First chicken (third smoke) with qview

[blodzoo]

This was an unplanned smoke, so I just threw together a quick rub and threw them on.  Overall, I'd say they came out good.  Nice and juicy.  I'm looking at other peoples' and guessing most people don't put the meat side down, because mine have ugly grill lines.

In some spots the skin had a flavor like breakfast sausage patties, which isn't my favorite flavor, especially when I'm eating chicken.  Could that be from the applewood smoke?  It wasn't bad, I just think I'll try a different wood on the next one.  My wife didn't notice until I pointed it out.

Next up, I've got 2 birds rubbed with Rick's snakebitten rub in my beer fridge.  Planning on smoking with cherry or hickory or both tomorrow.

smokedchicken.jpg

• blodzoo
• Jul 9, 2013

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  Chicken looks good.  If you start the chicken skin side up and you want to turn it, the grill will usually have enough grease on it so that the marks usually don't really show.  Not that marks hurt anything.  As for the sausage taste, unless you smoked breakfast sausage and didn't clean the grill I'd say you threw together spices in the rub ( sage, sugar, thyme, crushed red peppers?? ) that reminded you of the taste.  Apple wood should not have been the culprit.  IMHO.  Good luck.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[kryinggame]

The sausage taste is due to dirty grill grates. You need to clean your grates with some Brillo. I use apple all of the time and no complaints other than it tends to burn hotter.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Yep...Poultry Seasoning, if you used it, is loaded with some of the same Herbs as Breakfast Sausage, especially Sage and Thyme...JJ

 

[dirtsailor2003]

As mentioned your seasonings, not the wood would give you your sausage flavor. I use apple all the time on poultry. Cherry is a great choice for chicken. When I smoke spatchcocked chicken I smoke it meat side up. If I need to crisp the skin, I will hit it on the grill meat side down, but only for a few minutes. I like to smoke my chicken in a 325* smoker so that I get a crispy skin.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...spritzed-is-the-only-way-to-get-moist-chicken

 

[blodzoo]

Maybe I won't give away my applewood just yet, but I'm not convinced that it's the rub or dirty grates either. 

The smoker is brand new (3rd smoke) and the grates were cleaned and then run through a dishwasher between each one. 

The skin on the breasts was fine and maybe not crispy, but a good texture. I shoved a ton of the rub in between the skin and meat on the breasts (breasts were quite spicy) and no sausage flavor there.

The skin around the drumstick bones where the sausage taste was noticeable,  This might just be some personal issue that wouldn't bother anyone else.  I'll just have to keep smoking chickens and see what happens.
 

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Trial and error . Keep practicing and trying different Rubs , you'll hit one you absolutely love... and as you are doing all that practicing , have fun with it and try different methods...Beercan Chix, 1/4s , 1/2s , Whole... but most of all . . .