Chicken rubber mystery

Lemonhead · Mar 25, 2019

I defrosted some chicken thighs today for the bbq. THey we’re frozen fresh about a week ago. I defrosted overnight for about 2 days. I seasoned before cooking with salt and pepper. Later put bbq sauce on them to finish. I cooked over high heat until crispy skin then finished on lower heat until done. 170 degrees internal. I cook them this way before. No problems. But...... this is the second time I can remember in the last couple of months that the chicken came out oddly rubbery. It was a strange texture. Like biting through multiple layers of rubber. THe fibers in the chicken were in layers like lasagna noodles or something like hat. Nasty and rubber. Couldn’t eat it and through it all away. What the heck is happening here ? Please help

bluetang · Mar 25, 2019

Totally a guess...enhanced maybe. I’ve seen enhanced thighs at Aldi.

PapaDoge824 · Mar 25, 2019

Ive run into this before, but also with white meat. Havent been able to lock down an exact reason either.

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Monkey Uncle · Mar 25, 2019

170 is a bit under done for thighs, in my opinion. But that shouldn't cause them to be rubbery. I'm scratching my head on this one. Not sure if the reverse sear method had anything to do with it. It shouldn't, but you never know. Next time, try cooking at a steady 375 - 425 until they shrink a little and the skin is good and crispy. That's how I do mine, and they always turn out great.

I'm not quite understanding when you applied the bbq sauce. That can definitely make the skin rubbery if you apply it at the end of cooking, but it shouldn't affect the texture of the meat.

sudsandswine · Mar 25, 2019

I like thighs around 195, but anywhere between 185 and 205 works well for me. Im not sure what would cause the rubbery layers you mention but whatever the cause was, I bet the relatively low finishing temp compounded it.

SmokinAussie · Mar 25, 2019

I got a hot tip for you, fellas!

EyeBurnEverything · Mar 25, 2019

+1 on the lower heat finishing. Definitely could cause rubbery texture, especially if kept at lower temp for long period of time. Chicken is best when finished at high temp to crisp up skin before serving.

sleebus.jones · Mar 26, 2019

I can't see any reason to lower the temp to finish. I blaze away at 400° until they hit around 170°.

Tannhauser42 · Mar 26, 2019

It may be the chicken itself and nothing you did. I had that happen once. Two chicken breasts from the same package, cooked the same way, and one was just like a piece of rubber. I swear it even squeaked a little when I bit into it.

IamMadMan · Mar 26, 2019

What is your source of the chicken?

When getting chicken thighs for the grill, you should have young fryer thighs which are much smaller in comparison to other chickens. Fryers are usually brought to market on an average of eight weeks of age for maximum tenderness.

Older birds are for roasting which cook over a longer period of time. Lastly you have the very old birds which are hens that no longer produce a good share of eggs; these are sold as stewing hens.

I have had some free-range birds that have an odd striated muscle texture and are sometimes just a slight bit tighter chew; but not rubbery.

Without seeing, I can't answer your question.

frayedend · Mar 26, 2019

I was surprised to see this was about thighs. I've been having a problem finding good chicken breast. If you search "Woody Chicken Breast" you will see there is a huge problem in the chicken industry. When I buy boneless breast I'm finding it in about 40% of the chicken. It's nasty rubbery weird texture no matter how it's cooked. This is usually a problem with the huge, $2/lb stuff. You can often tell it's gonna be bad if it has those white stripes.

In any case I've read that it doesn't affect the dark meat so not likely your issue.

BBQ_MAFIA · Mar 26, 2019

I have noticed this in Chicken Breasts.

adalah · Mar 26, 2019

Subscribed to this one

auggie mathis · Mar 26, 2019

i have noticed his a lot with chicken breast from HEB

frayedend · Mar 26, 2019

Some info on woody chicken breast...

https://atlasofscience.org/the-wood...s-of-both-raw-and-cooked-chicken-breast-meat/

Chicken rubber mystery

Lemonhead

Knows what a fatty is.

bluetang

somebody shut me the fark up.

PapaDoge824

Wandering around with a bag of matchlight, looking for a match.

Monkey Uncle

is one Smokin' Farker

sudsandswine

Quintessential Chatty Farker

SmokinAussie

somebody shut me the fark up.

EyeBurnEverything

is Blowin Smoke!

sleebus.jones

is Blowin Smoke!

Tannhauser42

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IamMadMan

somebody shut me the fark up.

frayedend

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BBQ_MAFIA

somebody shut me the fark up.

adalah

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

auggie mathis

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frayedend

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