Let's Talk BBQ

Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Charcoal Grills => Topic started by: tnjimbob on May 15, 2014, 09:33:22 AM

Title: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: tnjimbob on May 15, 2014, 09:33:22 AM
Thawed out a package of thighs for dinner, and decided to cook them on my Weber Performer. Not enough love shown to the old school duo recently, so the Performer got the bullpen call. (Heck, it's baseball season. Why not use a baseball analogy?   ;) )

Seasoned with some plain old Kroger brand chicken grilling seasoning. I bought a couple of bottles from the markdown basket. Not a bad combination of savory herbs, salt & garlic. For the record, I'm not a big fan of raw chicken pictures, but I took one anyway. Still working on my photography skills.
I trimmed off some extra fat, as thighs are fatty enough and will cause flare ups if you don't watch them carefully.

(http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/ab48/tnjimbob/Cooking%202014/Chicken/Grilled%20chicken%20thighs%205-13-14/seasoned_zps13b902a2.jpg)


Built a two-zone fire, one side with about 2/3 chimney of KBlue, and the other with no coals. I added a chunk of maple wood for a little smoke flavor. We had two big maple trees taken down last fall and they split some of the larger pieces to a point, so I split off some pieces and cut them into chunks for smoking. Free seasoned hardwood is great for grilling & smoking, and I now have a good supply of maple wood for chicken and pork. Grilled them in two batches, starting skin side down to get a good sear. Kept the lid on to avoid the dreaded flare ups, and as they started to look good & brown, I moved them to the indirect side of the grill.

(http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/ab48/tnjimbob/Cooking%202014/Chicken/Grilled%20chicken%20thighs%205-13-14/searandhold_zpse903fe6d.jpg)


Here they are cooking more slowly and not blazing into chicken flavored hockey pucks. Indirect cooking is your friend for many things on the grill, especially meats that render out lots of fat as they cook. I put a pan underneath these thighs to catch drips, and sometimes I wrap half of the charcoal grate with HD foil to keep the grill from getting greasy. This can also cause unwanted fires & flare ups, and I don't like my grill to get too gunky.

(http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/ab48/tnjimbob/Cooking%202014/Chicken/Grilled%20chicken%20thighs%205-13-14/holdingongrill_zps0f443e35.jpg)



When they reached 175° or so, I sauced some of the thighs with SBR mixed with Blues Hog original. I just mix the two sauces above with good results. The fam likes it and that's what matters.

(http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/ab48/tnjimbob/Cooking%202014/Chicken/Grilled%20chicken%20thighs%205-13-14/saucedinpan_zps199eef40.jpg)



I planned to pull some of this chicken and either make chicken nachos or a grilled chicken salad, but the fam had other plans. They were all eaten for dinner. Maybe I should have sauced less, and left more savory, but that's not a problem. I pulled the sauced thighs for sandwiches.

(http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/ab48/tnjimbob/Cooking%202014/Chicken/Grilled%20chicken%20thighs%205-13-14/savoryonpan_zps95aea595.jpg)



Plated with au gratin potatoes and spiced peaches that I forgot we had. Our neighbor has a nice garden and she loves my BBQ cooking, so I swap BBQ & grilled goodies for canned goods in the fall and that works out great for both of us. Another of my monochromatic dinners, as we didn't have any green beans or another contrasting vegetable, but this still looks pretty good to me!

(http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/ab48/tnjimbob/Cooking%202014/Chicken/Grilled%20chicken%20thighs%205-13-14/plated_zpsb49a9f5d.jpg)


Y'all get out there and cook something!   8)

Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: sliding_billy on May 15, 2014, 09:36:13 AM
Nice work.  I am pondering doing some legs and thighs this weekend.  You're helping me make up my mind.
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: muebe on May 15, 2014, 09:40:55 AM
I really like the look of those thighs!
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: Las Vegan Cajun on May 15, 2014, 10:29:11 AM
I really like the look of those thighs!

X2  ;)
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: TMB on May 15, 2014, 10:49:02 AM
Yep, got my mouth watering  ;)
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: Smokin Don on May 15, 2014, 12:20:59 PM
Nice cook tj!!! Nice color on the thighs and your pics are good!!! I like the un-sauced thighs! Don
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: pz on May 15, 2014, 12:35:21 PM
Nice cook tj!!! Nice color on the thighs and your pics are good!!! I like the un-sauced thighs! Don

X2!
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: drholly on May 15, 2014, 12:46:05 PM
Very nice! I normally like un-sauced chicken, and yours look perfect. But the sauced version looks pretty darn good too - going to have to try both. Thanks for the tips!
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: spuds on May 15, 2014, 04:02:45 PM
Both look excellent,I'll take either one.
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: Smokerjunky on May 15, 2014, 04:09:46 PM
Looks incredible!  Nicely done!
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: Old Hickory on May 15, 2014, 05:27:52 PM
Looks like a great cook, but hold the sauce for me.
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: HighOnSmoke on May 15, 2014, 06:08:12 PM
Delicious looking thighs and sides Jim!
Title: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: Pappymn on May 15, 2014, 06:27:02 PM
Excellent looking chicken!
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: Saber 4 on May 15, 2014, 08:46:37 PM
I just finished dinner and now I'm hungry all over again.
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: smoker pete on May 15, 2014, 10:33:26 PM
Them's purdy lookin thighs there ma man!!!  :P
Title: Re: Grilled chicken thighs
Post by: TwoPockets on May 16, 2014, 08:48:29 AM
I love thighs and those look delicious.