Chewy Chicken Skin?

[TwoWheeler]

Ever since the first time I smoked a whole chicken and overdid the smoke (“Chicken A La Ashtray”) I’ve been leery of trying it again.

Typically I’ve been spatchcocking or using the rotisserie and cooking on the gasser, but yesterday I took another whack at it on the smoker.

I brined overnight, then spatchcocked it, rubbed it and put it on the pellet pooper.

I was very, very happy with the results, apart from the somewhat tough and chewy skin. Most of the time, I put the rub on and then air chill it in the fridge for at least a few hours to dry the skin out a bit so it comes out nice and crispy, but I didn’t this time.

Is there a trick to keeping the skin from getting chewy? Basting? (Now that I think about it, when I’ve done turkey breast on the smoker, it’s been the same).

 

[Burn]

Air fryer

 

[TwoWheeler]

Air fryer

So, put wood chips in the air fryer? Novel idea.

 

[SmokeRingsMatter]

Basting with? If oil, and your going hot and fast, then yes that might help. If your basting with bbq sauce or some sort of stock/liquid. Then your making it worse. I doubt they make an Air fryer large enough to fit a spatchcock chicken.

 

[sudsandswine]

Some people here pour boiling water onto the chicken skin before cooking and have had good results. I can get nice crispy bite through skin by just cooking at high heat indirectly. I usually do my chicken parts indirect on my primo around 425-450* or on my rotisserie which is likely in the same neighborhood.

 

[charrederhead]

Basic bird rule: high heat for crispy skin/juicy meat.

When I cook chicken I let the kettle (26.75) or the WSM (22.5) go as high as it wants and cook indirect. If necessary, I'll put em over the coals for more crisp.

IT 162ish for bone-in, skin-on split breasts.

 

[Titch]

Dry Heat
oops ! pipped at the post above

 

[Burn]

So, put wood chips in the air fryer? Novel idea.

No I finish my chicken in the air fryer. I’m sure an oven on broil would work too.

 

[SVTNate]

I smoke my thighs for an hour or longer, pull them, crank heat to 400F to finish, and I spray the skin with duck fat when I put them back on.

 

[rm41400]

Just cook a little longer. And maybe hotter. I like to cook around 325 indirect (if I have the time), with shin side away from heat, then when I’m getting about 15-20* from finish temp I raise the cooker temp and try to get direct heat with the skin facing the heat.

I cook to about 200* internal temp on quarters. Juicy meat and crispy skin.

I toss some dry rub on while I’m warming up my cooker of choice.

Literally I get similar results from my stick burner, ceramic and PGs.

Smoke profile obviously differs.

 

[Styrofoam Queball]

Howdy,
You mention that you didn't put them in fridge for air dry this time. That is likely a factor. I like the fridge & air out a day (or at least for a few hours) before. I prefer a little kosher salt dry brine. While the oven (grill/smoker/etc.) is heating, I add my seasoning/rub. High indirect 2 zone heat works in a cooker. Smoker is up to you and your cooker's sweet spot. If it's cooking slow, I move closer to my heat source towards end of cook, or rotate throughout. Remember, if you're lookin' you're not cookin'. No wrap afterwards or minimal if needed, to keep warm. Turns out great 100% of the time, 80% of the time. I like Yardbird Rub or BlueDawg posted a nice rub in the past. Cheers.

 

[TwoWheeler]

No I finish my chicken in the air fryer. I’m sure an oven on broil would work too.

Yeah, I was being a bit juvenile, picturing using the air fryer as a smoker. :tongue:

A whole chicken wouldn’t fit in my air fryer though.

 

[TwoWheeler]

I cooked low and slow at 225-ish, but cranked the heat toward the end because I was getting impatient. Sounds like I was on the right path and didn’t know it.

Next time, I think I’ll cook low and slow on the smoker and then drop it on the gasser at high heat to finish.

I like this kind of experimentation. Tasty science.