Kettle Rotisserie Chicken Question RE: Crispy Skin

[Moose]

We've really been enjoying rotisserie chicken on my OTG of late, but getting crispy skin seems to be elusive. For whatever it's worth, I'm using an indirect coal set up with coals banked on opposite sides, and the bird is usually rubbed pretty generously with either my homemade chicken rub #2 or McCormack's BBQ seasoning.

While the chicken comes out great, as in moist all over, the skin, while a nice deep brown color just isn't crispy, even though the fat has rendered well.

I do put the cover on when the chicken is spinning-is this perhaps the reason it doesn't crisp?

 

[Fwismoker]

Moose, even when I cook directly over the fire whole birds will crisp but never stay that way after sitting for 15 minutes because all the juices kind of re-hydrate it. LOL It's just one of those prices you pay for the juiciest of chicken.

Now parts on the other hand get waaaay nice and crispy and I'm talking kettle fried chip crunch. lol




Doing the whole birds though you won't see the crisp as much on the breast meat but the quarters do really nice.

I highly recommend you try dry brining the birds first... those thighs in this pic were dry brined but honestly the way I cook over direct fire heat it would have crisped as well but dry brining will make a difference even if you bank the coals...

 

[mattmountz94]

I have the same thing with roti birds. Awesome birds but skin is not crispy. Either cooked in my kettle with lid or in my bird barrel with no lid. I think it's from the juices running over the skin the entire cook. If I cook over direct coals raised flip half way through then I get crispy skin.

 

[tom b]

Keith could you please expand on your dry brine??

Moose, even when I cook directly over the fire whole birds will crisp but never stay that way after sitting for 15 minutes because all the juices kind of re-hydrate it. LOL It's just one of those prices you pay for the juiciest of chicken.

Now parts on the other hand get waaaay nice and crispy and I'm talking kettle fried chip crunch. lol




Doing the whole birds though you won't see the crisp as much on the breast meat but the quarters do really nice.

I highly recommend you try dry brining the birds first... those thighs in this pic were dry brined but honestly the way I cook over direct fire heat it would have crisped as well but dry brining will make a difference even if you bank the coals...

 

[tom b]

I usually bank 2 sides with my kettle and roti, and have had mixed results. The skin can seem rather crispy when the bird is pulled but after a few minutes I guess it re hydrate some as Keith said.

 

[WareZdaBeef]

If you want crispy skin, I suggest cold smoking (if you want smoked chicken) then use a turkey fryer.

 

[Fwismoker]

I usually bank 2 sides with my kettle and roti, and have had mixed results. The skin can seem rather crispy when the bird is pulled but after a few minutes I guess it re hydrate some as Keith said.

Yep skin soaks up all that moisture and oil back up and doesn't take long to do it. Definitely parts will stay crisper though. Whole birds it's about impossible for it to stay crispy although it can be crisp when pulling. Now the skin like on those thighs where it's not covering the meat is "OH MY" good and crisp!



Tom dry brine involves kosher salt and with poultry skin it will pull the moisture out allowing it to crisp more. For those thighs I used my Go2 which is SPG from sucklebusters and just put it on 3 hours before cooking. Dry brines take about 1/2 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat and will change the proteins in the meat to retain more water and also sucks other seasonings in with the salt. For the poultry though it definitely helps the skin no question.

 

[pcshrews]

I would try leaving the chicken unwrapped in the fridge overnight before you cook it. I have not tried this with chicken but is a standard technique for my holiday bird. It does dry out the skin nicely and may help after brining or marinating.

 

[Rockinar]

Gonna be almost impossible to get crispy skin on a roti. The nature of the roti itself is going to be a crispy skin deal killer.
Maybe try cooking it on the roti then crisping up the skin broiling in an oven before serving?