Rubber skin..

[steve knight]

..it seems to be the final hurdle in bbq-ing chicken...yesterday I did some breasts (about 3hrs @ 250), the meat came out moist & tender, the skin, still a tad rubbery..

 My guess is I was too "low & slow", does anyone have a trick for "bite-through" skin?

 

[smokinhusker]

To get better skin on smoked chicken you have to do it at higher temps, chicken is not a low and slow. Smoker temp needs to be 325*-350* or you can throw it on a hot grill or in the oven to crisp it up. I have electric that only goes to 275*, which still isn't high enough.

 

[dward51]

If you also have a gas grill, a lot of people will toss the chicken on there for a final crisping up of the skin after smoking them.  Rubber skin has always been the one drawback to smoking poultry.

 

[steve knight]

the only problem I see with the "final crisping" is that it might burn the sauce that's been brushed on...I'm wondering if grilling skin side down for about 45 minutes before saucing might help..

 

[smokinhusker]

the only problem I see with the "final crisping" is that it might burn the sauce that's been brushed on...I'm wondering if grilling skin side down for about 45 minutes before saucing might help..

When we throw it on the grill is when we sauce ours. No problems so far for us.

 

[jimmybh]

I am 70 years of age and just ordered my 1st smoker today, a Smokin-it 3. Up to this point I have grilled/ barbecued a lot of chicken. I just grilled chicken thighs this afternoon, hhmmm I burned that skin to a black crisp to about 140 degrees and finished it up in the kitchen oven to 180 degrees. I brushed  on sauce the last 15 minutes and let it glaze, carmalize and whatever those chickies had a mind to do. LOL When I get my smoker I will probably smoke it nearly done, throw it on my hot grill or maybe even the searing unit and then carefully brush on the sauce with a little heat being careful not to burn it. Yumm I gotta say my barbecued chicken is better than any barbecue restaurant in my area of Wa. state. But of course I could not say this if I lived in the south. LOL I like to incorporate my electric oven in the process in case of any cold spots on my gas grill especially cooking chicken thighs. They finish up incredibly moist. Once my smoker is up and running I will eliminate using my conventional oven.

 

[kathrynn]

I am 70 years of age and just ordered my 1st smoker today, a Smokin-it 3. Up to this point I have grilled/ barbecued a lot of chicken. I just grilled chicken thighs this afternoon, hhmmm I burned that skin to a black crisp to about 140 degrees and finished it up in the kitchen oven to 180 degrees. I brushed  on sauce the last 15 minutes and let it glaze, carmalize and whatever those chickies had a mind to do. LOL When I get my smoker I will probably smoke it nearly done, throw it on my hot grill or maybe even the searing unit and then carefully brush on the sauce with a little heat being careful not to burn it. Yumm I gotta say my barbecued chicken is better than any barbecue restaurant in my area of Wa. state. But of course I could not say this if I lived in the south. LOL I like to incorporate my electric oven in the process in case of any cold spots on my gas grill especially cooking chicken thighs. They finish up incredibly moist. Once my smoker is up and running I will eliminate using my conventional oven.

Hi Jimmy and

.  Would you mind popping over to Roll Call and allow us to give you a proper Welcome!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/133/roll-call

Kat

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Steve, hi. It is IMHO that for Crisp Skin, one would have to keep the skin as dry during the cooking process and then "Crisp" it at high heat.

Sauces are ( to me ) , just that , a sauce to add after the meal is at the table; however- your saucing as you cook(which may not burn due to LOW heat) will keep the skin moist and in time soften it up some, but crisp? NO ! And even glazing the sauce after cooking  must be watched as Sugars burn quick.

I have found that (the folks I cook for) like the smokey flavor and add sauce post-cooking. There's less mess and your goods aren't burned .

Easiest way I suppose is to Smoke them first then fry and add sauce at the end. That's a guarantee.

There will be a bunch along to suggest different ways, so as always, have fun and...