was it the brine, the olive oil or the smoke?

Unknown

The last two times I have done a brined roaster chicken the skin texture has an unappetizing rubbery consistency. Three things have been in common: I brined for 16 hours, coated the skin with olive oil, and layed on a pretty heavy apple chip smoke. Which of these is causing my rubber chicken which may get laughs as a gag item, but is getting groans at my dinner table...thanks in advance. ^oo^~

sprinter

one feral kat,[p]Not certain that it is any of the things that you mention but were I to have to choose, I would say that its the olive oil on the skin. I've never put olive oil on the skin of a chicken I'm cooking but I know when I put it on the crust of pizza and calzones, it keeps the crust from getting done so much. I can only GUESS that if you put the olive oil on the skin of the chicken it keeps it from browning nicely. The butter that I put on the skin actually helps the browning a bit, you may try it next time you do a chicken. Definitely its not the brine unless there is something wierd in it. I brine chickens quite a bit and never have any trouble at all.[p]Troy

Cat

one feral kat,[p]What temperature are you cooking at? I don't get crisp skin on a whole chicken below 300. [p]Cathy

Unknown

Cat,
I'm just following Brant's Beer-Butt Chicken recipe on this forum and it calls for 275 dome and 180 internal at thigh. I've had success with this at least three times before I made the forementioned changes so my gut feeling had also been the olive oil.

Tim M

one feral kat,[p]Tell us what setup you had. Indirect I assume but what was under the bird, drip pan, ceramic? I would suggest more heat than 275 to get the skin crispy. Too much smoke will just make it smokey tasting or it might add a bitter bite sometimes. Under temp is contestant with that rubbery texture you described, I agree wit Cat- try 325-350.[p]Tim

Unknown

Tim M, answer: drip pan with a can of beer for liquid...sounds like 325 it will be in the future. Thanks everybody!

WallyQ

one feral kat,[p]I also agree with Cat. I Q my brined beer-butt chicken at 350 degrees, 3 hours indirect over a drip pan. Since I have 3 hungry kids so we choose the large "Sunday Roaster" variety. By the way, after an hour or so I add a small can (6 oz.?) of orange-pineapple juice to the pan. Man does that make some great sauce to pour over the sliced or pulled chicken. [p]

Huck

one feral kat,
I did two birds at 400 degrees after seven hours of brining in 1 cup each of salt and sugar and half a bottle of Worchestchire sauce. I sprinkled it with onion/garlic powder, salt&pepper, Italian seasoning. The birds were split up the back and laid flat. There was a stone and drip pan underneath. I slobbered them with a butter/apricot jam on the last two turns (40 minutes) for a total of two hours cook time. You'd think that after two hours at 400 degrees, they'd be toast. They were perfect. I was shocked when I stuck the breast and thighs with the polder probe that they squirted like a super soaker! Brining is truly the only way to go. They turned out wonderfully. If you want low and slow, I'd certainly advise opening up the vents to get it as hot as you can without restoking, basting with anything sugary or buttery, and crisping and browning the outside to your satisfaction. You'll be eatin' that skin! Barbeque sauce roasted on works great. Pull the birds right before the turn black. MMMMM MMMMM good!