Smoking chicken

[Raheeb]

hi all am new here have southern pride smoker and tried to smoke chicken for 4 hours using Apple logs the only thing that the skin is so tough and not crispy any idea to have a crispy skin
Thanks

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Not sure what model you have, but you don't really need to smoke chicken that long..and I'd hazard a guess you won't ever get the smoker hot enough to crisp the skin. Either run it a hot grill quick/oven or blowtorch it to crisp the skin.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Unless your smoker goes over 325, you will not get crisp skin with the smoker alone. Smoke to an IT of 150, in the thigh, then finish over a higher heat source set to 425 or higher...JJ

 

[mike243]

Yep high temp for the skin,also at 225-250 4 hrs is pretty normal on my MES ,southern makes a great smoker with a wide range on temps depending on the model ,I have used a friends Southern pride but always at 225 with hickory that was propane fired with hickory logs in the burn chamber.

 

[runway1]

Unless your smoker goes over 325, you will not get crisp skin with the smoker alone. Smoke to an IT of 150, in the thigh, then finish over a higher heat source set to 425 or higher...JJ

Yup. That's how I do it. I don't even check IT. I just blast a spatchcocked bird for 1.5-2.0 hrs at 225. Then blast it at 425 untill crisp. Best roast chicken ever!

 

[SmokinAl]

We generally don't eat the skin, except with wings. So I like to smoke my chickens & turkeys at 225 - 250 spatchcocked in a pan with some chicken stock, onions, celery, carrots, & garlic. I also like to inject them with Tony C's cajun butter marinade, and dust them with Montreal chicken seasoning. That's how we like them, so you may want to give it a try. Chicken is cheap & a perfect food to experiment with.
Al