Help with chicken thighs

Husker95

I need some help on my chicken technique. Last night I cooked a big batch of thighs but had a real problem with black, sooty smoke collecting on the skin and giving the meat an off taste. I am sure this is from the excess chicken fat dripping down and hitting the hot coals. I cooked on a raised grid at about 325 direct – which I modeled after several of the recipes I referenced during a search on the forum. Any ideas on how to solve this problem? For those who cook direct, do you still have a drip pan underneath the meat? Thanks – I appreciate it!

Husker

Boilermaker Ben

Fat dripping on the coals doesn't create black sooty smoke. The smoke that pours out of my egg from dripping fat is white. If you put a drip pan below your chicken, you will no longer be grilling direct.

Did you allow your lump to burn until the smoke was clear before you put the food on? I get black, sooty smoke immediately after lighting new lump. It takes a bit of burn-in time before the smoke (and nasty smell) clears.

Davekatz

400°F indirect, raised grid, drip pan, plate setter. This is my go-to thigh set up.

Suck Creek Thighs & Corn Pudding

Ross in Ventura

Here is how I do mine
http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=804108&catid=1

Ross

AZRP

I don't cook dark meat direct for that reason. Legs and thighs have too much fat and I don't like the flavor that it imparts to the meat. I use a plate setter legs up, main grid with a drip pan, and an extended grid for the chicken. I go to an internal temp of 195-200 on dark meat. -RP

fishlessman

for some reason the bad greasy smoke doesnt stick to poultry if cooked around 250 direct, even a greasy duck cooks fine at these temps and you can even watch grease build up on the daisy, but not the duck. thighs are great raised direct cooked at 250/275 dome til they reach about 195 like azrp mentioned

Florida Grillin Girl

I cook them at 275 raised direct and at the end give them a flip to crisp up the skin. I just sprinkle some Tsunami Spin on them.





As you can see, there is a variety of ways to cook thighs.

Faith

NibbleMeThis

I pretty much do the same thing Dave does, except I will sometimes run them skin side down over direct heat for 5 minutes before switching to the indirect set up. It just gets the skin extra crispy but it is a pain to do the extra step and I don't always do it.

Capt Frank

I'm with Dave Katz. Use a little DP Dust, put on a raised grid, never open the egg, never turn the thighs, ck temp in about an hour, pull at 180. Skin is always crispy, never burnt.

Capt Frank
Homosassa, FL

Carolina Q

I haven't had a problem with mine. Raised direct (gasket level) at about 350-400. Flip occasionally. Cherry wood is great for smoke.

Not that you asked, but marinating in Goya Mojo Criollo is awesome too (thanks, Molly!)!!

Edit - forgot the pic!