My chicken needs help..

[squirtthecat]

I do a fair amount of split chicken breasts on the MAK. I cook them at 275°, and let them cool to shred/bag for use at a later time.

However... Very little (as in zero) smoke flavor. We had some pulled chicken sandwiches last night between the trick-or-treaters, and the Mrs asked if I baked the chicken in the oven.

That's what it tasted like.. Baked chicken.

Sure, they are juicy, and look pretty in the pictures, but the smoke flavor is lacking to say the least.

Any ideas?

Should I pierce/remove the skin? Go with lower temps/higher smoke?
Maybe cold smoke, vac bag overnight, and cook as usual the next day?

Scratching my head here..

 

[Kevinish]

I am by no means an expert, but here's a really cool article about smoke how smoke particle deposit on meat during cooking

The main points he makes are....

1. Get the smoker smoking before adding meat, and make sure the meat is cold from the fridge.
2. Keep the meat moist with a cold spray (if the smoker is well sealed) or a mop (if its not). If the surface dries out between applications, it may be hard to remoisten.
3. A proper water tray will keep the humidity high and the surface moist. The humidity also helps other combustion products agglomerate and deposit as flavor particle bombs.
4. A rough surface (e.g a rub with coarse herbs) will trap more gas and particles than a smooth surface.
5. By the time the meat's internal temperature reaches 150F, you will have incorporated plenty of flavor and perhaps even developed a smoke ring- ok to finish off in foil or a conventional oven. Just please, please don't boil your meat into submission- keep the meat's temperature below 190F.

I'd love to hear if any of these things help.

-Kevin

 

[smoker pete]

I'm presuming that a "split chicken breast" has the bone in it

I can think of a couple things that I've done in the past with good results.

One is to put them on the MAK for an hour+ on SMOKE and then bump it to 325ºF for an hour or so till the IT hits 165ºF.

Another would be to smoke them in the Bradley for an hour+ at 235 -250ºF and then finish them on the MAK at 325 - 350ºF.

 

[TentHunter]

I usually add a water pan in the smoker while cooking chickens, and they always seem to get plenty of smoke flavor.

Apple is by far my favorite smoke for poultry.

 

[FLBentRider]

Are you cooking them skin on or off?

 

[squirtthecat]

Thanks for the tips so far! Keep 'em coming!

Are you cooking them skin on or off?

Skin on.

 

[FLBentRider]

Thanks for the tips so far! Keep 'em coming!



Skin on.

Then I'll assume you aren't throwing away the skin then. Chicken usually takes smoke pretty well. Are you seeing plenty of smoke or is the 1-Star burning too efficiently?

 

[squirtthecat]

Naw, it smokes fine.. I think I'm using too much CT 'glue' on my chicken. It's cooking on like a 2nd skin and keeping the smoke from penetrating.

Gonna adjust a few things and try it again when it goes on sale.

 

[Deb]

Squirt - try it without the CT, I usually just put on a rub or herbs and I get a smoky taste.

 

[squirtthecat]

Will do. Thanks everyone! I'll keep the CT off to the side for injecting next time..

 

[TentHunter]

Naw, it smokes fine.. I think I'm using too much CT 'glue' on my chicken. It's cooking on like a 2nd skin and keeping the smoke from penetrating.

That could very well be the culprit. I have noticed if I use a mustard/brown sugar mix as glue I don't get quite as good smoke penetration. I'll typically just use about 1 Tbs. olive oil rubbed on then apply my herbs/spices. That doesn't seem to seal the pores.