chicken cook temps

[blacknbluedog]

Hi. Am newbie with electric ecb. I know the max temp acheivable on the top grill is about 300 with no water in the pan. I get 225-240 with water. I have read here that chicken should be smoked at 300-350 degrees. I dont want anyone to get sick so am I on the edge of being safe if I use the ecb, with no water, for chicken. I dont really mind soft skin but I sure as hell want to be absolutely certain that the food I serve is safe. Do some of you use the electric ecb with water in the pan while smoking chicken. I have done one with water in the pan and no one got sick but I would like to stay way over on the safe side. Thanks
Brian

 

[flash]

Hog wash.

Actually temps that high are so you end up with crispy skin. I smoke chicken at 225 to 250*. Aim for 175* for well done chicken. My wife makes me go to 180. I do not worry about the skin due to cholesterol problems. The only time I eat a little of it is when I do a whole bird on the rotesserie.
Without a water pan, you are basically grilling, not smoking. Try using Playbox sand instead of water for higher temps. Be sure to cover the sand with a sheet of foil to catch the drips.

 

[wvsmokeman]

225-240 is fine if your not concerned about the skin. It's the final internal temperature that ensures safe eating. It just takes a bit longer at the lower temps.

 

[jamesb]

I gotta agree with the other folks who have posted above 225° is fine for chicken, but yer gonna get rubbery skin. If I'm doing all poultry, I like to cook in the 275°-300° degree range... Poultry is a lean meat that takes on smoke fairly fast, so I don't think it really benefits from low-n-slow...

My $.02

James.

 

[deejaydebi]

I like crispy skin. I aways do my poultry at 300 to 375. It renders out all the fat and makes it juicey and crispy.

 

[old poi dog]

Blacknbluedog.. I was just wondering..How were you going to prep that chicken? Brine in shoyu/sugar ginger or more of a barbecue?

 

[gypsyseagod]

what he said... just make sure ya washed up after cleaning & the pans get a good hot water soapy wash or bleach- cause salmonella sucks.... 170-180 internal or clear juice in my book.

 

[fatback joe]

If you have a grill, fire that up also. Smoke your chicken until just about done and finish it on the grill for a couple of minutes to crisp that skin up. Smoke it for a while and finish it up under the broiler in the oven for that matter. It doesn't have to finish cooking where it started if you can't get the results that you are looking for.

 

[blacknbluedog]

Thanks for the info. My ususal prep is just salt and pepper rubbed under the skin. If I have enough time I may try brining one. I should not be eating skin but the kids may want to eat some. Rubbery skin is one sure way of discoraging it though. But no sense in refraining from eating something if you dont really have to. Broiling in the oven for crisping is something I will definitely try. Thanks again for all the advice.
Brian

 

[walking dude]

OR........as in the kicked up chicken vid showed...........pull the skin.........fry it up crispy like bacon...........and serve, IF you pull the chicken, with the meat...........EXCELLANT


d8de

 

[flagriller]

I smoke my chicken in a vertical gasser, and everything else in the off-set smoker. With both, I try to keep the temp at 211* , and try not to get it above 215*. 212* is the evaporative point of water. Now, I cook the chicken for 2.5 to 3 hours and spray with a mix of apple juice and apple cider vinegar. It's done when the juices are clear. If you desire a crisp skin, which I only use the skin as a keeper of the "juice." Then go to a gasser, set on high, put the skin side down and sear it. I don't do that, because I don't eat the skin, it's the "foil" fo me.

Just my .002784 cents

USF BULLS rutgers

 

[flash]

I was wondering how long it would take to crisp up the skin if you did your smokes at the normal 225 or so?? I usually do 10 lb of leg quarters, might take around 5 to 5 1/2 hours. When should I pull them to place in the oven or grill to crisp the skin up a bit. I don't want to end up with them over cooked.

 

[fatback joe]

Assuming high heat, it won't take long. Like under 5 minutes on a good hot grill or up near the broiler element.......I would say closer to 1 minute. I would take them to dang near done........maybe stop no more than 5 degrees shy of your target temp. Don't think of the crisping of the skin as doing much in the way of cooking the meat.

It has been a long time since I have done it that way. I just use the higher temp in the smoker from start to finish when I do chicken.

 

[flagriller]

Keep in mind though, higher heat could dry the meat out, so if you broil it get it close and make it quick. But I'm no reference on it because like I said, I don't eat the skin.

 

[fatback joe]

Yeah, quick, quick, quick..............and keep in mind this won't be as good as just high heat smoking, but will be the next best thing if your smoker doesn't get that hot and you want crispy skin.

 

[flagriller]

Yeah, that's the problem with some smokers is being able to get the temp that high, they're not sealed tightly enough like yours. I really don't think I could get my off set that high for any length of time. Maybe for a brief moment when the flames are going

Now the gasser could get to 300* but still with no direct flame I doubt the skin would crisp up.

 

[fatback joe]

It crisps in the oven without the direct flame. If you get the temps up, the skin will crisp, flame or no flame IMO.

I agree, some smokers are not going to stay that hot no matter what you do, short of building a fire in the cooking chamber........uh grilling, I guess. LOL

 

[flagriller]

Your right. But in the oven most people cook at 425 or higher and it's not nearly as juicey as what can be made low and slow.

 

[fatback joe]

Oh what do you know, you dirty no skin eater. LOL

Then smoke the dang thing at 425.

 

[flagriller]

Then smoke the dang thing at 425.

[/quote]

Alice won't let me put wood in the oven

You should have seen the house when I seared a filet a few weeks back. Turned the element to "high" put a cast iron pan on it, when water danced I threw the sucker on let it sear, flipped it, and seared side two, and there was a cloud of smoke all over the house almost a quarter the way down from cieling

Tried making it Pittsburg Rare but got a$$ chewed instead.

But darn was it good eating