What's up with tough skin

[bangstick]

Ok, so I'm still new to the site and to smoking. I recently purchased a Camp Chef Woodwind and I'm still breaking her in. The other day, the wife said she wanted some smoked chicken wings so off to Publix I went. I was disappointed with their selection of wings because every pack of their "fresh" wings were still mostly/partially frozen. This was in the morning so I figured I had plenty of time to let them thaw. After thawing completely, I rinse the wings and put them on a cooling rack over a large cookie and put them in the fridge to dry. After they were dry, I added the rub (nothing creative. I took it straight from Myron Mixon's book), liberally, and let them set for 1/2 hour before taking them to the smoker. I smoked them at 250 for around 2 hours. Pulled them when the IT was 160 and let them rest for 10 minutes. The flavor was great and the meat was moist but the skin was as tough as leather. I mean, tough to the point I was pulling the skin off, rubbing the meat on the skin to get some of the rub on it, eating the meat and leaving the skin on the plate.

Where did I go wrong? Is it something I did or didn't do? Should I stay away from frozen wings? I'm open to suggestions and tips. Like I said, flavor and doneness was spot on but the skins flat out sucked.

 

[lancep]

Crank your heat up to about 325-350 and you'll get crispy bite through skin. If you can't hit those temps on your smoker, take them to about 150 and then finish on a hot grill.:grilling_smilie:

Lance

 

[tallbm]

 
Ok, so I'm still new to the site and to smoking. I recently purchased a Camp Chef Woodwind and I'm still breaking her in. The other day, the wife said she wanted some smoked chicken wings so off to Publix I went. I was disappointed with their selection of wings because every pack of their "fresh" wings were still mostly/partially frozen. This was in the morning so I figured I had plenty of time to let them thaw. After thawing completely, I rinse the wings and put them on a cooling rack over a large cookie and put them in the fridge to dry. After they were dry, I added the rub (nothing creative. I took it straight from Myron Mixon's book), liberally, and let them set for 1/2 hour before taking them to the smoker. I smoked them at 250 for around 2 hours. Pulled them when the IT was 160 and let them rest for 10 minutes. The flavor was great and the meat was moist but the skin was as tough as leather. I mean, tough to the point I was pulling the skin off, rubbing the meat on the skin to get some of the rub on it, eating the meat and leaving the skin on the plate.

Where did I go wrong? Is it something I did or didn't do? Should I stay away from frozen wings? I'm open to suggestions and tips. Like I said, flavor and doneness was spot on but the skins flat out sucked.

Hi there and welcome!

LanceP is correct.  You really didn't do anything wrong except cook at too low of a temp.  If you can cook them at 325F+ temp then you should be fine.  I have battled this for a bit and I have edible poultry skin when I cook at 325F.

Another thing to take into consideration is the food dripping on your heat source/fire and not allowing for the smoker to get to 325F. I've recently hit that a few times with my electric smoker.  I need to make a little cover of some sort to keep the heatingi element from being dripped on.

Let us know what you try and how it turns out :)

 

[nickm62388]

I am getting back into smoking, but I had the same problem with the first couple of times I tried making wings and gave up. Looked great and all but were very rubbery, and I always hear to crank the heat up....Im use to using the minion method and my smoker fluctuating between 225-250. What is best method to get to 325 and how long do you smoke the wings at that temp? I know you could always crisp them on a grill, but sometimes I only have my smoker, and don't wanna have to use grill after. 

 

[lancep]

I am getting back into smoking, but I had the same problem with the first couple of times I tried making wings and gave up. Looked great and all but were very rubbery, and I always hear to crank the heat up....Im use to using the minion method and my smoker fluctuating between 225-250. What is best method to get to 325 and how long do you smoke the wings at that temp? I know you could always crisp them on a grill, but sometimes I only have my smoker, and don't wanna have to use grill after. 

What kind of smoker are you using?

 

[nickm62388]

Weber smokey mountain

 

[lancep]

Weber smokey mountain

Add a full chimney of lit charcoal and run the water pan dry. That should take you upwards of 325-350.

Lance

 

[nickm62388]

and how long do wings need to be at those kinds of temps? Also is it better to add sauce while on smoker or just toss them in sauce once their taken off smoker and resting ?

 

[lancep]

Don't know about wings but I do whole chickens in about an hour and a half and drums in about30-45 min. I would sauce them about the last 10-15 min with the water pan removed.

 

[tallbm]

I would think a whole rack of wings would be easily less than an hour at 325F.

I generate smoke separate from my heat source.  In my setup I would personally smoke the wings for hour without any heat and then remove the racks.

Get the smoker to 325F in my setup and then add the racks back with more smoke going.

That would get me about an hour and a half of smoke.  Also I use the AMNPS so I personally would do double smoke out of it to get as much smoke as I could in such a little time.  Also I personally would use a wood no weaker than Pecan or at least blend Pecan or stronger 50/50 with a weaker wood.

 

[SmokinAl]

I smoke mine at 225, then finish them on a gas grill.

Then toss them in the sauce.

Al

 

[zerowin]

 
Ok, so I'm still new to the site and to smoking. I recently purchased a Camp Chef Woodwind and I'm still breaking her in. The other day, the wife said she wanted some smoked chicken wings so off to Publix I went. I was disappointed with their selection of wings because every pack of their "fresh" wings were still mostly/partially frozen. This was in the morning so I figured I had plenty of time to let them thaw. After thawing completely, I rinse the wings and put them on a cooling rack over a large cookie and put them in the fridge to dry. After they were dry, I added the rub (nothing creative. I took it straight from Myron Mixon's book), liberally, and let them set for 1/2 hour before taking them to the smoker. I smoked them at 250 for around 2 hours. Pulled them when the IT was 160 and let them rest for 10 minutes. The flavor was great and the meat was moist but the skin was as tough as leather. I mean, tough to the point I was pulling the skin off, rubbing the meat on the skin to get some of the rub on it, eating the meat and leaving the skin on the plate.

Where did I go wrong? Is it something I did or didn't do? Should I stay away from frozen wings? I'm open to suggestions and tips. Like I said, flavor and doneness was spot on but the skins flat out sucked.

I have the camp chef STX and it does well at holding temp at 325 or 350 so far.  The convection fan in yours should perform even better.  I haven't done just wings, but I did do a few whole chickens two weeks ago, and they came out great at those temps, wings included, all the skin was soft and easily bitten through.  Just keep a closer eye on the pellet hopper, it chews through pellets a bit faster than you'd think it would at the higher temps verses whay you see at 250.  Hope this helps!

 

[bangstick]

Thanks for the help, all.

My Woodwind can hit 500 degrees so the temp won't be an issue. I'm not a big sauce guy when it comes to grilling and smoking. I like the meat to be the star. I was thinking about finishing them in a fryer to crisp up the skin but to be honest, I didn't feel like firing up another cooking apparatus. LOL!

Maybe next time, I'll try the low smoke for 2/3's of the cooking and finish them at a higher temp to crisp the skin.

Thanks again for all of the help.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Weber smokey mountain

Add a full chimney of lit charcoal and run the water pan dry. That should take you upwards of 325-350.

Lance

Lance is right. In fact, try removing your diffuser altogether for more direct heat. When the fat starts to render, you will get drippings, but that there is flavor!!! Just keep the lid on so it doesn't flare up bad and watch your temps and adjust vents accordingly.

 

[fpmich]

 
Maybe next time, I'll try the low smoke for 2/3's of the cooking and finish them at a higher temp to crisp the skin.

Thanks again for all of the help.

That is what I do too Bangstick. 

I never cook enough chicken to use all my grate space, so I usually cook 2 or 3 racks of ribs on one side, and the chicken right beside it on the hotter side.  I make sure not to have chicken touching or over the ribs, to prevent cross contamination.  I put my chicken on when smoker is around 275*. When my chicken legs or quarters hit around 170*-175* IT, I put them directly over the side fire box coals, on a grate to crisp the skin.  Works great, and you have plenty of smoke on your chicken!  During this process I run my smoker a little higher than I like for ribs, and lower than I like for chicken.  Smoker is usually around  275* 280* while I have the chicken on.  Then after I crisp the chicken, I go back to 225* - 250* to finish the ribs.  The ribs don't seem to mind hanging out at 275-280* for an hour or more.  So low, then high, should work just fine for you.

Ill be doing some large chicken legs and ribs later today.  If I can remember the camera, I'll post pics for you.

 

[heavyd4561]

I used to have the same issue! Now when I do chicken I put them unwrapped in the fridge for 30 minutes or so all rubbed up before I cook. Works like a charm for crispy skin!!

IMG_0681.JPG

• heavyd4561
• Jul 18, 2017

 

[fpmich]

 

Bangstick,

I did two slabs of ribs, to boneless, skinless breast, and 8 GIANT drumsticks.  Haven't seen chicken legs like that since I was a kid and we raised our own.  Looked like young turkey legs, compared to those sparrow legs Tyson, and other processers, sell in stores.

One my best and easiest smokes.

1.  First time I tried skinless, boneless breast in the smoker too!  I was afraid I would dry them out, but they turned out nice and juicy for my daughter.  I  she were pleased.

2.  The chicken drumsticks took 3 hours, rather than the usual 1 1/2 hours.  Yeah they were that hugh!  They could of gone another hour at 275*, but the natives were restless.

3.  Both slabs of ribs were done at the 4 1/2 mark!  WOW!  I've never had that happen before.

That was a good day!

Bad news though... here I was with full smoker. Meat looked great and tasted great.   And I forgot to get my camera out!  So no Q-view.  

I was too busy having fun with friends and family.  LOL

I started ribs cold on smoker as it was warming up.  150*

Climbed to between 230* & 250* for two hours.

Put chicken on at 2 hour mark.  Smoker temp was 240*.   But it dropped to 215*for about 1/2 hour before I could get it started upwards to 265* - 280* for an hour.

Temp leveled out at between 250* - 265* for the next hour or so.

 I foiled the skinless, boneless breast to keep it from drying out at an IT of 153* ... 1/2 hour later breast were at 165* IT and I pulled them off and left foiled to rest.

Large legs still on smoker running at 225* to 250* for another hour before they reached 172* IT.  Then I put a grate on SFB and gave a quick hot sear to crisp skin.  NO RUBBER SKIN!

Time for meats. 

Ribs - 4 1/2 hours.  (never had that before, so I wouldn't bank on it).

Large chick breast - 2 1/2 hours

Super large chicken drumsticks - 3 hours (and should've been 3 1/2 hours for my preference)

If I had only known how long those giant legs would take, I could have put all the meat on at same time and cut my cook by two hours.  The ribs were done before the legs were! LOL

Hope this helps you, or somebody else.

 

[bangstick]

A lot of good info there, fpmich. I appreciate it.