Let's Talk BBQ
General => General Discussion & Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: TMB on January 17, 2016, 08:46:54 PM
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I went and bought a 7 lb turkey breast and three chickens to cook. I want to pull them and keep the meat for lunch and diners throughout the week.
These will be two stick chickens and turkey ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) So lots of butter will be harmed ;D ;D ;D
So here is the reason I'm asking for help. The Rec-Tec will smoke the turkey and the chickens very well but the skin will be like rubber. Is it possible to crisp the skin on the chickens with the Rec-Tec? Or do I need to pull out an SRG and finish them in it?
I really would like to keep this to a one cooker event but guessing that's not possible.
I'd like to hear any ideas you would have.
I'm use to SRG and TBE cookers for yardbirds not smoking.
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If you're pulling the meat then Crispy skin is not a property priority because it won't stay crispy.
I think once the skin is rubberized, there's no fix.
The turkey breast will benefit from a low and slow cook. But the chickens can still come out great at high temp cook, with crispy skin.
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If you want to brine the birds overnight first....( NOTE: they may already be brined - read the label closely...most are nowadays - if so, skip that step ) then set the birds in the fridge for at least overnight - and even 24 hours will not hurt at all.... Leave them exposed tot eh air in the fridge. Do not cover them. The cold dehydrated air of the refrigerator will help to remove the water in the skin. Skin contains a lot of moisture - and most of it by weight - is water. Sure -there is a little fat... So - before you put them in the cooker - spritz a tiny amount of Pam or whatever oil you like - rub it around then add your rub or seasoning. Just don't use water based solutions...Juice, beer, etc.
If you will do this - then cook them @ 350-375F in you Rec Tec....and turn up the heat to 500F near the end of the cook - you will get edible, fairly crisp skin. Don't think it will be like deep fried - or even quite like the SRG will do...*BUT* it also will not has large black areas like we get when cooking them in the SRG. ( Be sure to foil wrap the wing tips..they will burn no matter how you cook - at these temps.
One commonality with the SRG and pellet grilling at high temps - is that both of these cookers move a lot of air thru them. With a little help before the cook - as above - you will get better evaporation from the skin than because the pellet grill and the SRG are more "convective" - higher air thru-put cookers, than ... the Masterbuilt, or Bradley, or other enclosed box types.. These have a very small intake at the bottom for cold air intake, so the volume of moist, hot air that can exit the cooker is much less with them..
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Tommy, for pulled chicken I keep it simple.
First I'd cut the chickens into quarters. They cook a LOT faster!
I just season the chicken with some rub, and stick 'em on the grill running around 400°. The high heat helps the fat under the skin get crispy before it renders off. If the heat it too low the fat just melts off before it has a chance to crisp the skin and you end up with rubbery or tough, leathery skin.
After cooking the chicken pieces for about 45 minutes or so, I transfer them to a foil pan with about 1/2 cup or so of water water with some some of the same rub mixed in. Cover tightly with foil and let them ride another 30 minutes or so on the grill, and the chicken is fall-apart tender. You can then carefully pull the chicken, and I just chop the skin up and mix it in along with the pan juices. You can also add a little BBQ sauce if you like.
For Mexican style pulled chicken, season with a little chili powder, paprika & salt, then use a jar of salsa instead of water/rub when you foil pan them. This is killer good for tacos too!
Cliff
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Tommy.,,I don't know if you remember Old Dave making pulled chicken sliders the 1sdt gathering in 2011. Jan took the rubbery skin off after cooking and fried it up with some bacon and onions to make it crispy, chopped it up real small and added back into the chicken. I watched her is how I know. And it was fabulous. just sayin. .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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Hello Tommy,
Pam is right in that a fellow can make some of the best pulled chicken or turkey you will ever eat by just taking that old rubbery and nasty skin off of the chicken or turkey after cooking or smoking, cutting it up into small pieces, mixing in some cut up bacon pieces(about a pound) and than also adding what other products that you would like in this treat. I like to use some chopped up jalapeño or hunky pepper slices, maybe some chopped up onions, maybe some garlic, maybe some chopped up bell pepper, or what ever you like. Anyway cut it all up into small pieces, fry it up in some lard or bacon fat, strain off the grease and then mix it in with the poultry meat. Put that on a slider bun and enjoy...you can thank me later!!
Dave
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Tommy, if you can remember the first Gathering we had, Dave and Jan, cooked chicken like that. They pulled the chicken and chopped the skin, etc.
We all marveled at how good it was. Like most really good food, it may take a little extra effort, but it'll pay off with big flavor.
Just sayin'...