Low temperature smoking

[Dakaty]

Yesterday I cooked some HUGE beef ribs. They were full racks of what are normally cut cross ways into short ribs. Actually they were too meaty... like roasts on a stick. But that's another story.

Anyway, while the ribs were cooking in the main chamber at around 235 degrees, I smoked 10 chicken leg/thigh quarters in my upright chamber at about 150 to 165 degrees. (I have a 20" round offset smoker with a 41" main horizonal chamber that also has a separate 20" square upright chamber) I smoked the quarters for about 2 1/2 hours, then finished them on my gas grill for about 20 minutes to "crisp up" the outside and finish cooking the inside. The chicken cooked good on the gas grill as most of the fat had renedered and there was very little flame up. (I usually wind up with severely charred chicken when I use the gas grill for the entire cooking.)

I didn't get around to tasting the chicken before it all disappeared. My wife and several guests said that it was very good. It looked great with red smoked coloration deep into the meat and mildly charred outside skin. I assume the skin wasn't rubbery or tough as I didn't hear any complaints.

I will likely try it again as I have about 80 lbs of leg quarters to "get rid of".

I'm wondering if it would be better to smoke the chicken longer at the lower temperatures, before putting them on the gas grill. I'm a little leary of cooking stuff for long periods in the upright because I think it may get too smokey and/or taste sooty. I say this due to the "flakes" of smoke that form on the walls in this chamber. However, the low temperature should allow for a longer period of penetration into the meat.

I guess for now I will stick with what I did the first (and only) time since it turned out good. Being able to cook the chicken in the verticle chamber at the same time that I am using the main chamber adds a variety to the menu as there are some kids (and a few adults) that prefer chicken over ribs and brisket.

I am curious how other people smoke chicken along with other "low and slow" meats and end up with crispy skin. (Temps and times.)

I'm wondering if you can smoke chicken for a long time (varying from 2 to 6 hours) until your brisket is done. Then gas grill the chicken while the brisket rests for 20 or 30 munutes, so that its all ready at the same time. Since it is so difficult to exactly time a brisket, I am wondering if the chicken can smoke for an indefinate flexible time.

This post is so rambling I don't know if even I understand it.

[Kevin]

Dakaty, I have reservations about cooking chicken too slow. Don't want to step on any toes, so check this thread:http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=17900

[kcquer]

Personally, I don't see the need to slow cook chicken at all. It isn't tough and doesn't require extended cooking to tenderize. It takes on smoke flavor quickly.
I cook my chicken (always in parts) at 275-325 and find it to be quite tasty.

[VitaminQ]

Yeah- I like to cook my chicken pretty hot, too. For one thing, it's done faster! There's no reason you couldn't slow it down a little, say 220-225 or so to stretch it out a while- then finish on the gasser. It might come out roughly the same way. I do think that 150-165 is probably too low, though.

[Hoorenga]

I did chicken this weekend in my horizontal at 250 for around three hours. My first mistake was using a hot rub when my elderly mother (92) was coming over for dinner. Secondly, it wasn't nearly as good as what I do on the open grill. It was squirt in your face juicy but I found that to be a drawback more than anything. I don't like too moist of a chicken, not too dry either. I aslo didn't like the fact that I had left the skin on. My problem with that was that the skin comes off with the first bite and with it goes most of the flavor. When I take the skin off, the flavors in the form of the rub and any glaze still cling to the meat. Fortunatly I also did a little tri-tip roast with a different rub and it turned pretty good. I say pretty good because I was experimenting with different woods. This time I used some apple instead of the usual hickory. I also think I might have over done the smoke a bit. Smoke is what it is all about but it must be controled. You don't want it jumping out at you. I'm finding the more I Q the less I put the smoke to my meat. I'm also finding that I like the mellower woods. In this part of the country I have found that Mayple is a choice mellow wood for smoking. Alder is also abundent in this area and was what the local Native Americans used for smoking. I have used Alder on Salmon but not on meat. I guess I need to do some more experimenting (any excuse right?). Anyone use alder?

[ggeilman]

I'd be afraid it would stay in the danger zone too long being poultry. Perhaps those that are more knowledgable than I in that area could comment?

[jgh1204]

hoo, did you brine the chicken?

[bigabyte]

I have done chicken at various temps, and the way I like them best is cooked in the 275-325 range. Lower temps mean more rubbery skin, the higher temps give a much nicer skin. Since chicken takes on smoke so easily it doesn't hurt to cook them fast at all. Too low and too slow and you do have to worry about oversmoking. All told, I like to cook higher, less worries, better product.

[BBQchef33]

i start it at 500-600 and finish as the temps drop to 350-450.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=16293


Great for chicken.. crispy skin and juicy meat.

had to find a way to get past the rubbery skin.... the high temps was it.

[Hoorenga]

Originally Posted by jgh1204

hoo, did you brine the chicken?

No, not at all, just rubbed it and left the skin on. I was suprised at how tender it was myself. It was just some of the inexpensive Southern chicken hindquarters.