Whole Chicken

I just did a 3.8 lb chicken yesterday. I had it in a birne for 10 1/2 hrs and let it sit in the frig for about 6 hours then coated it with mayo and put a rub on it. I cooked it for 5 hrs at 250 on my smokette with 2.8oz of hickory at that point it had only reached 153 degrees in the thigh and I removed it and put it in the oven at 375 for about 25 min. The skin was not good and threw it out. I cut up the chicken as I would a turkey and it was melt in your mouth good. The breast was very moist.

Mornin' AZ,

It's a little late for you,but I did a brined 6.5 lb. a while back.

Around 225�+,took about 5 hrs and 15 mins. to 160� in the breast.

Foiled it for about an hour,until we were ready.

Why is it you cant seem to get good skin.What does it take to get a good crispy skin when you smoke,or is it you just cant get a good crispy skin.Does the mayo make it that way or does brinning cause the problem.Ismoked some chicken halves about 30 in a 150 unit,i brined them and coated them with mayo and when they were done the skin was gray and rubbery.

Well,

I'd say we have some yardbird experts that can give you the technical reasoning.

I just go with "it's the nature of the beast".

This is probably the most discussed question,among comp cooks.

Many will carry a kettle to crisp up the skin, or some have a real hot spot in their cooker,others even use the mini propane torches.

Some folks like to air dry overnight in the refrigerator and others like to spray a little Pam on while it is cooking.

Sometimes glazing late in the cook will cause the sugar to carmelize.

Folks cooking on WSMs and some pellet cookers can get enough heat to finish skin acceptably.

Most seem to agree that it takes higher temp cooking.

There is also the group that feels chicken should only be fried.

There is a great recipe in "Smoke & Spice" for chicken that is smoked for short time...and then cut up and finished in the frying pan....DELICIOUS!!!!

cookin-n-arkansas

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin M.:
[qb]There is a great recipe in "Smoke & Spice" for chicken that is smoked for short time...and then cut up and finished in the frying pan....DELICIOUS!!!!

cookin-n-arkansas[/qb]

Now that sounds like a big tease Kevin. Just where would one fing this recipe. If you have it it would make a nice post I'm sure.
Gil

Geez, after reading it again, I see where it is. Just have to look for it. Ha ha.
Take care
Gil

i have an uncle that q's in west ga. they have great crispy skin on their chicken. his secret? he says he just mops with vinegar and that does the trick. personally, i dont use this method in my place as my chickens may not be for immediate consumption causing a variation in product. try it and let me know....

Yesterday i smoked a 5lb chicken,ipulled the skin back and rubbed with butter and then seasoned with a homemade rub of garlic powder,rosemary,pepper,salt,dill,sage,and montreal seasoning.Then i sewed up the skin where it had torn placed sliced apples in the cavity along with seasonings and sewed up the cavity,rubbed butter all over the skin and coated with cookshacks chicken rub.Smoked with 2oz of apple for 6 hours to an internal temp of 170 even though 180 is supposed to be the finish temp.could not get it to 180,iset oven temp at 200.so far everything is great and the meat was great but the skin was terrible rubbery or leathery,not edible so i pulled it off and the meat was wonderful.I also sprayed the chicken the last 2 hours with apple cider.what happened to the skin?After i took it out of the oven i wrapped in tin foil to sit for a leaste an hour.help!!!!! practicing for the big holiday turkey cant have skin like that they will ban me from the family.

Harley, if it's set to an oven temp of 200 it won't work. Chicken needs a high temp to make it good. The 150 goes pretty high, so I'd do one at least 275.

And it's not the brining or the mayo, here's a turkey (tastes and looks like chicken) from last year:

Is this what you're looking to get?



Turkey 101 Draft

You can also check out d9's efforts:

D9s Turkey

Do a search on Turkey and you'll find some good help as it applies to both chicken and turkey. Hotter is better.

Smokin thats exactly what i'm looking for.You said to low temp.and i understand but i dont think the smokette goes to 275 but to 250 is that enough.and it looks like you placed cheese cloth on the bird and you soaked it in butter,do you resoak after a while or is once enough,and are you saying the brine dosent help the skin only the meat?I really love this forum the help and fellowship is awsome thanks all of you.

quote:

Originally posted by HARLEY:
[qb]You said to low temp.and i understand but i dont think the smokette goes to 275 but to 250 is that enough.and it looks like you placed cheese cloth on the bird and you soaked it in butter,do you resoak after a while or is once enough,and are you saying the brine dosent help the skin only the meat?I really love this forum the help and fellowship is awsome thanks all of you.[/qb]

You mentioned a 150 in your post so I went that route. Yes, I'd go the max on a Smokette, set for 250. I only soaked the cheese cloth and then took it off later in the smoke. I'll have to go back to the post and/or my notes. As far as the brine and affecting the skin. Hadn't been asked that so don't know the specific answer. There is certainly sugar in most brines (usually brown or white) and that might tend to have an effect if too much is left on the skin. If that's a worry, I'd just make sure you wash off the skin so no residual sugars remain on the outside. Enough will have penetrated and after all, we're just eating the meat, not the skin...right?

Happy to help.

Smokin'

Smoke & Spice smoked-fried chicken recipe
Quote-
3� to 4# chicken parts
buttermilk to cover (about 3 cups)
1� tbl spoons Tabasco
2-3 spoons salt
1 tsp black pepper
1� cups all purpose flour
1� # fresh shortening
3 tbl spoons bacon drippings
"At least 3 hours, and up to 12 hours, before you plan to bbq, place chicken in shallow dish. Pour buttermilk and Tabasco over chicken. Turn the chicken in the buttermilk to coat it well. Cover the dish and refigerate.
prepare smoker for bbq'ing by bringing the temp to 200� to 220�.
Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade. Allow the chicken to stand at room temp for about 20 min.
Transfer the chicken to the smoker and cook for 35 to 45 min, long enough to give the bird some smokey flavor but only to cook it partially.
Return the chicken to the buttermilk bath. Pour the flour into a medium-size brown paper salt and sprinkle in the salt and pepper.
In a 10-12" cast-iron skillet, melt shortening and bacon drippings over high heat. When small bubbles form on the surface, reduce heat to medium high. Drain each piece of chicken, starting with the dark pieces, and drop them into the bag of seasoned flour. Shake well to coat.
Lower each piece gently in to skillet, skin side down. Arrange the chicken so that all the pieces cook evenly. Rduce heat to medium and cover. Fry chickens for 10 to 11 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, uncover and turn the chicken pieces. Fry uncovered for another 10 to 11 minutes or until done.Ref pages 172 & 173.......