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Moist, tender chicken...not always.

epcotisbest
epcotisbest Posts: 2,176
in EggHead Forum
So tonight's thighs came out exceptionally moist and tender. Cooked them the same way as always to the same internal temp, using the same setup, charcoal, rub, prep, yet they were much better than usual. Not sure what made them better. Now mind you, they are usually really good anyway, but these were extra really good. Oh well, maybe I can make them this good again sometime without knowing why or how.




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  • epcotisbest
    epcotisbest Posts: 2,176
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  • Huntnfish72
    Huntnfish72 Posts: 49
    edited May 2016
    What rub did u use, temp,  IT?  Brine? They look great 
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  • XLentEGG
    XLentEGG Posts: 436
    I had the same thing happen. further investigation found that the " extra moist " chicken had been pre injected with " up to 12% " of whatever they use to pre marinate or brine the bird. Now i look for "that " chicken.
    More meat please !! :-)
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Looks tasty brother Epcot.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    XLentEGG said:
    I had the same thing happen. further investigation found that the " extra moist " chicken had been pre injected with " up to 12% " of whatever they use to pre marinate or brine the bird. Now i look for "that " chicken.
    I look for "that" too. And avoid it.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • XLentEGG
    XLentEGG Posts: 436
    Carolina Q said:
    XLentEGG said:
    I had the same thing happen. further investigation found that the " extra moist " chicken had been pre injected with " up to 12% " of whatever they use to pre marinate or brine the bird. Now i look for "that " chicken.
    I look for "that" too. And avoid it.
    What actually is that stuff?  Is it full of chemicals?
    More meat please !! :-)
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  • epcotisbest
    epcotisbest Posts: 2,176
    Huntnfish72 said:
    What rub did u use, temp,  IT?  Brine? They look great 
    Dreamland BBQ rub, 350 indirect to 175 internal, no brine.
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  • epcotisbest
    epcotisbest Posts: 2,176

    bgebrent said:
    Looks tasty brother Epcot.
    Thank you. Appreciate the compliment.
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  • yljkt
    yljkt Posts: 799
    What type of cooking vessel did you cook it on? 
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  • epcotisbest
    epcotisbest Posts: 2,176

    XLentEGG said:
    I had the same thing happen. further investigation found that the " extra moist " chicken had been pre injected with " up to 12% " of whatever they use to pre marinate or brine the bird. Now i look for "that " chicken.
    Since everything else in the equation was constant, I think you are right as the only variable was the chicken, though it did come from the same place and did not indicate anything about pre-injection.
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  • epcotisbest
    epcotisbest Posts: 2,176
    yljkt said:
    What type of cooking vessel did you cook it on? 
    That is a Vision grill. It cooks exactly the same as my medium BGE. Never been able to tell the difference in quality or taste of food between the two grills. 
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  • Lvnthedrm
    Lvnthedrm Posts: 153
    Great job. Chicken thighs are one of my favorites. Looks fantastic. As for the extra really good, I've had that happen with various cuts of meat. Its all good but there are those times when you hit nirvana...annoys me when I can't reach that level the next time with the same setup. Haven't figured out why yet.
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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,896
    I can't add anything other than to say that plate of thighs looks phenomenal. Can you tell me more about your side dish?
    Stillwater, MN
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  • epcotisbest
    epcotisbest Posts: 2,176
    StillH2OEgger said:
    I can't add anything other than to say that plate of thighs looks phenomenal. Can you tell me more about your side dish?
    Thanks. It is just some green beans, a can of crushed tomatoes, can of diced tomatoes, minced garlic, chopped onion and some black pepper to taste. Simmered for about three hours. 
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  • EggNorth
    EggNorth Posts: 1,535
    They look great.  I've had the same experience, cooked the same thing over and over and sometimes it just hits a home run.
    Dave
    Cambridge, Ontario - Canada
    Large (2010), Mini Max (2015), Large garden pot (2018)
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  • jak7028
    jak7028 Posts: 231
    The big variable I see with chicken is the size.  They keep getting bigger and bigger at the grocery store.  From my experience, the larger the bird or thighs, the worse they are.  I always try to find the smallest ones with the least amount of fat on them and usually get great results.
    Victoria, TX - 1 Large BGE and a 36" Blackstone
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  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,234
    It seems all I can get locally are the HUGE chicken breasts. This goes against everything I stand for, but in this one instance smaller breasts are better than larger ones. 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 915
    Chickens are all different, some of them taste better than others.

    If you don't brine your chicken pieces, give it a try. A few hours is all you need to take that "normal, OK, bland" thighs to an extra juicy end result every time.

    It's super easy and provides consistent results with inconsistent chicken parts.

    Just don't brine parts as long as you would a whole bird. 4 hours is enough for thighs, breasts where a bird can brine for 10 hours.

    I don't recommend buying chicken with any percentage of "solution" added. You're paying $2/lb for salt water you can easily add yourself for the cost of a cup of sugar and a cup of salt.

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



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  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,234
    DieselkW said:
    Chickens are all different, some of them taste better than others.

    If you don't brine your chicken pieces, give it a try. A few hours is all you need to take that "normal, OK, bland" thighs to an extra juicy end result every time.

    It's super easy and provides consistent results with inconsistent chicken parts.

    Just don't brine parts as long as you would a whole bird. 4 hours is enough for thighs, breasts where a bird can brine for 10 hours.

    I don't recommend buying chicken with any percentage of "solution" added. You're paying $2/lb for salt water you can easily add yourself for the cost of a cup of sugar and a cup of salt.
    Will you share your brine recipe? My birds have been kind of bland lately.

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932
    Sounds great.  Well done
    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
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  • epcotisbest
    epcotisbest Posts: 2,176
    Lvnthedrm said:
    Great job. Chicken thighs are one of my favorites. Looks fantastic. As for the extra really good, I've had that happen with various cuts of meat. Its all good but there are those times when you hit nirvana...annoys me when I can't reach that level the next time with the same setup. Haven't figured out why yet.
    Yeah, it remains a mystery when sometimes it is better than other times, but still a plus when even the chicken that is not up to standards is still better than on the old gasser.
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