Chicken Skin....

I've cooked chicken numerous times on my Mak. The meat always turns out soft,juicy and tender. However, not so much luck with the skin. Hmmmm. My process is to first slap some EVOO with various rubs and some glue (usually Pam). What I'm trying to achieve is soft tender skin that breaks away when I bite into it. So far its tough, dry and gummy. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I usually smoke @ 220 for an hour or so then kick the temp up to 275 for the remainder. The last 30 to 45 mins of the cook I slap some sauce on it until it carmalizes. Im up for any suggestions. Thx
 

scooter

Moderator
You have several options and none of them are going to make your doctor happy. Heck, just eating the skin with nothing but spices on it probably causes your doc to pause. So, if you want to slow cook your chicken and eat the skin, you'll need to do some unhealthy things to make an already unhealthy thing edible.
I only know of two ways to slow cook chicken and get soft tender skin. (crispy skin is something different and you'll have to hit with some higher heat at some point)

So, to get soft tender skin:
1) cook it in a butter bath, or,
2) use mayo as your glue, don't use EVOO or PAM. (even then it may not come out as tender as you like)

Tell your doctor about those and he'll probably have you commited.
 
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HogSmoker

New member
I started same thread 3 or 4 months ago. There were several ideals brought up I'm still in the learning curve but have yet found what works. My chicken skin turns out like you said dry gummy rubbery. What I want is skin like you get off using charcoal cooking method.

If you ever have any luck please pass it along I'll do the same and I will keep trying what the other posters recommend. Below is a thread on this site it was the thread I started has lots of ideas on this subject.

http://www.pelletsmoking.com/pellet-smoking-com-lounge-9/chicken-pellet-grill-mystery-3358/
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
I think that you guys are wanting two different skins....to explain the butter bath better....it can happen a couple of ways.....first is to season your chicken and dont use glue.... and you cook in a pan..... Chicken skin side up....then set slices or pads of butter on top.....for example one on each thigh and probably three on the breast...cook for an hour and then turn the chicken over and it should be pretty deep with butter and chicken juices cook for another 20 minutes face down then flip over and cook for another 25 minutes or so and pull when the breast hit 165....you should have renedered the chicken skin....it will not be crispy but will be bite through.

On to the BBQ like skin....This time you can use glue but you really dont need it......cook at a higher temp....lets say 300 skin side up for 45 minutes....flip the chicken over and cook for 20 minutes skin side down....turn back over and cook until you hit the desired internal temp...Hog smoker you can also to simplify this in terms of reverse sear only with chicken....cook it at 275 (that is my chicken temp) until it is abpou t163...pull it and then jack the temp to 275-400 flip it over and hit it for about 3 minutes then rotate it to give it a criss cross...at the ratating part you can see your progress in getting the grill marks and carmelization and figure your remaining time from there.

Did any of that make sense? its early.
 

TentHunter

Moderator
Did any of that make sense? its early.
Yep, it makes sense to me (but then I had very little sleep myself - so maybe we're on the same wave length :p)

Like Dan, I've been kicking the temp up during the last 15-20 minutes to crisp the skin, but I still think it could be a little better.

I know with duck or goose you're NOT suppose to coat with any kind of oil, and you either score, or prick the skin so the fat can render more easily. I wonder if applying that technique (no oil & prick the skin with a toothpick) will work for chicken as well. It might just give it a try and see.
 
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HoDeDo

New member
Or you dont have to use butter at all if you want to keep it healthy. If you put about 1/4" of chicken stock in the bottom of the pan, and cover, after you hit the color you like. you can steam the skin soft and bite through in a foiled pan. Fat will render and join the juices in the pan. They end up doubled. Take out the pieces of chicken, sauce lightly, and then you can set the sauce on a lower heat grill. Many people will use a teflon rack, or even a frogmat to move the chicken around on for ease. Strain the juice in a separator, and use it for chicken noodle soup, or a base for chicken and noodles. Mix it with a roux, and look out.
 

NorCalQ

New member
I tried several different methods trying to get good, crispy skin, but none worked. Finally, while researching online, I found the high heat method that many chefs use. Here it is...
Apply a salt based rub to your chicken and place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours. This acts as a dry brine. When ready to cook, heat your smoker up to 425* to 450*. This is key! Believe me, 375 to 400* doesn't cut it.
Here's another key...before putting the chicken in the smoker, give it a good spray with Pam all over. This helps the skin fry in the high heat. Place chicken in the smoker and cook to a breast temp of around 170*. Check thigh for temp before removing.
Once I tried 180* for 20 minutes, then raising temp to 450* till done, but was really disappointed with the results. It seems the only thing that works is going 450* for the entire cook. First time I tried this method, I expected burnt skin and dry meat, but I was totally wrong. I got nice crispy or bite-thru skin and juicy meat. I now use this on whole chickens, thighs and whole turkeys and it works equally well for all. I also use it with my charcoal cookers with equal success.
Add smoke by whatever method if you please, but follow the basic method and you won't be disappointed. At the very least, give it a try.
 

Godzgfz

New member
When I cook chicken on the grill...I always take it off. Sure it takes some extra time to do that, no one ever notices, but the flavor that you get is alot better then with the skin on in my opinion. Don't get me wrong...I love me some crispy Fried Chicken skin!

Did I mention that I love me some crispy Fried Chicken skin? LOL
 
Wow...great discussion...sorry i must've missed it a few months back. Now that its back i must clarify a little more. When i posted last night, the notion of "crispy" never entered in my mind. Dont know why...must've been the long day =). I think what i'm goin for is skin thats "crispy" enough to bite through, and not necessarily (-2 for spelling ) "soft" and "tender." "Tough" and "gummy" is what I get now so anything but that is good for me.
 

HogSmoker

New member
Thanks Big Poppa I'll try that method.. Also have a friend who will be buying a MAK from you soon. Told him about my 1star he loved it wants a 2star bad. And I wouldn't be surprised if that sale turned into more sales.
 
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