Smoked Chicken Questions...


 
D

D Arita

TVWBB Fan
I just got my first WSM chicken roast under my belt. I've done several chickens on the pellet pooper already. I always brine my chickens.
Why can't I get that crispy skin that I love so much? What's the secret???
Also, why don't I ever get the fall-off-the-bone chicken? I go to an IT of 170 breast or 175 thigh. Meat is done and juicy and reddish, but not falling off the bone, like a roasted market chicken. Why?
 
Well to get crispy skin i think cooking @ 325-350 is the way to go. But i often cook mine lower then that just so i get a really deep smoke and fall of the bone chicken. I pull around the same inner temp like you do.

To get the perfect chicken rule nr#1 is to get a great organic bird to work with. Try next cook without a pan under the bird.
 
After the brine, I always pat dry the bird and if I have time, it goes onto a cooling rack/pan and into the fridge for at least a few hours to dry. If I planned ahead my preference is for overnight.
 
D, crispy chicken skin is over rated, cooking the chicken at 325 plus and basting with butter will get you very good skin. But by the time you take the chicken off the grill or smoker, take the food inside, plate the food the skin will not be crispy know more. To eat crispy chicken skin you need to eat the chicken straight off the grill.
Also you can always make fried chicken nothing wrong with fried chicken.
 
Another thought. If your really that concerned over the skin: I've cooked at 250 or so until almost done and then the bird hits a really hot (425+) oven for a few min. Skin crisps up nice but as noted: serve immediately.
 
The best smoked chicken skin isn't crispy. It's TENDER, and it'll stay that way a lot longer than the so-called crispy chicken skin that is cooked in the temp range of a wsm with the door cracked and no water in the pan.

It's all about the prep, and yes, air drying for several hours helps. The more fat left under the skin, the harder it is to saute' the skin. However, a butter pad or two on top of the thigh, under the skin seems to help....so remove some fat and add some fat.
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I've noticed good skin get harder as the size of the chicken increases. If I'm just doing wings, for instance, I can get really good (tender) skin all over. On Cornish Game Hens, parts are great, others a little chewier. On fryers and roasters, this is even more the case, especially on the breasts.

I like overnight brines and thoroughly drying. I like to cook them around 225-250. When they're at they're best, they have the tenderness and fall off bone quality of a good rotisserie. But I think low and slow (give the tendons time to dissolve) is key to fall-off-the-bone.
 
OK. I'll except tender skin any day. Just as long as it's not rubbery, like I seem to get. Do I need to stop using water to get that tender skin?
 
if you are referencing the water in the weber pan, it is there as a heat sink. If you refer to putting the chicken in a pan with water, on the rack...that's a different story.
The home page talks about keeping the temp of the WSM as high as possible, thus no water in the pan.
I enjoy putting the chicken on the top rack, without any pan at all.
Have to turn it fairly frequently.
I usually use Roadside Chicken to great acclaim, just over the coals and wood without any pan.
 
Originally posted by D Arita:
OK. I'll except tender skin any day. Just as long as it's not rubbery, like I seem to get. Do I need to stop using water to get that tender skin?
Click to expand...
In comp, bite thru skin is ideal. Many methods, mine is Jaccard the skin, add Papaya tenderizer. Add rub, Parkay, and cook at 270-325 till done.

If you want crispy, fry!
 
Originally posted by mk evenson:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by D Arita:
OK. I'll except tender skin any day. Just as long as it's not rubbery, like I seem to get. Do I need to stop using water to get that tender skin?
Click to expand...
In comp, bite thru skin is ideal. Many methods, mine is Jaccard the skin, add Papaya tenderizer. Add rub, Parkay, and cook at 270-325 till done.
I've never heard the term "Jaccard". What is it and how is it done?

If you want crispy, fry! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
Originally posted by mk evenson:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by D Arita:
OK. I'll except tender skin any day. Just as long as it's not rubbery, like I seem to get. Do I need to stop using water to get that tender skin?
Click to expand...
In comp, bite thru skin is ideal. Many methods, mine is Jaccard the skin, add Papaya tenderizer. Add rub, Parkay, and cook at 270-325 till done.

If you want crispy, fry! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mark, I believe I'm going to stick with lownslow, if not just for the evenness of cooking I get with three racks of leg quarters over the water pan...

...but thanks so much for sharing your prep technique for getting tender. I've never heard of using "Papaya tenderizer", but I'll have to check that out. The Jaccard does sound like a great idea for the skin, and I'll have to try the Parkay on the outside as well. I like the color I get with melted butter better than Canola spray, but it's way too much trouble. Thanks again.
 
Originally posted by D Arita:
OK. I'll except tender skin any day. Just as long as it's not rubbery, like I seem to get. Do I need to stop using water to get that tender skin?
Click to expand...

No.

I'd heard that competition "bite through" skin could be accomplished fast OR slow, and although the prep was the key, my last two chicken cooks...

... the ONLY chicken cooks I've used water in the pan on...

... were MY BEST SO FAR.

Not saying the water pan helped, mind you. I'm just saying you don't need to quit using it if you don't want to. It's working for me.
 
Originally posted by D Arita:
So, do you Jaccard the skin only or meat and all?
Click to expand...

I just do the skin. The meat if cooked right comes out pretty tender. There are many methods discussed in forums re bite thru chicken skin. The method I use is a compilation of others and works for me.

Mark
 
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