I was thinking about doing a second chicken cook and started thinking about what would happen if I completely removed the water pan? Would the temp be hard to control? Would it be more like roasting the chicken than smoking it? Would the skin turn out more tender rather than rubbery? Anyone try it?
What Happens Without Water Pan?
- Thread starter D Arita
- Start date
Arita, everything will come out fine without the water pan, i never use the water pan, but i only cook on the top grate. Temps will be easy to control, raising and lowering temps is easy and quick. Chicken is best cooked at temps in the 325-350 range. As for the skin baste with melted butter not margarine, make sure its 100% butter, i use land o lakes butter. Good luck hope this was helpful.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Sure, you can get great tasting chicken like that. I've done it many a time in my old drum smoker I made that cooked over the coals
... but don't think you can't get tender chicken skin by smoking lownslow. It's all in the prep, and not as much trouble as you might think. Mainly, I think what's important is to remove a great deal of the fat (not necessary to remove all, though!), and as odd as it seems, replace that with some parkay or butter pads under the skin. Air drying in the fridge prior to smoking for four hours or more helps, too.
In my opinion, lownslow smoked chicken is really worth the trouble, and trust me, it's a LOT EASIER to cook THREE grates worth of chicken using the water pan than without.
... but don't think you can't get tender chicken skin by smoking lownslow. It's all in the prep, and not as much trouble as you might think. Mainly, I think what's important is to remove a great deal of the fat (not necessary to remove all, though!), and as odd as it seems, replace that with some parkay or butter pads under the skin. Air drying in the fridge prior to smoking for four hours or more helps, too.
In my opinion, lownslow smoked chicken is really worth the trouble, and trust me, it's a LOT EASIER to cook THREE grates worth of chicken using the water pan than without.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Sure, you can get great tasting chicken like that. I've done it many a time in my old drum smoker I made that cooked over the coals
... but don't think you can't get tender chicken skin by smoking lownslow. It's all in the prep, and not as much trouble as you might think. Mainly, I think what's important is to remove a great deal of the fat (not necessary to remove all, though!), and as odd as it seems, replace that with some parkay or butter pads under the skin. Air drying in the fridge prior to smoking for four hours or more helps, too.
In my opinion, lownslow smoked chicken is really worth the trouble, and trust me, it's a LOT EASIER to cook THREE grates worth of chicken using the water pan than without.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Please explain how to get rid of the fat on a chicken. I've heard of this, but never knew exactly how to do it. I'd love to know!
Sure, you can get great tasting chicken like that. I've done it many a time in my old drum smoker I made that cooked over the coals
... but don't think you can't get tender chicken skin by smoking lownslow. It's all in the prep, and not as much trouble as you might think. Mainly, I think what's important is to remove a great deal of the fat (not necessary to remove all, though!), and as odd as it seems, replace that with some parkay or butter pads under the skin. Air drying in the fridge prior to smoking for four hours or more helps, too.
In my opinion, lownslow smoked chicken is really worth the trouble, and trust me, it's a LOT EASIER to cook THREE grates worth of chicken using the water pan than without.
Please explain how to get rid of the fat on a chicken. I've heard of this, but never knew exactly how to do it. I'd love to know!
MKEvenson
TVWBB Wizard
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by D Arita:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Please explain how to get rid of the fat on a chicken. I've heard of this, but never knew exactly how to do it. I'd love to know! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Here is a link to one method. I use parts of it but don't scrape the skin. Tr it,you may like it.
http://www.bbqbug.com/forums/b...etition-chicken.html
Mark
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Please explain how to get rid of the fat on a chicken. I've heard of this, but never knew exactly how to do it. I'd love to know! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Here is a link to one method. I use parts of it but don't scrape the skin. Tr it,you may like it.
http://www.bbqbug.com/forums/b...etition-chicken.html
Mark
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Well, I tell you what. Up to only my last two chicken smokes, it was HH and hope for the best. Although the skin wouldn't end up rubbery, it never got crisp or anywhere near "bite through" tender, either...and if I got done too early, then the skin's texture went downhill quick.
Well, take this for what it's worth since I'm new to this low-n-slow chicken thing, but this is what I'll be doing for my two racks of leg quarters that will cook under two or three slabs of spares on Memorial Day. The only thing different than from my last chicken cook, which turned out to be my best ever is I'll let the chicken dry overnight in the fridge.
Sunday evening,I'm gonna do the "pre-seasoning prep" for my leg quarters (smaller the better) : After twisting the leg out of joint, I'll pull back the skin and remove all the globs of fat that come off easy and quickly. Next, I'll dry brine in the fridge with a "light snow blanket" of kosher on all sides (1.5-2hr), next rinse thoroughly, and then air dry on cookie cooling racks in the fridge overnight.
Monday, after I get my spares smoking, I'll season my leg quarters with a bbq rub, missing the salt. First, I like to sprinkle some under the skin since some in my family won't eat the skin, no matter how tender it is.
Next, I'll put a couple pads of butter underneath the skin on each thigh. I understand that you can use Parkay for this step as well, but whichever you chooses, I think this is likely a critical step in getting the skin to saute' until tender...whether as important as air drying, I don't know. I suspect maybe not quite as important as removing the big globs of fat, though. (Like I said, I'm still new to this.
)
After pulling the skin tight around each leg quarter, I'll sprinkle with the rub and then lastly, hit both sides with Canola cooking spray and they'll be ready for smoking. Cooking around 235* I'd give myself 3.5 hrs, but I try to cook at about 250* measured with a probe in the vent and unless the leg quarters are large, 3 hrs should be about right to get 170* in the thigh, which is fine, at least if you disjoint.
Hope this helps. Go easy on the smoke, and I think this method is kind of hard to mess up. No glazing or saucing is required or suggested at all, but some Alabama white sauce available on the table is kind of nice.
Well, take this for what it's worth since I'm new to this low-n-slow chicken thing, but this is what I'll be doing for my two racks of leg quarters that will cook under two or three slabs of spares on Memorial Day. The only thing different than from my last chicken cook, which turned out to be my best ever is I'll let the chicken dry overnight in the fridge.
Sunday evening,I'm gonna do the "pre-seasoning prep" for my leg quarters (smaller the better) : After twisting the leg out of joint, I'll pull back the skin and remove all the globs of fat that come off easy and quickly. Next, I'll dry brine in the fridge with a "light snow blanket" of kosher on all sides (1.5-2hr), next rinse thoroughly, and then air dry on cookie cooling racks in the fridge overnight.
Monday, after I get my spares smoking, I'll season my leg quarters with a bbq rub, missing the salt. First, I like to sprinkle some under the skin since some in my family won't eat the skin, no matter how tender it is.
After pulling the skin tight around each leg quarter, I'll sprinkle with the rub and then lastly, hit both sides with Canola cooking spray and they'll be ready for smoking. Cooking around 235* I'd give myself 3.5 hrs, but I try to cook at about 250* measured with a probe in the vent and unless the leg quarters are large, 3 hrs should be about right to get 170* in the thigh, which is fine, at least if you disjoint.
Hope this helps. Go easy on the smoke, and I think this method is kind of hard to mess up. No glazing or saucing is required or suggested at all, but some Alabama white sauce available on the table is kind of nice.
Jennifer K
TVWBB Super Fan
Being new to this game, I fully expected to be making rubber chickens in the WSM but somehow I've been lucky. All of the six chickens I have cooked have had crispy, wonderful skin and amazing smoky tenderness. I sit the foiled water pan on the second grate, directly below the chicken and cook with the pan empty, just catching the drippings.
After reading a lot of chicken posts, I'm wondering if the dry-mile-high environment where I live has something to do with the way my chickens turn out. It doesn't seem like I do much different from other people. So maybe high altitude and virtually no humidity is a factor for my cooking.
For what it's worth, here's what works for me: For starters, I only cook large, free range pasture-reared organic chickens. I find these usually have less fat and make better eating than the usual supermarket brands. Also, it creeps me out to think of the estrogen levels in commercial birds, regardless of the "all natural" B/S on the packaging these days - it doesn't seem right to feed my honey a chicken tasting version of "the pill".
I've wet-brined every chicken for 4-5 hours. Rinse off and dry thoroughly. Drain on a board at room temp for around 30 mins and then spatchcock and dry it again with paper towels. Cover the chicken with dry rub and gently pat it in. Sit on counter for 5-10 mins to let rub settle. Cook for approx 2 1/2 hours on the top rack, using WG lump with 1 or 2 small chunks of cherry, with starting temp showing 300, then letting it drop back a tad so it stays in the 250-300 range. Leave lid on the whole time. At the 2 hour mark, check temp...verify thigh temperature, and cook longer as needed till done. Let rest 10 mins uncovered. Serve.
The results have been great so far.
After reading a lot of chicken posts, I'm wondering if the dry-mile-high environment where I live has something to do with the way my chickens turn out. It doesn't seem like I do much different from other people. So maybe high altitude and virtually no humidity is a factor for my cooking.
For what it's worth, here's what works for me: For starters, I only cook large, free range pasture-reared organic chickens. I find these usually have less fat and make better eating than the usual supermarket brands. Also, it creeps me out to think of the estrogen levels in commercial birds, regardless of the "all natural" B/S on the packaging these days - it doesn't seem right to feed my honey a chicken tasting version of "the pill".
I've wet-brined every chicken for 4-5 hours. Rinse off and dry thoroughly. Drain on a board at room temp for around 30 mins and then spatchcock and dry it again with paper towels. Cover the chicken with dry rub and gently pat it in. Sit on counter for 5-10 mins to let rub settle. Cook for approx 2 1/2 hours on the top rack, using WG lump with 1 or 2 small chunks of cherry, with starting temp showing 300, then letting it drop back a tad so it stays in the 250-300 range. Leave lid on the whole time. At the 2 hour mark, check temp...verify thigh temperature, and cook longer as needed till done. Let rest 10 mins uncovered. Serve.
The results have been great so far.
I did this for my very first WSM cook. Only because I really wanted to cook on it the first day I got it and work didn't allow a long cook. I would compare it to grilling without having to worry about flare ups and charring (on the top grate).
FWIW... the key to chicken to me is brining. Any brined chicken comes out great. So IMO slow cooking chicken is useless. Slow cooking chicken actually might be harder to get good results because its harder to get the skin right.
FWIW... the key to chicken to me is brining. Any brined chicken comes out great. So IMO slow cooking chicken is useless. Slow cooking chicken actually might be harder to get good results because its harder to get the skin right.