Struggling with chicken

golfpro2301

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

Jun 6, 2012

535

145

Jacksonville, FL

• Sep 19, 2012

• #1

So I did my first test run with chicken thighs in preparation for my first comp. I kept the smoker between 240-260. It only took around 2.5 hours to get an IT of 165. The flavor was horrible (need to work on a chicken rub), but what I am more worried about is the rubbery skin. I did a few searches on here and found that a lot of you smoke around 325* I like this idea as it will provide a crispier skin but I have two concerns.

1. With thighs being so small at this temp wont it only take around 45 min to reach 165*?

2. I only have one smoker and it the solution is to smoke at high temps what do I do with the ribs and Butts that I have to smoke at the same time?

Do you use a thick or thin sauce for the glaze. I used a thick store bought sauce and it was almost like paste on top of the thighs. Wasnt very good.

If I have to use another smoker for chicken cause of higher temps. What do you think of this. Its cheap.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_332738-42600-CBS1101L_4294703217__?productId=3294734&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=

They also make an electric version with a 1600 watt element. I thought about getting this and using it as charcoal and replace my 1500 Watt brinkman in my fridge for the 1600 watt element. Do you think 100 watts would make a difference in ability to get higher temps? Thanks in advance.

 

diggingdogfarm

Master of the Pit

Jun 23, 2011

4,648

177

Southern Tier of New York State

• Sep 19, 2012

• #2

Remove the skin, trim up the thighs nicely (make all the thighs consistent in size and shape), remove obvious veins and scrape as much fat off the skin as possible, replace the skin, smoke @~ 275-300F with apple wood, fairly thin sauce for a nice glaze.

Two big thumbs down on that smoker for competition!!! No temperature control!!!
Forget about the cheap electric smokers too If you're in it to win it!!!
Look into a Weber Smokey Mountain!!!!

Best of luck!

Cheers, peace and bacon grease,
~Martin

 

Last edited: Sep 19, 2012

jarjarchef

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Sep 30, 2010

3,155

117

Central Florida

• Sep 19, 2012

• #3

If your able too maybe try the one you linked. It should get hotter then the electric one will. The MES we use at work will not get a crisp skin no matter what we do. At home with my off set I remove some of the tuneing plates to get it a bit hotter (275ish)

For the gaze try adding a bit of beer and apple cider vinegar to it to thin it down a bit.

 

frosty

Master of the Pit

Oct 25, 2011

1,666

32

Houston, Texas, USA

• Sep 19, 2012

• #4

Lots of folks smoke their chicken thighs at low temp and crisp up the skin by finishing the cooking on a hot grill.  Works great for my family and friends.

 

big twig

Smoking Fanatic

Mar 24, 2011

541

16

Emerald Isle, NC

• Sep 19, 2012

• #5

Or you can continue using your smoker the way you have been and hit the skin with a propane torch to crisp it up before you glaze it (not sure if it is legal or not in competition but will crisp the skin and only cost maybe $10-$15 for a bottle and torch). As far as chicken rub I tend to use, S & P, Granulated garlic & onion, little Old Bay, and some Todd's Dirt. Sometimes I add Cayenne if I want a kick.

Good luck!

 

S

subotai

Fire Starter

Dec 26, 2011

44

11

Charlotte, N.C. Mallard Creek

• Sep 25, 2012

• #6

Use a simple spice mix of salt, coarse black pepper and granulated garlic.  If you use a brine then there is no need to use a rub since the flavor is already in the meat.  Smoke boneless skinless thighs for 1:45 Minutes at 255F and check temps, if they aren't done add 15 minutes and check again till done.  Rest the meat then glaze on the grill or under a charbroiler.  Making your own glaze will help and if you are in a competition then you should be making your own glaze...imho 

 

rp ribking

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OTBS Member

Oct 29, 2009

990

26

Northern, Indiana

• Sep 25, 2012

• #7

Try rubbing the chix thighs with real mayo and then your rub. I learned this from a wise ole SMF member "Smokin' Al" and they come out tastee!!! 

 

golfpro2301

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

Thread starter

Jun 6, 2012

535

145

Jacksonville, FL

• Sep 25, 2012

• #8

I tried thighs again today using some different rubs and marinades. I took my time and trimmed them all up to the same size (forgot to take picture). I let all of them sit in italian dressing for about 2 hours. removed them and dusted them with some dizzy pig raging river rub. While they were sitting in the rub I removed the fat from the underside of the skin (again forgot pic). put the skin back on the chicken and put in the smoker with a piece of margarine on top of each piece. Smoker stayed between 280-290*. I checked on them after 1.5 hours and the IT was 168* and they looked like the picture below (my phone is horrible at taking pictures) The taste was decent and the skin was bite thru,  but as you can seen the pieces look awful. Looks like I def. need some more practice.

IMAG0568.jpg

• golfpro2301
• Sep 25, 2012

 

rp ribking

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Oct 29, 2009

990

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Northern, Indiana

• Sep 25, 2012

• #9

020.JPG

• rp ribking
• Jul 13, 2012

This is how my chix thighs turn out at about 230 degrees for 2.5 hours. The large pieces are breast and a few 1/4's. They are getting some radiant from being above the firebox. Hope this helps. I also know for a fact, that the more seasoned your smoker is, the better tasting food that you will have. 

 

diggingdogfarm

Master of the Pit

Jun 23, 2011

4,648

177

Southern Tier of New York State

• Sep 25, 2012

• #10

GolfPro2301 said:

I tried thighs again today using some different rubs and marinades. I took my time and trimmed them all up to the same size (forgot to take picture). I let all of them sit in italian dressing for about 2 hours. removed them and dusted them with some dizzy pig raging river rub. While they were sitting in the rub I removed the fat from the underside of the skin (again forgot pic). put the skin back on the chicken and put in the smoker with a piece of margarine on top of each piece. Smoker stayed between 280-290*. I checked on them after 1.5 hours and the IT was 168* and they looked like the picture below (my phone is horrible at taking pictures) The taste was decent and the skin was bite thru,  but as you can seen the pieces look awful. Looks like I def. need some more practice.

IMAG0568.jpg

• golfpro2301
• Sep 25, 2012

Click to expand...

Because the skin will shrink, It's best to start with a whole leg quarter and use an extra big piece of skin.


~Martin

 

Last edited: Sep 25, 2012

sqwib

Smoking Guru

OTBS Member

Sep 25, 2007

5,962

1,034

Philadelphia

• Sep 25, 2012

• #11

Great advice folks but I have to ask this before I post my 2 cents.
Why 165° everyone seems so worried about 165°
Is this a magic number? What happens after 165° does the chicken vaporize?
Now before anyone goes into safety reasons of bringing the temps to 165° I am talking about letting it ride. DON'T STOP AT 165. Keep it on a bit longet

 

chef jimmyj

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May 12, 2011

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• Sep 25, 2012

• #12

I am with SQWIB on this one. At 165*F Thighs are too tough and the meat is rubbery, it clings too tightly to each end and is just not all it could be. At 175-180*F the meat is moist and nearly fall of the bone. It and the skin bites through easily and is very tender. As a Newbie Chef I was a Banquet Cook and would Roast off 40Lbs of thighs a night. We all most always ran out near the end of the Buffet. Next to the Carved Steamship Round and the Sauteed Seafood and Pasta it was the biggest hit...JJ

 

golfpro2301

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Original poster

Thread starter

Jun 6, 2012

535

145

Jacksonville, FL

• Oct 16, 2012

• #13

Alright so the comp. is coming up in a week and my chicken still needs work. I did make some good progress today but they were done way too soon. I looked around on a lot of sites and some youtube videos and I see that a lot of people are smokin at 300* for 2 hours. I decided to try the same thing, smoker stayed between 300-315. I decided to probe them at 1 1/2 hour mark and they were at 190* IT. I use a Maverick Therm that is dead on accurate so I know the temps were correct.

I guess I should say I decided to do the cupcake method this time. Removed Knuckles on thighs and rubbed them with Dizzy Pig Rub. flipped them upside down in the silicone molds that had a hole in the bottom of them. Poured chicken broth in a pan then set the molds in so the broth filled up the silicone molds about 1/4 way. put a piece of margarine on top of each thigh then added a small slice of pineapple on top of that. I dipped in some cupcake sauce but due to the high IT i didnt put them back on to set the sauce so it wasnt perfect but the flavor was awesome and skin bite through, but I could tell the chicken was a little dry. I am def. doing this method in the contest but I am trying to keep a precise timeline for cooking so the chicken is done right at turn in. Any one else have problems with cooking too fast?