BBQ Throwdown, Need Suggestions, Please!

Thanks for the response, Tom

I was thinking oil on the skin might help.  I like the butter under the skin trick, too.  I'm thinking I should definitely try that.

thanks for the good suggestions, ellymae!   much appreciated!

i do think it would help to boost the temp.  i was running on the low side of 250 most of my smoke today.

we're doing different items because it's a last minute thing.  he already planned on doing ribs so he's ready to go and cooking on his home turf.

if i did ribs i'd have to start at about 4 am and after smoking today, i'm not really interested in getting up that early

i can sleep in to 6:30 and still do the chicken in plenty of time before i have to leave to drive over to his house.

i'll leave the ribs to ribs throwdown for another time.  this is more an exhibition rather than a true competition, i suppose.

Thanks again to all that responded to my request for help!   I am deeply grateful for all the tips and suggestions!  Thanks for helping me out.

From my first attempt at smoking chicken quarters yesterday,I knew my chicken was going to taste great but I was worried about the skin.  Yesterday my skin looked great, but it was rubbery and inedible. 

With the great advice I got here, and with a killer recipe and personal coaching from raptor700, the skin wasn't just edible, it was delicious.  His recipe saved the day.  I was thrilled beyond belief to be able to present the total package and not have to make excuses for that lame ol rubbery skin.

I got lots and lots of positive comments on the chicken.  My brother in law smoked some of the tastiest ribs I ever had.  They were fall off the bone, melt in your mouth tender and really nicely spiced (from an amazing brine he concocted semi-randomly from things on hand).  In all my years of visiting and eating meals with relatives, I've never asked to take food home from someone's house.  His ribs were so good, I asked to take some home. 

So, as happy as I was with my chicken and as much as I liked his ribs, I'd have to call the throwdown pretty close to a tie.  If you count the fact that he was hosting, I'd prrobably give him the win this round.

I was just happy to be able to represent, and thanks to my friends here at SMF, and particularly raptor700, I could and did!

Unfortunately, when I went to get my wife's camera to take some pix during the smoke today, the battery was dead (from all the Q views I've done in the last 4 weeks, LOL), so I didn't get to do a Q view to document my great success today.    Very disappointing, because I love doing Q views almost as much as I do smoking.