Boneless/Skinless Chicken question

FSUScotsman · August 2009

As many of you know I just got my dad an egg. We are going through the learning curve process for him. The first cook we did was some OMG huge boneless chicken breasts. Now, dad's on a low salt diet so we put some of McCormick's low salt seasoning on them and away we went. I won't go into all the details about the cook but the fire was fine. We got them done and I was just about as disappointed as you could be and they were just about as happy as you could be. While they were nice and juicy, and I guess they tasted OK, they were bland. No charcoal/smokey flavor at all. I've got a theory that this was because there was not fat in the chicken and this was a brand new egg...there was nothing to provide any help. While they were happy we are going again tomorrow night and I thing a spatchcock would be a better choice.

Opinions?

Tennisbum · August 2009

Did you add any wood chunks for a smoke flavor?
I usually wait till my lump is burning clear before I put anything on. If I want smoke flavor I add chunks.

happy egging
gp

Grandpas Grub · August 2009

Did your dad think they had a smoke flavor?

I seem to get more of a smoke flavor in the legs & thighs. There is a BBQ restaurateur out here that cooks the best Q'd chicken. It has a deep smoke flavor and very tasty. Their chicken is a little drier than what comes out of the egg.

For the life of me I can't get that deep of a smoke flavor in the chicken. I have cooked the chicken hot and fast, very slow, direct, indirect - every way I could think of. I am starting to wonder if they are injecting the chicken with some kind of liquid smoke or a brine which contains a liquid smoke.

Hopefully someday I can figure this one out.

GG

FSUScotsman · August 2009

It was burning clear, but I didn't have any wood to add. My fault, and I think that was the problem. Boneless/skinless just doesn't have much inherent flavor to begin with and since there was no fat to drop in the fire it didn't get any smoke. At least that's my opinion.

I think that the same reason that thighs are more flavorful than breast quarters.

FSUScotsman · August 2009

No, neither Mom nor Dad thought it was that smokey tasting. I've got some boneless here at home, I think I'll try it tonight on the mini and see what I get with some wood chips.

I'm really thinking that GRILLING is not the way to go for chicken but SMOKING is. I used to use a Brinkman before I got my egg and my smoked chicken was just wonderful off of that thing. I would load it up with as much as it would hold, and then if there was just a space or so left a chicken breast would go there. They just came out great. Maybe that's the key.

tjv · August 2009

I kinda put chicken breasts and pork tenderloin in the same group....as meat goes not that harmful to ya, tender, generally liked by most but needs a bunch of help on flavor. The flavor thing is what can make it...not so good for ya.

breasts below are a fan favorite around the house. simply heavy rub, grilled and soaked with Bob Gibson's alabama white sauce to flavor.

FSUScotsman · August 2009

Ohhhhh.....those look good!!!!!!!

Grandpas Grub · August 2009

That really looks great.

tjv is right, if you haven't tried the white sauce, you are really missing out. I tried this after Ross posted his cook using white sauce. I never new it existed until I saw his post.

GG

Fidel · August 2009

I like the white sauce too. Recipes are all over the net for you to make something similar at home if you can't find it commercially.

Fidel · August 2009

Here are a couple of really good recipes for boneless and skinless breasts I have used with very good luck. You can easily cut the salt in these recipes:

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_recipes&Itemid=71&func=detail&id=1038

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=55&func=view&catid=1&id=621230

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=55&func=view&catid=1&id=575007

Grandpas Grub · August 2009

On the egg cook did you not use any flavor wood for smoking? If not I wouldn't expect much of a smoke flavor in the chicken breasts.

I had a brinkman water smoker, I don't remember how smokey the chicken came out on that. Was your brinkman a smoker or grill?

Kent

Grandpas Grub · August 2009

I used the same white sauce recipe that Ross posted and it was really good. I guess at some point in time I need to order some original and see what the difference tastes like.

I haven't seen white sauce on chicken out this way, but again, I didn't know of it so wasn't looking.

Do you have a preference?

Kent

Grandpas Grub · August 2009

All three of those recipes look pretty darn good, thanks for posting.

GG

FSUScotsman · August 2009

These look great. I'll print them out for my dad, he's not a computer guy. I've already got a notebook set up for him. At the rate I'm going he may need a couple of three ring binders!!

FSUScotsman · August 2009

Mine was the bullet shaped smoker. I didn't use any wood. I will the next time.

Grandpas Grub · August 2009

I love cherry and or apple wood. For stronger smoke flavor I use hickory, pecan and even mesquite.

GG

ibanda · August 2009

The best tasting chicken I ever had did not have a marinade and was smoked over pecan wood. I think there is some magic between pecan wood and smoking chicken.

Boneless/Skinless Chicken question

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