Welcome, Guest

Shop Amazon.com and support the WKC | WKC T-Shirts

Author Topic: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....  (Read 1314 times)

deans6571

  • WKC Brave
  • Posts: 117
    • Twitter Profile
Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« on: August 29, 2019, 02:35:46 AM »
Hi fellow grillers - a few questions.....!!!

So have had my Weber Master Touch for several years but recently (this summer actually). the past several times I have bbq'd chicken legs and thighs, I have struggled to get the skins nice and crispy and also for them to take on the smoke from my Cherry Wood chunks, so need a little advice please...

This is how I generally cook my chicken legs and thighs:

Fill up a whole Weber Chimney with briquettes and pour our into my charcoal baskets which are positioned in the centre of the charcoal grate (I leave a small gap in which to place some Cherry Wood Chunks).  I then pre-heat my grill for 10 minutes with the lid shut, bottom vent half open and top vent, one quarter open. The temp thermometer on the lid runs to about 400F whilst pre-heating is going on.

 I then place my chicken on the outside perimeter of the grill using indirect cooking, and let it cook until my ThermoPro probe thermometer reads around 190F.  Then, I grill these over direct heat to give them some colour.

I also cover the chicken with some kind of chicken spice (shop bought) powder so perhaps this is the reason the wood smoke doesn’t colour the chicken too much.

The chicken always tastes great but I just can’t manage to get the skins nice and crispy using the above method so any pointers, will be greatly appreciated.
 :)

Cellar2ful

  • Moderator
  • Posts: 3642
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2019, 06:59:32 AM »


Leave the top and bottom vents full open.  You will get a higher heat that will in turn crisp the chicken skins.  I cook mine with the baskets to the sides, chicken in the middle section with a drip pan below. 
"Chasing Classic Kettles"

kettlebb

  • WKC Ambassador
  • Posts: 5968
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2019, 09:50:21 AM »
I feel like we’ve covered this topic a lot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Looking for: Red MBH 26"(The Aristocrat), Chestnut-coppertone (The Estate), Glen-blue (The Imperial), and The Plainsman.

Foster Dahlet

  • WKC Ranger
  • Posts: 1618
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2019, 11:01:59 AM »
top and bottom vents fully open will make a difference for sure.
I like my Kettles like my coffee....strong and black.

2019 Black 26" OKP; 2015 Black 22" OKP; 2004 Black SJP; mid 70's Statesman; mid 70's Gourmet, 2017 Black CGA; 2000 Black GGA;

Mike in Roseville

  • WKC Performer
  • Posts: 2261
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2019, 06:02:26 PM »

I feel like we’ve covered this topic a lot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agreed. I almost feel the OP has asked this before. [emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

pancho2017

  • WKC Brave
  • Posts: 275
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2019, 06:17:55 PM »
There it is, the secret. Fire up the grill then whilst your guests are inside shut the vents then nip to KFC and grab some crispy chicken. Serve as usual they will never know.

Hollando

  • WKC Brave
  • Posts: 140
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2019, 06:43:20 PM »

There it is, the secret. Fire up the grill then whilst your guests are inside shut the vents then nip to KFC and grab some crispy chicken. Serve as usual they will never know.
+1


Sent from my iPad using Weber Kettle Club

CarrieAnn

  • WKC Brave
  • Posts: 181
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2019, 06:46:36 PM »
I use my vortex which gets the heat so hot, the rubber on my crummy oven mitts melt when I’m using them to take the lid off my grill. Just to give you an idea of the kind of heat you want!  Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

deans6571

  • WKC Brave
  • Posts: 117
    • Twitter Profile
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2019, 01:25:07 AM »


Leave the top and bottom vents full open.  You will get a higher heat that will in turn crisp the chicken skins.  I cook mine with the baskets to the sides, chicken in the middle section with a drip pan below.

....ok, thanks - will definitely try this over the weekend.

 :)

Shoestringshop

  • WKC Performer
  • Posts: 2644
Re: Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2019, 10:42:07 AM »
There it is, the secret. Fire up the grill then whilst your guests are inside shut the vents then nip to KFC and grab some crispy chicken. Serve as usual they will never know.

Lmao 😂
Wife said "No more GRILLS in this house!" So I bought a 2nd house!

HoosierKettle

  • WKC Ambassador
  • Posts: 7366
Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2019, 05:18:06 PM »
There it is, the secret. Fire up the grill then whilst your guests are inside shut the vents then nip to KFC and grab some crispy chicken. Serve as usual they will never know.

Lmao [emoji23]

Sometimes you just have to fry [emoji3]. You can fry at home outside as well. Wings and sweet potato fries and fried green tomatoes (no pic)




Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app
« Last Edit: August 31, 2019, 04:02:47 AM by HoosierKettle »

HoosierKettle

  • WKC Ambassador
  • Posts: 7366
Struggling with Crispy Chicken skins & Wood Smoke....
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2019, 04:00:47 AM »
.