160°F are a little scary. The meat wind come off the bone cleanly and the bone meat will be bloody. I’d recco thighs bone in to 180/185°. If you ccok them too hit too fast you’ll pull all the fat out if the thighs. I’d recco 400°F max indirect for best results and crispy skin.

Enjoy your WSK. It’s a great cooker. Very versatile and responsive.

 

[SangNguyen]

Thighs at 160°F are a little scary. The meat wind come off the bone cleanly and the bone meat will be bloody. I’d recco thighs bone in to 180/185°. If you ccok them too hit too fast you’ll pull all the fat out if the thighs. I’d recco 400°F max indirect for best results and crispy skin.

Enjoy your WSK. It’s a great cooker. Very versatile and responsive.

Thanks. I ended up getting the grates to 400°, the lid said 475°. Total cook time probably 15 minutes.
Boneless skin on chicken thighs so I kept it moderate and pulled at 165°. Using a thermapen and Smokes system.

Skin wasn't crispy but chicken was cooked and juicy and fully cooked. Do you think boneless thighs can handle going higher than 165°?

 

[SangNguyen]

Also it was my first time cooking in the lower grate position and it felt like too much of the coal bed caught on? Final results after shut down showed only half the coals were used maybe even less.

Hovered above 300-400° most of the cook but never more than that. I felt like the smoke could be a cleaner. It seemed to be more of a smoulder than a fire?

 

[Brett-EDH]

Thanks. I ended up getting the grates to 400°, the lid said 475°. Total cook time probably 15 minutes.
Boneless skin on chicken thighs so I kept it moderate and pulled at 165°. Using a thermapen and Smokes system.

Skin wasn't crispy but chicken was cooked and juicy and fully cooked. Do you think boneless thighs can handle going higher than 165°?

Technically, a chicken at 165° is at the safe temp. I personally cook boneless thighrs to 175° but that’s likely my own preference. So long as the juices are running clear, and not red/bloody, they should be good. My focus on thighs are juicy and flavorful with no red juices from them.

To develop crispy skin, I usually sear the skin when I start to help the render begin nd then go indirect for them to crisp up. Dryness comes when you have too much heat directly under the pieces and the fats cook out. So long as you’re not constantly on direct heat and drying out the parts, you should be fine.

 

[SangNguyen]

Technically, a chicken at 165° is at the safe temp. I personally cook boneless thighrs to 175° but that’s likely my own preference. So long as the juices are running clear, and not red/bloody, they should be good. My focus on thighs are juicy and flavorful with no red juices from them.

To develop crispy skin, I usually sear the skin when I start to help the render begin nd then go indirect for them to crisp up. Dryness comes when you have too much heat directly under the pieces and the fats cook out. So long as you’re not constantly on direct heat and drying out the parts, you should be fine.

Thanks for the response. I'll take em a bit higher next time.

 

[DanHoo]

I take thighs higher than 165..

Bone in skin on at least 180.

Boneless skinless usually 170 to 180.

Thighs are very forgiving

 

[Jonas-Switzerland]

FYI if you are into other cuisines like ke Thai: Most western recipes call for chicken breasts in the typical curries. Which dries out if you braise it in the curry.

Chicken thighs on the other hand can take it, and turn out more flavourful.