Help me! I need help!

[tpc74]

Just for full disclosure, pellet smoker using hickory. Smoking chicken. Can not for the life of me get smoke into the chicken. I mean the skin, sure, and this last batch the skin was crispy and excellent. But I could have boiled the chicken.

I seasoned the hell out of it prior, used a smoke tube in addition to the smoker itself, and put rub back on the chicken after it was pulled, in effort to get some flavor back in there.

No dice. I also did a pulled pork same way except for a wrap at 165 to 203, but it was excellent and the smoke flavor was there.

Is this a chicken thing? What can I do?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Just for full disclosure, pellet smoker using hickory. Smoking chicken. Can not for the life of me get smoke into the chicken. I mean the skin, sure, and this last batch the skin was crispy and excellent. But I could have boiled the chicken.

I seasoned the hell out of it prior, used a smoke tube in addition to the smoker itself, and put rub back on the chicken after it was pulled, in effort to get some flavor back in there.

No dice. I also did a pulled pork same way except for a wrap at 165 to 203, but it was excellent and the smoke flavor was there.

Is this a chicken thing? What can I do?

Go skinless. The skin is a PITA it turns into rubber and blocks all the smoke to the meat. Just a thought. Btw, I boil all my chicken pieces then on to the grill with rub and sauce. Just to tighten up the sauce and get a tad of smoke. Skin is soft and delicious this way.

 

[tpc74]

So essentially their isn’t any good way to get smoke into chicken meat??

 

[DougE]

Most of the split breasts I get are at least partially skinless, and the skin left is usually loose. I run them an hour or two at the lowest setting to maximize smoke, then crank up to 280~300 to finish and get a decent smoke flavor this way.

 

[normanaj]

I've never had an issue getting smoke flavor into chicken with my MES or WSM. I don't do anything specific other than put it in the smoker until done.

 

[tpc74]

Maybe this is more of a pellet smoker issue. Next time I’ll fire up the mes. Or I’ll try the ultra low max smoke setting.

 

[DougE]

Or I’ll try the ultra low max smoke setting.

With my pellet grill, I get the best results starting low, where it makes the most smoke at the beginning, then dialing the temp up to finish. There isn't always time to do it this way, but the flavor is better when there is.