Rubber Chicken

Teefus · April 2021

I did a couple Chicken halves this past weekend and was pretty disappointed. Despite using Rockwood lump the bird had an off flavor and the skin was like thick rubber. It was night and day different from when I use my Weber kettle with Kingsford, where I get crispy skin and subtle smoke flavor. Please share some Chicken methods.

Carolina Q · April 2021

People often complain about rubber chicken from the egg. No one ever complains about chicken from the Weber. Use the kettle.

RyanStl · April 2021

I wonder why. To easy to accidentally get too hot on BGE?

Teefus · April 2021

Actually I think the Weber runs hotter. I kept the Egg at about 325 degrees dome temp.

lousubcap · April 2021

Air dry the chix uncovered overnight in your fridge. That will dry the skin. You can also add corn starch to any rub to dry the skin (ratio of 3-4 parts rub to 1 cornstarch.) FWIW-

frazzdaddy · April 2021

Did some wings in the airfryer for the first time this weekend. Just dusted them with Wonderbird and 20 minutes @ 400. Wow, very easy ,very crispy and very good!

RealDonaldTrump · April 2021

Mattman3969 · April 2021

I’m a firm believer that hotter and higher is better for chicken when you want crispy skin. I will run anywhere from 400-475. Direct vs indirect for me has a lot to do with the bird itself. If I’ve got a small non plumped bird I run direct and if it is a juiced up bird I got indirect because I think all the juice that drips from the bird taints the smoke flavor.

If you get the chance try an indirect cook with a drip pan and compare the amount of drippings from small non juiced vs the big plumped birds. You’ll see a difference. I really believe that the juiced birds release so much liquid that it is hard to crisp the skin when only cooking to 155-160 but with all the extra moisture it doesn’t hurt to go to higher finished temps.

I hardly ever air dry or cornstarch my birds anymore but instead cook till I’m happy with the skin and the way the joints and skin feels only time I temp chicken is on BLSL breast and thighs or when cooking individual pieces.

Carolina Q · April 2021

frazzdaddy said:

Did some wings in the airfryer for the first time this weekend. Just dusted them with Wonderbird and 20 minutes @ 400. Wow, very easy ,very crispy and very good!

@frazzdaddy What is Wonderbird? Got a link?

ColtsFan · April 2021

Carolina Q said:

frazzdaddy said:

Did some wings in the airfryer for the first time this weekend. Just dusted them with Wonderbird and 20 minutes @ 400. Wow, very easy ,very crispy and very good!

@frazzdaddy What is Wonderbird? Got a link?

https://dizzypigbbq.com/product/wonder-bird/

One of my favs

Carolina Q · April 2021

@ColtsFan, thanks!

4TheGrillOfIt · April 2021

Mattman3969 said:

I’m a firm believer that hotter and higher is better for chicken when you want crispy skin. I will run anywhere from 400-475. Direct vs indirect for me has a lot to do with the bird itself. If I’ve got a small non plumped bird I run direct and if it is a juiced up bird I got indirect because I think all the juice that drips from the bird taints the smoke flavor.
If you get the chance try an indirect cook with a drip pan and compare the amount of drippings from small non juiced vs the big plumped birds. You’ll see a difference. I really believe that the juiced birds release so much liquid that it is hard to crisp the skin when only cooking to 155-160 but with all the extra moisture it doesn’t hurt to go to higher finished temps.
I hardly ever air dry or cornstarch my birds anymore but instead cook till I’m happy with the skin and the way the joints and skin feels only time I temp chicken is on BLSL breast and thighs or when cooking individual pieces.

I agree. I cook chicken from 375 to 400 and I consistently get crisp skin without air drying or dry brining or anything else special. I just did this one a few days ago:

abpgwolf · April 2021

Mattman3969 said:

I’m a firm believer that hotter and higher is better for chicken when you want crispy skin. I will run anywhere from 400-475. Direct vs indirect for me has a lot to do with the bird itself. If I’ve got a small non plumped bird I run direct and if it is a juiced up bird I got indirect because I think all the juice that drips from the bird taints the smoke flavor.
If you get the chance try an indirect cook with a drip pan and compare the amount of drippings from small non juiced vs the big plumped birds. You’ll see a difference. I really believe that the juiced birds release so much liquid that it is hard to crisp the skin when only cooking to 155-160 but with all the extra moisture it doesn’t hurt to go to higher finished temps.
I hardly ever air dry or cornstarch my birds anymore but instead cook till I’m happy with the skin and the way the joints and skin feels only time I temp chicken is on BLSL breast and thighs or when cooking individual pieces.

I agree, the egg holds moisture much better than a kettle. So, to avoid the "rubber chicken" you need to bump the temps way up (400-475). I also prefer to grill chicken "Raised Direct". Direct with the grid higher in the dome.

BigGreenKev · April 2021

abpgwolf said:

Mattman3969 said:

I’m a firm believer that hotter and higher is better for chicken when you want crispy skin. I will run anywhere from 400-475. Direct vs indirect for me has a lot to do with the bird itself. If I’ve got a small non plumped bird I run direct and if it is a juiced up bird I got indirect because I think all the juice that drips from the bird taints the smoke flavor.
If you get the chance try an indirect cook with a drip pan and compare the amount of drippings from small non juiced vs the big plumped birds. You’ll see a difference. I really believe that the juiced birds release so much liquid that it is hard to crisp the skin when only cooking to 155-160 but with all the extra moisture it doesn’t hurt to go to higher finished temps.
I hardly ever air dry or cornstarch my birds anymore but instead cook till I’m happy with the skin and the way the joints and skin feels only time I temp chicken is on BLSL breast and thighs or when cooking individual pieces.

I agree, the egg holds moisture much better than a kettle. So, to avoid the "rubber chicken" you need to bump the temps way up (400-475). I also prefer to grill chicken "Raised Direct". Direct with the grid higher in the dome.

100% agree with temp and raised direct.

marcdc · April 2021

this method works for me every single time:

spatchcock the chicken (cut out the backbone, press down on it to flatten it. dry with paper towel on skin side. Season both sides with whatever you want)

bring egg to 400 degrees, takes about 30-45min to bring to temp and have it running clean.

cook raised, direct (you want your grid at the felt line)

put it on the egg, legs facing towards the rear, skin side UP (not on the grid)

dont touch it for 40min (no flip, no rotate, don't even open it)

temp it after 40min (I pull mine when the fat part of the breast registers 163-164)

sometimes it can take 45min

you get crackly skin

Money_Hillbilly · April 2021

@marcdc I use the same method but I go even higher in the dome with a Ceramic Grill Store raised grid. This allows you to capture radiant heat from the dome the same as a pizza cook.

Teefus · May 2021

Thanks for all the tips. I’m going to do a clean burn this weekend and burn off all The residue. Hoping that helps the flavor issue.

Sweet100s · May 2021

@Teefus, Could you post an update?

What did you do to create the clean burn, and how well did it work in your egg?

Teefus · May 2021

I just loaded the fire box and let her rip. I installed the plate setter legs down to burn off all the drippings that had accumulated. Basically pizza mode with everything wide open. It spend two hours at 600* indicated dome temp. I didn’t get white ash on the entire interior but it burned off plenty of deposited grease. I’m doing ribs for Bride of Teefus tomorrow and we’ll see if it made a difference.

DonWW · May 2021

Carolina Q said:

People often complain about rubber chicken from the egg. No one ever complains about chicken from the Weber. Use the kettle.

Nope. I've done yardbird countless times in the egg. Smoked, spatchcock and beer can. Always tremendous. My wife's comment is that the breast is almost too juicy - something I just do not understand..... Perhaps pulling too late. 160 - 165 is target temp.

Teefus · May 2021

Follow Up......

The clean burn was apparently effective. I've done ribs and a turkey breast since and there were no off flavors. I did the "skin on" turkey breast at a hotter than normal (for me) temp too. The dome was 375* to 400* for the whole cook. While the skin wasn't crisp, it was getting close. The bird tasted great.

paqman · May 2021

The fat dripping in the hot coal is most likely what gives the off flavour, I am surprised that a clean burn helped. IMHO, indirect with a dry drip pan is the way to go for chicken with skin. That fat dripping in the pan and vaporizing back on the chicken is full of good flavor.

I typically cook chicken with skin indirect at 375-400 and then raise to 425-450 toward the end (last 5-10 minutes) for a total of 45-60 minutes. You really need to watch it toward the end because the time window between perfect crisp and somewhat burned is pretty narrow.

All that being said, I overheard that @Mickey has the best method for crispy chicken skin.

Teefus · May 2021

To be fair, I'd done about 5 years of low and slow without a thorough cleanout so I wasn't that surprised it made a difference. I've only used the egg without a drip pan on a couple occasions, and that was for steaks.

Another thing I've done lately is really let the coals get going strong prior to throttling them back for an indirect cook. While I've always let it go long enough for "blue smoke" I suspect it wasn't long enough to clear all the volatiles. Always learning I guess.

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