Pastey tasting jerk chicken

What model of smoker are you using? It sounds like the smoker is overloaded and that the humidity level is very high. Chicken will have that gross pasty texture if the smoker is overloaded with it.

Donna

Hi Donna..I am cooking with an FEC100. I am only using two levels at a time. This does not seem like an overloaded cooker. Perhaps I should with a pre-heated cooker..what do you think??Rob

It "sounds" like the jerk isn't really cooking off. Not sure what you mean by "pastey tasting"?

If it's taste, it's the jerk.

Maybe you're putting too much on?

I would also cook to an internal temp, not a set time.

How is the overall appearance/texture. Is it good except for the flavor?

Hi smokin..Well,the overall appearance is good. They brown well. Texture seems to be almost overcooked very soft and mushy.Perhaps I am using too much jerk. In my recipe I use chopped veggies like tomato,onion,red pepper and the jerk seasoning. This all combined is a very wet marinade which sits for 24hrs in the fridge.

Do some tests.

Wipe some of the marinade off and see if that helps.

Also, check the internal temp of the chicken. I wouldn't take it over 170 to 180.

Rob, this does not sound like an overloaded smoker, but it does sound like the marinade might be increasing the humidity to the point that you are getting sort of "boiled" chicken, especially if, as Smokin' suggests, the temp is getting too high. I am going to ask Cookshack customer service to get involved.

Donna

Hi Donna..much appreciated..I look forward to reading what they think the problem is. But I have the feeling that you are dead on. I think that I will have to wipe them down a little before I cook..sadly this will mean a loss of some flavour.Rob

My suggestion about temp, wasn't that the smoker was getting to high, but that the chicken itself is overdone.

I've done that much chicken in my FE and I didn't find that it was too humid.

And I would use all the racks if you want, just look for the hot spots, "usually" the back left corners.

What I would do is to let it marinate overnight and then let it sit and kind of drain then wipe any of the excess off and put it in the smoker, at 250 or even 300. I think that it may have too much liquid on it. When you cook chicken it really doesn't cook long enough to have all the marinade cooked off, so by wiping it off before will allow the chicken to have a better texture. I agree with Smokin that it isn't too humid, or over loaded. When I do chicken in my FEC I will use my probe to help keep me from over-cooking. And if it is marinated, sometimes I even put it on the grill just to get that crispier texture.

Rob, since you are marinating the chicken overnight, I don't think that removing some of the marinade will necessarily result in a lack of flavor. It will have penetrated the chicken as much as it's going to after that long in the marinade. If you are looking for a texture on the outside that the FEC is not giving you, perhaps brushing with some marinade and grilling will give you what you are after. Just be sure to use fresh marinade at that point, not the stuff that the chicken was in overnight.

Let us know how this goes.

Hi everyone..You people are just too great..Thank you all for your guidance.I will try them all. I will be doing some rib orders tomorrow and then on Sunday I will be back to my jerk chicken orders. I will let them drip then wipe them down and if need be I will play sweet music and dance a jig. Either way,those babies are gettin'done. I will keep in touch..Rob

I would consider converting the marinade to a rub, or a very stiff marinade at the least. You could dry your own veggies for inclusion in the rub, or order them from bulkfoods.com and rub on throughly and then smoke. I think you'd be happy then. The dry rub will give a nice crisp texture if your cooker temp is high enough.