ClintHTX
is Blowin Smoke!
Almost all of them were very fatty and unpleasent. I have bought different brands and still the same thing. Is there any way of choosing a bird with less fat? Sorry im still new to this.
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Smoked a few whole chickens in the past couple of months.
- Thread starter ClintHTX
- Start date
Slasher
Well-known member
My rule for smoking birds... BRINE FIRST ALWAYS!!! The best smoked/grilled birds have always been some organic free range bird we got from a local farm... But the others aren't too bad... except when I had the steam propane smoker... (rubbery skin)
fingerlickin'
Quintessential Chatty Farker
I've had really good luck with the purdue "extra meaty" birds in the green and yellow wrapper if you can find them.
landarc
somebody shut me the fark up.
I wonder about your process. All chickens have a fair amount of fat. Even the pasture raised ones that I buy. You have to cook them at either a high enough heat, or long enough cook, to get them done right. Brining is a good technique to insure a moist bird.
retired trucker
is Blowin Smoke!
Sounds like you are not cooking them hot enough. I cook mine at around 300 degrees until the thigh is about 165 or so. Most chickens are fatty, so you need to cook them hot and fast to render the fat and get that good crusty skin.
JazzyBadger
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Yep, like others have said. High heat is key with chicken fryers. I'm talking 325-350 degrees here, at least that's what I cook mine at.
Then I might even towards the end of the cook move them down closer to the coals, allowing the skin to crisp up even more.
You can cook them low and slow, but it takes longer, when I cook mine high heat we're talking like an hour and a half, two hours maybe, and they're generally done. I haven't done any in about a year now, but I just got four from Sam's Club I'm actually gonna do in an hour or so.
When it's low and slow, the "rubber chicken" skin might be there, but you can also get around this by searing the skin closer to the coals towards the end of the cook.
I do highly suggest high heat cooking on the fryers though, definitely my favorite.
Then I might even towards the end of the cook move them down closer to the coals, allowing the skin to crisp up even more.
You can cook them low and slow, but it takes longer, when I cook mine high heat we're talking like an hour and a half, two hours maybe, and they're generally done. I haven't done any in about a year now, but I just got four from Sam's Club I'm actually gonna do in an hour or so.
When it's low and slow, the "rubber chicken" skin might be there, but you can also get around this by searing the skin closer to the coals towards the end of the cook.
I do highly suggest high heat cooking on the fryers though, definitely my favorite.
DaChief
Babbling Farker
Vision
is Blowin Smoke!
I'm starting to believe chickens don't smoke well. The skin restricts the smoke from flavoring the meat- unless cooked high the skin will be rubbery. Even with beer can chicken the meat is moist but mostly flavorless. The best way to prepare chicken is indirect on the grill and then crisp the skin at the end IMO.
spider22
Full Fledged Farker
I did a beer can chicken with root beer and I thought it was moist and very flavorful. I also have heard people using grape or orange soda or even like whiskey and coke for a different flavor.
jasonjax
Babbling Farker
Beer can chicken with some aromatics along with your liquid of choice in the "can" cooked at 325+ turns out an amazing bird in my opinion.
I usually use pecan when smoking chicken.
As others have mentioned you definitely want some heat to get everything to render properly.
If I am going for crispy skin I will either kick it up to 400+ at the end or finish over a direct fire. Rub a little canola oil or even better, butter onto the skin and that will also help crisp it up nicely.
I usually use pecan when smoking chicken.
As others have mentioned you definitely want some heat to get everything to render properly.
If I am going for crispy skin I will either kick it up to 400+ at the end or finish over a direct fire. Rub a little canola oil or even better, butter onto the skin and that will also help crisp it up nicely.
hamiltont
is Blowin Smoke!
Call me crazy.... I prefer to skin & remove most all the fat. Then brine for at least 6 hours. Pat dry and rub with EVOO and S&P (maybe a bit of celery seed and/or cilantro) and then on the grill/smoker ~300F with a bit of apple or cherry. The bird picks up plenty of smoke. Prolly 'cause the skin isn't in the way... Cheers!!!
Tatoosh
Full Fledged Farker
I'm having so so results with my BBQ Cornell Chicken as well. The recipe calls for halving the birds, but we simply spatchcock them for the grill. I am going to try a different tactic now. We will do the marinade, then spatchcock. But I will smoke them for one hour at 200F or so. Then I will kick the charcoal grill up to 300F to 350F range and finish them. Spatchcocked, the chicken tends to lose fat easily and cook quickly.
We also trim some of the fat off the bird, particularly around the tail end. The birds here are not as big as the ones in the States, but the fat ratio seems about the same.
We also trim some of the fat off the bird, particularly around the tail end. The birds here are not as big as the ones in the States, but the fat ratio seems about the same.
Vision
is Blowin Smoke!
That's what I've been thinking of doing.
Vision
is Blowin Smoke!
My experiment with cornell cx produced a bland bird. Must be hype. Try roadside cx instead.
GreenDrake
is Blowin Smoke!
Beer can is a myth, spatchcock em and enjoy. 225 degrees, bone down and go to town. I don't brine small birds like chickies.
Mdboatbum
Full Fledged Farker
I spatchcock and brine or marinate, then smoke at 325˚ or 350˚. Had one that I overshot the internal temp a bit so it was a little dry, but I haven't had a problem with greasy or fatty chicken. I shoot for 160˚ in the breast then rest and let it carry over to 165˚. As everyone else has said, if you cook it hotter more fat will render.
You can also remove much of the fat when you're preparing the bird.
You can also remove much of the fat when you're preparing the bird.
B
bdodson
Guest
I tried a chicken (free range from a friend). Brined it overnight, and tried to smoke it. Had 225 out the stack, and the chicken was on lower rack. It was on for 3 hours. Looked very dry, pulled it and the breast temp was only 142. Put it back in for another hour and it only got to 160. We could not eat it. I have another and a duck. I do not want to screw up another cause I keep hearing they are so much better than a store bought bird.
You think it never got hot enough to break down the fat, and such...like happens with a butt?
You think it never got hot enough to break down the fat, and such...like happens with a butt?
dadsr4
somebody shut me the fark up.
I also cook at350 deg. I also loosen as much of the skin as possible and rub with olive oil and seasonings under the skin. Spatchcocked, I go for 185 deg in the thigh, whole I go for 165 deg in the breast.
B
bdodson
Guest
So brine, pat dry, loosen skim, rub down in and under skin with EVO and seasoning, put it in the smoker. Light the basket and open 'er up. If I did this, the low temp and smoke would be about 30 minutes to get up to 300 - 350 and look for 165 in the breast. Try the same with a duck?
landarc
somebody shut me the fark up.
Duck and Chicken are a little different in preparation and cooking. For both, one thing I like to do is loosen the skin over the breast and add some flavor, if just a few herbs or spices, salt and lemon slices.
For Duck, I prefer to dip or ladle very hot water over the skin a few times, it helps tighten the skin. I will then allow it to air dry, either by hanging, or as SanDiegoBBQ does, place it in the fridge to dry up. This increases the chance of getting a nice crispy skin. Then into a hot cooker until mahogany colored and crispy.
For chicken, I like to truss it up tight, I am less of a fan of spatchcocking unless time is a factor. I also consider splitting to yield a different result that spatchcocking. I prefer whole, trussed up tight so that all body cavities are closed off. No stuffing and no loose appendages. Brine in this manner or brine prior to trussing, doesn't matter.
You can cook it hot, 350F or even higher, or you can cook at 225F to 250F and run a longer cook. It will be closer to 4 hours at these temperatures and the skin gets moist and tender, not crispy. A totally different product. If I don't brine, I go very hot, 400F and offset heat, otherwise it dries unfavorably.
For Duck, I prefer to dip or ladle very hot water over the skin a few times, it helps tighten the skin. I will then allow it to air dry, either by hanging, or as SanDiegoBBQ does, place it in the fridge to dry up. This increases the chance of getting a nice crispy skin. Then into a hot cooker until mahogany colored and crispy.
For chicken, I like to truss it up tight, I am less of a fan of spatchcocking unless time is a factor. I also consider splitting to yield a different result that spatchcocking. I prefer whole, trussed up tight so that all body cavities are closed off. No stuffing and no loose appendages. Brine in this manner or brine prior to trussing, doesn't matter.
You can cook it hot, 350F or even higher, or you can cook at 225F to 250F and run a longer cook. It will be closer to 4 hours at these temperatures and the skin gets moist and tender, not crispy. A totally different product. If I don't brine, I go very hot, 400F and offset heat, otherwise it dries unfavorably.
