Getting good smoke flavor in chicken.

Bamabuzzard

Bamabuzzard

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How do you restaurant/catering guys & gals get that good deep smoke flavor in your chicken without smoking it at low temps for long periods of time? I do my chicken at higher heats to keep from the rubbery skin but it doesn't have much smoke flavor. But when I try the chicken from local bbq restaurants theirs has a good smoke flavor without the rubbery skin. Any suggestions on what I'm not doing right? Many thanks! :thumb:
 
I usually throw a couple extra chunks of wood in when doing chicken. Shorter cook time plus more smoke seems to work well....
 
Reverse sear! Spatchcock and cook low and smokey until you hit about 160 in the socket then (wrap if necessary to preserve heat) and get your temp up around 450 to finish and get some nice skin crisping. You could also transfer from smoker to grill to finish - but spatchcock helps get an even cook and opens the bird up to get some smoke. I'm not a pro - just a backyard guy that likes his bird like you!
 
If you can, I'd suggest using a stick burner to cook your chicken! Not sure which of your pits that you're using to cook chicken with but I use the oven on my vertical offset (it basically becomes a vertical, wood burning smoker). I usually cook at 350 - 375 and while the skin gets good and rendered out it also gets plenty of smoke from the all wood fire (usually pecan) and even deep into the breast there's a good smoke flavor.
Here's my setup,... I remove the steel plate covering my grill top and I get pretty much direct heat (though it's far enough away from the fire so that it doesn't burn) and plenty of smoke throughout the cook.:-D
 
Id think that chicken is the easiest thing to get smoke to.
 
What kind of wood are you using? On a shorter cook duration I will try to use a stronger smoke flavor like hickory or cherry. Apple or maple, for example, will not be very noticeable.
 
Some of it could be you're desensitized at home being around it and when you eat from a restaurant you haven't been around it. I know the next day when i eat mine i can really smell it and taste it...especially after showering.

I'm with Bill that i like using a wood fire to cook chicken, at least most of the time i do. Even when i used my mini spatchcocking I got good smoke flavor and i ran it way hot.
 
Shagdog said:
What kind of wood are you using? On a shorter cook duration I will try to use a stronger smoke flavor like hickory or cherry. Apple or maple, for example, will not be very noticeable.
Click to expand...

I use a mix of hickory and red oak. FW might be right and I'm desensitized to the smoke flavor at my home because I'm around it. But I still like and appreciate all the suggestions. Keep'em coming!!! :clap2:
 
I also think you may be desensitized to the smoke.


I used to cook turkeys and chickens with a lot of smoke.
Then once, I "accidentally" got busy and let the drum temp get away from me before I realized it and the turkey ended up cooking at 450 instead of 325.

I thought I'd ruined it, but when I lifted the lid, it was looking good and it was done.


After dinner my Mom told me that was the best turkey yet. She said that it had JUST the right amount of smoke, but not too much like my usual stuff.

Since then I started going hotter and with a little less wood.
I usually use apple or cherry so if you're doing oak and hickory I'm guessing you're going to get more smoke flavor than a fruitwood.


BUT, if you want more, then just add more wood to your cook.
I still say that a higher temp is better for the skin.
 
Shagdog said:
What kind of wood are you using? On a shorter cook duration I will try to use a stronger smoke flavor like hickory or cherry. Apple or maple, for example, will not be very noticeable.
Click to expand...

Apple is my go to wood for chicken/poultry. I cook at 300 +/- and stop with wood chunks after an 60-90 min, then finish the last 45-60 min with just lump. I am not always perfect skin wise, but there is plenty of smoke flavor...
 
That is interesting. I find that if I'm not careful, I have the opposite problem. Chicken one of the few things I do hot and fast, 325-375ish and I usually only add 2 maybe 3 chunks of wood tops. Even then I only use a fruit wood. Do you like the smoke level you get on your other foods?
 
wayne77 said:
That is interesting. I find that if I'm not careful, I have the opposite problem. Chicken one of the few things I do hot and fast, 325-375ish and I usually only add 2 maybe 3 chunks of wood tops. Even then I only use a fruit wood. Do you like the smoke level you get on your other foods?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm pleased with the level of smoke on my other foods. But for whatever reason the smoke level in my chicken isn't close to my other foods. I cook my other stuff between 245-275 and my chicken at 325+.
 
I've cooked chicken to rave reviews from family gatherings to wife's bunco group. Usually no more than 20 people.

The flavor we were seeking was found using Plowboys Yardbird. No leftovers. There are a ton of great rubs commercially and those I can throw together. I've yet to see anyone react to chick like those cooked using Plowboys. Never a leftover and I've even see women smuggle it out in their purses.

I also go a little higher in temp- like 180. Use young chickens. Always juicy tender and crunchy skin.
 
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Yeah, I am in the camp where the chicken was usually smokier than I desired. Now, I might use one chunk of cherry, or I may skip the wood completely...
 
16Adams is right about Yard bird rub. mix it with high temps and pecan...hard to beat.:thumb:
 
I do the spatchcock method on the weber kettle. Season it with yard bird and smoke it with apple wood chunks on Stubbs coal. Cook it at 300-325 until the breast is about 155-160 then crank it up to 350ish until about 170 in the breast. Always turns out great with good smoke flavor and no rubber skin.
Fwismoker is right though, you will become desensitized while cooking. I notice the smokey flavor more the next day.
 
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I run it fairly hard with shread.....325+ and it comes out tasting like it was cooked over a campfire....

7-3031-2011carolynproject-fatties-elegarlic073-1.jpg


7-3031-2011carolynproject-fatties-elegarlic082.jpg


Not always bite-thru skin if it's thick & fatty, but usually pretty good.........
 
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