Having Challenges with Skin

grandpa b · Apr 20, 2014

I hope someone can tell me what I'm missing. Every time I smoke a whole chicken or a turkey, I get rubber skin. The taste, moisture and tenderness are always spot on. Please take a look at my method. What am I missing?

1) Brine for 2-4 hours:

- Sea salt

- Sugar

- Water

- Apple Juice

2) Inject with marinade:

- Honey/Butter recipe.

3) Coat the outside with olive oil

4) Apply rub

5) Smoke at 300 deg until internal temp of 165 in the breast

Turkey.jpg

grandpa b
Apr 20, 2014

foamheart · Apr 20, 2014

1. Increase your cooking temp to 325+

2. Allow the fowl to sit uncovered in the reefer the night before cooking, let the skin become dehydrated, its will also form what's called a pellicle.

That's it. The second will help even if you maintain a 275 degree smoke. The biggest thing is that little extra heat. Brining and oil rub both hydrate the skin. Let it dry after the brine, then oil rub just before throwing it in the smoker.

I think you'll be much happier.

grandpa b · Apr 21, 2014

Thanks Foamheart! I'll try that when I try the chicken next weekend.

foamheart · Apr 21, 2014

Good luck with it.

madman mike · Apr 21, 2014

You can also use a light dusting of baking powder on the skin to help it dry and get crispy when cooking.

But if brining it then Foam's def got you covered.

chef jimmyj · Apr 21, 2014

Try the Peking Duck trick. After it comes out of the Brine, dunk the bird in boiling water for 30-60 seconds before allowing to dry overnight in the refer,uncovered. Works great...JJ

alelover · Apr 23, 2014

Don't they also blow air under the skin to separate it from the meat and help it crisp.

chef jimmyj · Apr 23, 2014

alelover said:
Don't they also blow air under the skin to separate it from the meat and help it crisp.

Yep this also has a big impact on how well the Fat renders...JJ

jaked · Apr 24, 2014

Chef JimmyJ said:
Try the Peking Duck trick. After it comes out of the Brine, dunk the bird in boiling water for 30-60 seconds before allowing to dry overnight in the refer,uncovered. Works great...JJ

That sounds interesting JJ. If you do this are you still able to easily separate the skin from the meat to apply rub under the skin? I don't really want to say the skin on my birds is rubbery, just not crispy. Mine was low and slow 250 Deg, Was it a mistake to foil the bird during the last 5 degrees of smoking?

This was my bird just before foiling: I thought it was going to be crispy, Everythhing else was excellent just didn't have the crispy skin.

IMG_20140419_114600_555.jpg

jaked
Apr 24, 2014

james1nc · Apr 24, 2014

Not sure what your doing wrong it sounded spot on for me , I just rub mine with oil and rub and let them sleep over night then cook on 250 for 6 hours 4-5 pound bird. skin is always crispy View media item 303415

foamheart · Apr 24, 2014

JakeD said:
That sounds interesting JJ. If you do this are you still able to easily separate the skin from the meat to apply rub under the skin? I don't really want to say the skin on my birds is rubbery, just not crispy. Mine was low and slow 250 Deg, Was it a mistake to foil the bird during the last 5 degrees of smoking?

This was my bird just before foiling: I thought it was going to be crispy, Everythhing else was excellent just didn't have the crispy skin.

If you want crisp skin from a pit, you pretty much have to exceed 300 to 325 cooking temp. and/or dehydrate the chickens skin. Most commonly used is the reefer for a day or a fan. Problem with a fan is it will form the pellicle in 10 to 15 mins. but to get a good dehydration thru evaporation you have to have the bird unrefrigerated for awhile, and that's not a good idea. You can always throw it on the grill or under a broiler to finish, if the crisp skin is that important.

Electric's seldom have the horsepower to get it done. The closest I have come is after a day in the reefer and at 275 degree smoker. Its more like parchment paper than crispy and I know its just me but...... I swear the white meat ( if a large breasted fowl), comes out less tender than with the normal low and slow approach.

madman mike · Apr 24, 2014

JakeD said:
That sounds interesting JJ. If you do this are you still able to easily separate the skin from the meat to apply rub under the skin? I don't really want to say the skin on my birds is rubbery, just not crispy. Mine was low and slow 250 Deg, Was it a mistake to foil the bird during the last 5 degrees of smoking?

This was my bird just before foiling: I thought it was going to be crispy, Everythhing else was excellent just didn't have the crispy skin.

IMG_20140419_114600_555.jpg

jaked

Apr 24, 2014

foiling the bird for the last 5 degrees was the problem. Its traps moisture too close to the skin and rehydrates its causing SKS (soggy skin syndrome - starting a new SMF acronym haha)

yotzee · Apr 25, 2014

A bird doesn't benefit from slow and low. Crank the heat up and you will get crispier skin.

jarjarchef · Apr 25, 2014

Foam and Jimmy have you in the right direction. I go at higher temps myself and rarely brine mine....

chef jimmyj · Apr 25, 2014

madman mike said:
foiling the bird for the last 5 degrees was the problem. Its traps moisture too close to the skin and rehydrates its causing SKS (soggy skin syndrome - starting a new SMF acronym haha)

Yep, was the foil that did your skin in. It steamed the skin. You can go hot and fast, 300°+ or low and slow then crisp the skin in a 425 to 500°F Oven or over indirect heat on your covered grill...JJ

worktogthr · Apr 25, 2014

I like to skip the brining and spatchcock and cook in the ballpark of 400 degrees. Skin comes out very crispy and the meat is juicy and tender and cooks evenly. In my limited experience Chicken doesn't need all that much smoke to taste smokey and spatchcocking with temps around 400 you are only looking at about 10-11 minutes per pound.

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