Crispy Chicken Skin Experiment

[Bogus Chezz Hawg]

Last week I watched a rerun episode of "America's Test Kitchen" (ATK). Their test recipe was for the crispiest oven roasted chicken skin. This past Friday my wife came home with a 6.5 Lb roaster. She wanted to make chicken soup with it, and also bought all the fixin's. Well you know I hijacked that bird! Time to experiment... ATK's method was to loosen the skin from the entire breast, and then rub the entire bird's outer skin with a 1:1 ratio of non-iodized salt and baking powder. Note: ATK said on their show that they tried baking soda but it gave the skin a bitter taste. They recommend leaving that mixture on for no less than 12 hours, but 24 hours was best. They had a food scientist explain that the alkali in the baking powder chemically changes the proteins in the chicken skin which results in crispier skin. The salt helps it to penetrate. When cooking, the loosened skin will let the fat render easier because that lets air get under the skin. I prepared my bird this way using sea salt. I left it in the fridge with the mixture on for 22 hours, then I applied a normal BBQ rub right on top of that. 2 hours later it went into my cooker at 225 F using apple wood. If I was only cooking chicken, I would have gone 300 - 325 F, but I also put in some beef short ribs at the same time and wanted those to go low & slow. Here are some photos...

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy111/BogusChezzHawg/Chicken%20and%20Beef%20Shortys%2001-23-2010/DSC02415Small.jpg
I slightly tore the skin at the bottom of the breast while I had my big hands under there to loosen the skin. I used 4 toothpicks to "stitch" the split skin back together. By this time the baking powder and salt mixture was expanding a little.


http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy111/BogusChezzHawg/Chicken%20and%20Beef%20Shortys%2001-23-2010/DSC02413Small.jpg


http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy111/BogusChezzHawg/Chicken%20and%20Beef%20Shortys%2001-23-2010/DSC02414Small.jpg
From here I wrapped it tightly with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 22 hours.


http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy111/BogusChezzHawg/Chicken%20and%20Beef%20Shortys%2001-23-2010/DSC02420Small.jpg
BBQ rub is now on top of the salt & baking powder mixture on the chicken along with the flanken-style beef short ribs (just BBQ rub). I also put rub under the loosened chicken skin, directly onto the breast meat as well as inside the cavity.


http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy111/BogusChezzHawg/Chicken%20and%20Beef%20Shortys%2001-23-2010/DSC02421Small.jpg
My cooker is now preheated to 225 F. Time to put the meat in.


http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy111/BogusChezzHawg/Chicken%20and%20Beef%20Shortys%2001-23-2010/DSC02424Small.jpg
No beer can (upright) chicken here. Just a couple of sweet potatoes.


http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy111/BogusChezzHawg/Chicken%20and%20Beef%20Shortys%2001-23-2010/DSC02425Small.jpg
Here I wanted to show the beef short ribs in the cooker with the experimental chicken (No photos, it didn't happen! :lol:).


http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy111/BogusChezzHawg/Chicken%20and%20Beef%20Shortys%2001-23-2010/DSC02426Small.jpg
I removed the bird from the cooker at 165 F internal breast temp. I think it took about 3 hours to get there.


Here is why the experiment is a little inconclusive...

My neighbor came by right after I put the meat in the cooker. We were drinking a lot of beer. My wife wanted to use the chicken meat for eating during the week, so the beef short ribs were "what's for dinner". When the bird was done I covered it with foil to rest and went back outside to continue drinking with my neighbor, I mean monitor the pit with the short ribs still cooking. :lol: By the time the short ribs were ready the bird was resting for 1.5 hours. I was enjoying the effects of the beer at this time and all I ate were the short ribs. My wife did try the chicken and said the skin was crispier than I've made it before. She said, "whatever you did to this chicken, do it like that from now on". She already wants me to cook a couple more this weekend. One will be for dinner that night, so I will get to try it for myself. I will post my results next week.

Side note: I usually brine whole chickens. After more experimentation with this method, I will try brining the bird first. Then I will follow this method on top of that. Not that this 1st bird needed brining, it was very moist. Also I want to try cooking the bird breast side down for half of the cook. My Lang's heated flue under the grates should also help crisp the skin, so I think rotating it would be a good thing.

I don't know if any of the Brethren out there have tried this or even heard of this, but I wanted to share this with you.

[millsy]

I don't know if any of the Brethren out there have tried this or even heard of this, but I wanted to share this with you.
The baking soda thing or getting drunk while cooking.

[Rich Parker]

The baking soda is quite interesting. Would like to know if the skin was really salty from the sea salt?

The chicken looks great.

[Bogus Chezz Hawg]

I don't know if any of the Brethren out there have tried this or even heard of this, but I wanted to share this with you.
The baking soda thing or getting drunk while cooking.

I'm sure some have tried the "getting drunk while cooking method"! :icon_clown

The baking soda is quite interesting. Would like to know if the skin was really salty from the sea salt?

The chicken looks great.

Please note... I used baking powder, not baking soda. ATK said on their show that they tried baking soda but it gave the skin a bitter taste. The skin was not salty at all.

[landarc]

I have done baking soda on shrimp and chicken when making Chinese fried dishes, never for the smoker or grill.

[High Q]

Please post your results from the next cook. My wife prefers a roast whole chicken type bird in lieu of the bbq sauced quarters that I like. I might give the ATK method a try to see what it yields at a higher temp (300ish).

[Bogus Chezz Hawg]

Please post your results from the next cook. My wife prefers a roast whole chicken type bird in lieu of the bbq sauced quarters that I like. I might give the ATK method a try to see what it yields at a higher temp (300ish).

I certainly will!