Is it possible wood smoke alone makes chicken skin chewy (and not just temperature cooked)

[frayedend]

This is just a theory. I've cooked skin on chicken in the oven low and slow and not really had rubbery skin. Bite through skin seems to be the case even when I cooked for hours at 225/250. Anyhow I've been using my vortex on the Weber kettle for wings with great results.

Typically my kettle gets over 600 degrees. The vortex has been awesome. The wings don't burn and are crispy and done in about 35 minutes. I usually put a small chunk of cherry over the fire and I've been very happy with the results.

Yesterday I did the same but I only had a longer stick of cherry and didn't feel like heading to the shed to chop it down. So I put it over the fire. The temp was still over 600 and there was plenty of smoke. The wood burned pretty well but was a bit dirtier than I prefer. Anyhow after 40 minutes, the wings were 205 internal and still didn't look all that crispy. Took em off and the skin was just not done to bite through. It was very strange. They weren't as rubbery as making them in the smoker at low heat but I'm still curious if it's just temp alone because something here changed the way the skin rendered and it was time or temp as far as I can tell.

 

[SonVolt]

The large split of cherry may have smothered out the hot air convection currents that would otherwise help to dry and render the skin. Without convection you're relying more on radiation, and 40 minutes IMO isn't long enough to render chicken skin past the flabby stage.

 

[sandro]

Hm. If your oven has a fan, it definitely offers more convection than a kettle with the vents regulated for 250. Convection + heat crisp up the skin, neither on their own. If the split killed draft, you might very well had 600 degrees of static humid air on your wings

 

[Gimmethecash]

I never add wood when I’m grilling vortex chicken; plenty of smoky grilled flavor for me & my family from the lump charcoal.

I *do* use the vortex at the end to sear the skin though. Just drag them one-by one over the volcano of flaming death & leave them on there long enough to get the skin a bit crispier.

 

[SmittyJonz]

Chicken skin = Dog Treats

 

[JAKs Q & brew]

I always try to dry chicken skin at least a few hours to overnight, uncovered in the fridge. I find I get much more consistent crispy skin with that method.

 

[sudsandswine]

Any time I cook chicken on a grill I use wood as a flavor additive - whether that be on a Weber kettle with a Vortex, a Weber kettle rotisserie, or my ceramic grill setup in 2 zone. I never not have crispy bite through skin. I generally shoot for 425-450* on the thermometer. For the Vortex I use just one small 2x2x2" chunk, the rotisserie generally the same although I might do 2 chunks of that size, and on the ceramic grill I use chips probably equal to 1-3 chunks of that size depending how I feel. I always dry brine too. How "longer" are we talking about? Billowing white smoke or still thin blue?

 

[Moose]

I always try to dry chicken skin at least a few hours to overnight, uncovered in the fridge. I find I get much more consistent crispy skin with that method.

This makes a big difference in how chicken skin comes out! Air drying chicken really helps when it comes to crispy skin.

I think there could be a couple of variables as it relates to the "rubbery" wings the OP recently had:

1. How "wet" the wings were when they hit the grill

2. Potential humidity of the kettle from the split, based on the water content of the wood. Wetter wood=more steam

3. The chicken itself - this particular batch of wings may also have had "thicker" skin

 

[Gimmethecash]

Leaving them in the fridge a while helps if you have the time, I’ve also employed the “pour boiling water over the skin to render the fat under it” method, but I usually just get them as dry as I can, throw on some rub, and crank up the heat with the vortex in the kettle, usually 450-500.

 

[SonVolt]

Chicken skin = Dog Treats

I love my dog, but not that much.