Wing Help!!!

[stro warren]

I had been cooking my wings directly over charcoal and they would always come out near perfect. I decided to try smoking them with red oak at a lower temp, thinking that would only make them better. WRONG! My wings have come out rubbery with a really strong taste. The color is about the only thing good about these wings. Am I cooking too low? Wrong wood? help! 

 

[dirtsailor2003]

What temp did you cook them at? Typically with poultry I try and smoke at 275-325. A good wood for poultry in my opinion are the milder woods, like apple. However I do mix cherry with the apple and have used pecan, and peach with good success too. What type of charcoal smoker are you using?

 

[linguica]

The only way I ever grill wings is 325 to 350 deg. I want that crisp skin and to render out any fat. Seasoning is Morton Nature's Seasons. Been grilling them that way for 27 years and not one complaint. And be sure to serve them sizzling off the grill.

 

[stro warren]

What temp did you cook them at? Typically with poultry I try and smoke at 275-325. A good wood for poultry in my opinion are the milder woods, like apple. However I do mix cherry with the apple and have used pecan, and peach with good success too. What type of charcoal smoker are you using?

At about 200-225. I was thinking a low temp would have the same effect on chicken as it would have on pork? I'm using an Charbroil Smoker with an offset fire box.

 

[stro warren]

The only way I ever grill wings is 325 to 350 deg. I want that crisp skin and to render out any fat. Seasoning is Morton Nature's Seasons. Been grilling them that way for 27 years and not one complaint. And be sure to serve them sizzling off the grill.

Thanks for the tip! Maybe I was cooking too low

 

[Dutch]

At about 200-225. I was thinking a low temp would have the same effect on chicken as it would have on pork? I'm using an Charbroil Smoker with an offset fire box.

Stro,  most yardbirds that you buy in the grocery store are fairly young birds -less than 60 days old. Unless you have an old brood hen, low and slow method is not necessary. Old birds are usually destined for the stew pot.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

You got it, low and slow on poultry will give you a rubbery skin. When I've been in a hurry I've done whole chickens as high as 375! I also don't use water in the water pan when doing poultry, don't know if it makes a difference or not.

 

[so ms smoker]

   If you want crisp skin on smoked chicken, smoke to nearly done, then put on a hot grill for a few minutes to get the skin done. Best of both worlds.

  Mike

 

[sqwib]

Smoked chicken parts get a bum rap for rubbery skin, I have never had this problem,

Low and slow will render the fat in the skin.

When doing Thighs, wings and drums I try to run my pit 250 -275.

I had done a test that I posted here a while back the results are after the pics.

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• sqwib
• Dec 17, 2012

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• sqwib
• Dec 17, 2012

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• sqwib
• Dec 17, 2012

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• sqwib
• Dec 17, 2012

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• sqwib
• Dec 17, 2012

Here is what I found out on my little experiment.

All this was done on a Reverse Flow using wood as fuel, White ash and cherry, no wind, ambient temperature was about 75° low humidity.

I took a flat of Thighs and a flat of drums and split each flat in half, each half was seasoned as follows, these thighs were huge.

First Batch was slathered with the following

• Olive Oil
• Rosemary
• Basil
• Salt
• Pepper

The second batch was as follows

• My Pork Rub dry

They were then placed on the Reverse flow alternating each row. Smoked at 225° using white ash for several hours followed by cherry.
 

20111016036.JPG

• sqwib
• Dec 17, 2012

After 2 hours the drums with the rub could be eaten the skin was starting to crisp up nicely, the thighs on both still had very fatty skin and the drums were fatty but not as much as the slathered thighs.
I broke it down as follows for easier explanation

2 hours in:

• Dry Rub Drums - Acceptable skin
• Slathered Drums - Unacceptable skin slightly fatty
• Dry Rub Thighs - Unacceptable skin slightly fatty
• Slathered Thighs - Unacceptable skin very fatty

3 hours in:

• Dry Rub Drums - Skin was not fatty, most of the fat was rendered, clean bite
• Slathered Drums - Acceptable skin
• Dry Rub Thighs - Acceptable skin with some fatty areas
• Slathered Thighs - Unacceptable slightly fatty

Now I don’t really like going over 3 hours but due to the fact of the placement of the Dutch oven, I had to.

4 hours in:

• Dry Rub Drums - Skin was awesome, bites are clean into skin
• Slathered Drums - Skin was awesome, bites are clean into skin
• Dry Rub Thighs - Skin was awesome, bites are clean into skin with little fatty areas
• Slathered Thighs - Acceptable skin

But as I mentioned before, these results were skewed because of the Dutch oven placement however it does give me an answer to the crisp/fatty skin dilemma.
After I removed the Dutch oven the temps in the chamber jumped 50°, the DO was really affecting the air flow and it didn’t dawn on me until I remove the DO and the temp jumped and the chicken was starting to sizzle.

Four hours is a bit too long especially for the drums.

As far as the flavor goes the slather really, really permeated into the whole piece of chicken, but I prefer the rub.
The texture of the meat was ok after 4 hours but better at the 3 hour mark.

I am sure if the DO was not hindering air flow, that the skins on all 4 would be acceptable or above acceptable at about 3 hours.

Many folks will smoke then finish off on a grill over direct heat, but the fact remains yes you can get crispy skin smoking (on a stickburner anyhow), never tested this on my GOSM.

I have deep fried them, grilled them, baked them, smoked them and cooked them directly over a fire pit and have always had good results.

 

[smokeusum]

What is a GOSM? Sorry, I'm new :)

 

[sqwib]

Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Smoker