CHICKEN THIGHS

[buckbros]

I did some thighs last night on the Weber with a Vortex using the indirect method with a chunk of oak on top for smoke. I even dried them in the fridge and used baking powder. The skins were still not crisp. Has anyone tried putting them in boiling water first for a few minutes to render the fat. The thighs were very good but the skin texture was not what I wanted.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yup, I par boil chicken before saucing and going to the grill. Just want to finish the cook and tighten up the sauce on the pieces. It’s a crutch but it eats very well.

 

[buckbros]

Yup, I par boil chicken before saucing and going to the grill. Just want to finish the cook and tighten up the sauce on the pieces. It’s a crutch but it eats very well.

Do you use the baking powder also?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Do you use the baking powder also?

No, not when boiling first. Although I have used baking powder when hot smoking chicken, it works kind of. I really have no desire to master chicken skin on the smoker, so I pre boil them get a bit of smoke while drying the sauce. It works, certainly not competition chicken but make great backyard chicken.

 

[thirdeye]

The closest I've come using hot water was pouring it over the skin, I think it was a variation of an Asian method for de-fatting duck. It was a pain. I have cooked the skin tender, then finished hot and fast with good results.

Yup, I par boil chicken before saucing and going to the grill. Just want to finish the cook and tighten up the sauce on the pieces. It’s a crutch but it eats very well.

This is interesting, what kind of vessel do you use for this? And what is a guess of the internal temp when they go to the grill?

 

[SmokinEdge]

The closest I've come using hot water was pouring it over the skin, I think it was a variation of an Asian method for de-fatting duck. It was a pain. I have cooked the skin tender, then finished hot and fast with good results.
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This is interesting, what kind of vessel do you use for this? And what is a guess of the internal temp when they go to the grill?

I’m all over the board here. Again I’ve never tried for competition quality chicken, just something good to eat. That said, I always boil in a regular pot, the chicken pieces and go anywhere from 150-165 IT obviously be a little more careful with the breast, but then sauce and go on the smoker. If the skin is rendered then the finish is good, but often the whole skin comes off on first bite. Just part of it. You can boil them higher like 200F and the skin is better but chicken texture is soft. I don’t know but boiling first works best for me with grilled or smoked chicken. It’s definitely worth a try, but like I said, I’m just putting food on the table, not working for a judge.

 

[thirdeye]

I’m all over the board here. Again I’ve never tried for competition quality chicken, just something good to eat. That said, I always boil in a regular pot, the chicken pieces and go anywhere from 150-165 IT obviously be a little more careful with the breast, but then sauce and go on the smoker. If the skin is rendered then the finish is good, but often the whole skin comes off on first bite. Just part of it. You can boil them higher like 200F and the skin is better but chicken texture is soft. I don’t know but boiling first works best for me with grilled or smoked chicken. It’s definitely worth a try, but like I said, I’m just putting food on the table, not working for a judge.

Competition quality on one hand is a wonderful product. And some techniques are worthwhile in ordinary cooking. On the other hand, you can't make a meal out of it because it's enhanced (for lack of a better word) in order to make an impression in one bite. I've blanched wing drumettes, but never any larger pieces.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Competition quality on one hand is a wonderful product. And some techniques are worthwhile in ordinary cooking. On the other hand, you can't make a meal out of it because it's enhanced (for lack of a better word) in order to make an impression in one bite. I've blanched wing drumettes, but never any larger pieces.

I’m cooking ribs and a whole cut up chicken this evening. The chicken was boiled. I’ll post it all up. When the chicken comes out of the water, the skin is rendered and very tender. Then sauce and set in the smoker. Right now running 300F

 

[buckbros]

I've blanched wing drumettes, but never any larger pieces.

Next time I do thighs I am going to blanch them for about 5 minutes & then do them on the Weber with a Vortex. I'll post my results.

 

[thirdeye]

Next time I do thighs I am going to blanch them for about 5 minutes & then do them on the Weber with a Vortex. I'll post my results.

I'm wondering about pinning the skin prior to blanching? Any thoughts? I use toothpicks or lacing pins to control shrinkage when grilling.

 

[buckbros]

I'm wondering about pinning the skin prior to blanching? Any thoughts? I use toothpicks or lacing pins to control shrinkage when grilling.
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I think I will try the pinning the skins. I am only going to blanch the thighs for about 5 minutes. I'm wondering what the internal temp. from blanching will be after 5 minutes? I may need a backup for dinner that night just in case.

 

[gmc2003]

Another trick is to hold the finished chicken(skin down) with your tongs directly above the Vortex. Keep it far enough above that it won't burn, but close enough to get a blast of high heat. Do this before adding sauce and hold the thighs on the ends so the tongs don't cover the skin.

Chris

 

[thirdeye]

I’m cooking ribs and a whole cut up chicken this evening. The chicken was boiled. I’ll post it all up.

Did you happen to snap some photos?

I am only going to blanch the thighs for about 5 minutes. I'm wondering what the internal temp. from blanching will be after 5 minutes?

Will you be submerging the thighs, or just go skin down in something like 1/2" of water. Earlier I mentioned using hot water, and I believe the video below was the inspiration. I don't have a hot pot, so I used a ladle and chicken was on a rack in a deep pan.

 

[buckbros]

Did you happen to snap some photos?


Will you be submerging the thighs, or just go skin down in something like 1/2" of water. Earlier I mentioned using hot water, and I believe the video below was the inspiration. I don't have a hot pot, so I used a ladle and chicken was on a rack in a deep pan.

Think I'll submerge for 5 minutes. How did yours turn out using your method?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Did you happen to snap some photos?

I did, but I had guests stop buy and I got distracted and over cooked the ribs and chicken. It was all still very delicious but was dry. Most of the chicken skin was bite through although I took no pictures of the bite. I’ll PM the pictures for what they are worth, but I suggest you try it with some thighs to see, but I do believe that somewhere between a hot scald to boil may be the easiest way to get crispy skin, might even look into or try steam On the raw skin.

 

[thirdeye]

I did a little experiment this afternoon, using two lollipopped drumsticks. I did pin the skin, and did a series of 'dunks' into the hot water.... watching the skin tighten up and the little bumps on the skin go away. Then I put them in the water for no longer than 2 minutes, dried them for maybe 30 minutes and on the grill at 300° for 90 minutes, indirect. The skin was nice and tender but not as crispy as it could have been with a direct cook.

It was really hard to say if the hot water method's skin was beter than the normal skin I get, BUT... on my normal skin I use a 3-tine sausage pricker to perforate it. This makes it easier for fats to escape through the skin.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I did a little experiment this afternoon, using two lollipopped drumsticks. I did pin the skin, and did a series of 'dunks' into the hot water.... watching the skin tighten up and the little bumps on the skin go away. Then I put them in the water for no longer than 2 minutes, dried them for maybe 30 minutes and on the grill at 300° for 90 minutes, indirect. The skin was nice and tender but not as crispy as it could have been with a direct cook.
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It was really hard to say if the hot water method's skin was beter than the normal skin I get, BUT... on my normal skin I use a 3-tine sausage pricker to perforate it. This makes it easier for fats to escape through the skin.

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Those look great. Keep messing around and you will find what works I’m sure of that. Maybe in the end something simple with less labor is nice.

 

[buckbros]

Did you happen to snap some photos?


Will you be submerging the thighs, or just go skin down in something like 1/2" of water. Earlier I mentioned using hot water, and I believe the video below was the inspiration. I don't have a hot pot, so I used a ladle and chicken was on a rack in a deep pan.

I did a little experiment this afternoon, using two lollipopped drumsticks. I did pin the skin, and did a series of 'dunks' into the hot water.... watching the skin tighten up and the little bumps on the skin go away. Then I put them in the water for no longer than 2 minutes, dried them for maybe 30 minutes and on the grill at 300° for 90 minutes, indirect. The skin was nice and tender but not as crispy as it could have been with a direct cook.
View attachment 663805
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View attachment 663807
View attachment 663808
It was really hard to say if the hot water method's skin was beter than the normal skin I get, BUT... on my normal skin I use a 3-tine sausage pricker to perforate it. This makes it easier for fats to escape through the skin.

I did a little experiment this afternoon, using two lollipopped drumsticks. I did pin the skin, and did a series of 'dunks' into the hot water.... watching the skin tighten up and the little bumps on the skin go away. Then I put them in the water for no longer than 2 minutes, dried them for maybe 30 minutes and on the grill at 300° for 90 minutes, indirect. The skin was nice and tender but not as crispy as it could have been with a direct cook.
View attachment 663805
View attachment 663806
View attachment 663807
View attachment 663808
It was really hard to say if the hot water method's skin was beter than the normal skin I get, BUT... on my normal skin I use a 3-tine sausage pricker to perforate it. This makes it easier for fats to escape through the skin.

View attachment 663809

Those look great. Keep messing around and you will find what works I’m sure of that. Maybe in the end something simple with less labor is nice.

Very interesting. After seeing your post I don't think my idea is any better.. Supposed to rain this weekend so my experiment is put on hold. We'll see.