Rubbery chicken skin. Need help

One trick I picked up recently is to use one of those piercy thingys, not sure what they're called. If you can peel back the skin you lay it on the cutting board and hit it a couple times with this tool (which is like 100 little needle slits). I've tried chicken a couple times with this and was very pleased with the results. I think it's partially because the skin is a bit pre-pierced that makes it more bite through, but I think the holes also let a little bit more moisture out so the skin gets crispier.

Another thing I started doing was bumping the temp up a bit for chicken. Low and slow is great for ribs, but crap for chicken skin. I've been pushing 275 to 300 now for chicken and am much happier with the results.

Just my $.02.

edited to add:
Found what I was talking about.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Deni-Meat-Tende...hZ018QQcategoryZ20651QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

finish them at a higher temp to crisp up the skin. a few minutes at 325-375 will help.

I did a search and found a discussion about this exact topic one week ago. The search was done on "rubbery chicken skin". It was the second thread listed, your present thread was the first. Here is the URL of the other thread.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31599

Up the temps at the end.

Or fire up your little Smokey Joe and transfer them onto it at the end to get the skin crispy.

nthole said:

One trick I picked up recently is to use one of those piercy thingys, not sure what they're called.

Click to expand...

When I was still in the restaurant business, we used to call them Jaccards, after the company that made them. They come in all sizes from hand-held up to table mounted. They will tenderize the living bejesus out of anything.

Higher temps usually do the trick.

I did some chicken breasts tonight, and even thought they were moist as all get out (brined) and smoked at 325, the skin was soft. I crisped them up on the grill which presents another question:

If you crisp the skin on the grill, what do you do with the grill marks? Rotate for a cross hatch? Don't rotate for a symmetrical look? Cover with sauce?

@*%&&*(@ - Should have made a poll!

If you are doing it on the BSKD or Bandera pull the water pan if you use one, and add some fuel to bring the heat up after you move the chicken down to the bottom grate.

My 2 cents

It's been at least a couple of years ago and this topic came up and I saw a discussion on I believe the Big Green Egg board. Somebody there suggested using corn starch. I have used it several times. I have dusted the chicken in corn starch and then put on the rub and then dusted after the rub. The skin does not come out like fried chicken crisp but is a lot better and the cornstarch does not mess with flavor, at least for me.

Rick