Why dry rub chicken skin?


 
T

Tim O

TVWBB Fan
A lot of chicken BBQ recipes suggest putting dry rub on halved chickens. However, BBQ chicken is infamous for having rubbery tasting skin unless you crisp it over the coals. If some of us just end up tossing the skin on the chicken, why bother wasting dry rub on it? Does it still permeate and all flavor to the meat? Or does it act as an insulator to the meat, keep moisture in? Would it make sense to put the dry rub on bare breasts? (insert joke here in three, two, one...)

I just bring this up because I just cooked four chickens, used a lot of rub on the skin, and just ended up peeling it off and throwing it out anyway.
 
When I rub chicken the majority of it is under the skin. Even if cooking at high heat and keeping the skin you need to season the actual meat.
 
That is exactly why I don't put anything on the skin. I like to do whole chickens, pull the meat and mix the white and dark together, then add just a little bit of rub. The skin gets tossed.
 
Tom_M said:
That is exactly why I don't put anything on the skin. I like to do whole chickens, pull the meat and mix the white and dark together, then add just a little bit of rub. The skin gets tossed.
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Heretic! You shall perish in the hellfire that is grocery store rotisserie chicken! Actually, I have tried marinade, brine and rub. I find that when it comes to chicken my preferred flavoring is smoke. Chicken takes smoke like a blank canvas takes paint, you get the flavor of the chicken with the accent of the wood you used to smoke it. The only time I have had success with flavoring chicken with a rub or marinade is skinless boneless chicken breasts. IQF breasts marinated in T.I. Italian Dressing.
 
Why not just pull the skin BEFORE the smoke, and rub the chicken itself.

Flavor on the chicken, no rubbery skin to mess with.
 
Clint, Just work your fingers under. It's really easy, just be gentle to not tear the skin. If chicken is being cooked, that's the way to go regardless if the skin is staying or going.
 
I was thinking the same thing today while I cooked 2 birds, if I'm not eating the skin why am I waisting good rub on it. I do loosen the skin and put some under neath it though but I may stop using it on the outside of the skin.
 
I'm trying to get TENDER tasty skin when I smoke, and it does take some prep in advance. One very easy way and my best yet was to jacquard the thighs and breast, the areas notorious for rubbery skin, and then to put in a buttermilk brine for at least 24hrs. I've only done it once, with leg quarters, and the results were fantastic. I had both cookers full of legs, for a total of 30lbs, and don't think I could get the temp over 300* on either since I pulled the chicken straight out of the brine. One of the guests owns a couple of restaurants and was very complimentary of both the legs and my white sauce.
 
I like to make sure the skin is dry, put a bit of oil on the skin and I use a small amount of salt. HH in the smoker and we get great looking crispy skin. We eat just a little of the skin.

I really like the Simon & Garfunkle rub under the skin and in the cavity. I just bought 2 BGE chicken racks. I have the Turkey one and really like it. I've been doing BCC without the C and using applewood. Really happy with the results. I like Tom's idea too, I think I will try that.
 
you can always remove the major skin as one piece , put your herb butter on it then lay your skin back on it to protect the meat from drying out. prob use tooth picks in various locations to secure the skin back on.
 
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