Chicken breast, wings, drums and thighs

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

ycastane

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Dec 12, 2013
102
27
Lithia, FL
This wknd I want to try some drums and thighs but not sure time and temp to make sure they are cooked properly.

Also I've been using the MES 30 for the chicken breasts but haven't been able to dial it in and was wondering if anyone had any tips on temp and time or just run a thermometer until a certain temp? I do the breast for 3 days since I eat healthy throughout the wk so I need them nice and juice and I eat them at room temp.

Any tips and advice on all of the above mentioned would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!
 
Chicken does not benefit really from the low and slow. Still you either have to finish it on a hot grill or be able to raise your smoker temps to around 300º to crisp that skin up. Leg quarter I did were done at 185º IT (my wife wants no blood).  Usually 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a time range. I start out with low temps 220º or so to allow for more time in the smoke. Raise the temps when you get around 150º IT so you get the skin crisp.


You can always finish them on a hot grill also to speed it up and get the crisp skin.


These were left in smoker.

 
Last edited:
Cool, thanks! Yeah I'm mostly worried about the breast being dry or undercooked since I wasn't using a therm, I eat the breast everyday so I need that to be spot on, JF grill kills them!!
 
I'm in the same boat as you with the healthy eating during the week....eat about 3lbs of chicken breast a week

How are the breasts your trying to smoke processed?  I havent had much luck with boneless/skinless breast in the smoker (unless you smoke them in a pan full of butter!!!). 

I've had good results smoking bone on/skin on breasts then removing the skin afterwards to make it a bit healthier, but they are tough to find packaged that way.  Your best bet if you must have them smoked is to just smoke the birds whole then remove the skin and carve off the breasts, you can reserve the other meat and pull it for tacos, soup, etc.

I refuse to own a JF! lol however I have a cast iron Lodge double sided grill pan that I use atleast twice a week to quickly grill my chicken, its easy to clean and great for when its too cold to go outside and fire up the grill.  Got mine at Target for $30
 
I'm in the same boat as you with the healthy eating during the week....eat about 3lbs of chicken breast a week

How are the breasts your trying to smoke processed?  I havent had much luck with boneless/skinless breast in the smoker (unless you smoke them in a pan full of butter!!!). 

I've had good results smoking bone on/skin on breasts then removing the skin afterwards to make it a bit healthier, but they are tough to find packaged that way.  Your best bet if you must have them smoked is to just smoke the birds whole then remove the skin and carve off the breasts, you can reserve the other meat and pull it for tacos, soup, etc.

I refuse to own a JF! lol however I have a cast iron Lodge double sided grill pan that I use atleast twice a week to quickly grill my chicken, its easy to clean and great for when its too cold to go outside and fire up the grill.  Got mine at Target for $30

I buy the breast either at costco (60lbs-80lbs) boxes when the price is right or at a local restaurant distributor that sells to the public and I get them in 10lb bags, I process them myself, remove whatever fat or tough tissue is left and half them.

I eat 1.5 lbs of chicken a day so do the math lol. Honestly they aren't that bad, there was one batch I did for 3 days that they came out just right, but if was not using a thermometer just time and eye, didn't smoke them at all because I think the smoke will overpower the breast but the MES itself smokes it slightly so there is smoke flavor.

I have to make them on Sunday for the next 3 days so this time I will document everything and get back to you when I find the sweet spot on time and temp.

I had one batch come out undercooked some of the breast and the other batch extremely dry, it was like chewing on sugar cane after it's been juiced lol.
 
Chicken does not benefit really from the low and slow. Still you either have to finish it on a hot grill or be able to raise your smoker temps to around 300º to crisp that skin up. Leg quarter I did were done at 185º IT (my wife wants no blood).  Usually 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a time range. I start out with low temps 220º or so to allow for more time in the smoke. Raise the temps when you get around 150º IT so you get the skin crisp.



You can always finish them on a hot grill also to speed it up and get the crisp skin.



These were left in smoker.


Those look great!!!!
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky