Thick skin on chicken

[QuyDaddi]

I assume it's common for the skin on chicken to get thick and hard in the process of smoking? The skin is one of my favorite part of the chicken but I might have made a mistake when I opened the smoker in the last 30 minutes and basted the chicken legs with some BBQ sauce and then smoked it for 30 more minutes. When I bit into the chicken leg it tasted of an "off" smoked taste sort of bitter. Could that be because of too much wood smoke or because of basting the legs with BBQ sauce? I used Apple wood.

 

[mike243]

I would say maybe to much smoke, chicken pu smoke pretty easy, I normally don't add any wood the last 30 minutes or so but as long as its already in there I don't worry, something about new wood firing up at the end of a cook can put some bitter smoke, maybe it is where its not dried out enuff , have had it happen with hickory ,its been a long time since it has happened so maybe it was me lol

 

[pineywoods]

Usually the skin is like rubber when you smoke chicken at 225-250. There are several things you can do to crisp it up. When it comes off the smoker you can put it on a hot grill or into the oven to crisp the skin. Personally I smoke the chicken at 325 or so using a strong flavored wood. It will cook much faster at that temp so using the strong flavored wood will give more smoke flavor than a mild wood.
The other thing you can do is smoke the chicken at 225 when it gets about 150 put it into some hot oil to finish and crisp the skin. I like it smofried you get the best of smoked chicken and fried chicken with the crispy skin.
I think I read in one of your posts that you have a propane grill you can use that to crisp the skin pretty easily.
That "off" taste make your tongue kinda numb?? If so that was creosote which is usually caused by to much wood or not having the smoke stack open far enough.
Also welcome to SMF glad you joined us

 

[HalfSmoked]

I will have to agree improper fire lack of combustion causing bitter smoke.

Warren

 

[smokerjim]

As mentioned chicken takes on smoke pretty quick, and skin will turn like rubber at lower temps. You can also leave your chicken uncovered overnight to help dry the skin before smoking

 

[QuyDaddi]

I forgot to mention that I did swap out the wood chunk in the last hour but it's odd that the taste would be like that on the legs and not the thighs or baby back ribs, maybe it's the rub? I did use a different rub for each. I'll try the tossing on the grill suggestion. I've actually heard that a few times and will see how it turns out. Thanks all!