Some would call this borderline, and it is close! But I pulled at 158 and didn't overcook it. However, the others were smaller and they got killed thrice at 174-180. How do you guys avoid that? Put the small ones on later? Or pull the small ones and put them in the oven at like 200 so they're warm? On the pellet grill, so I don't have an offset option like charcoal. The big one was over the firepot.
Cheers, thanks!
by gingerbread488
21 Comments
I hated chicken growing up, dry was the only way my mom knew how to make it. Now that I know how to make it, and it be juicy. I love chicken.
I just pull the small ones a little sooner.
my chicken never comes out dry. the trick is to not use chicken breasts.
How long was it at 158? Seems borderline pink-ish.
Have your instant read ready and do two zone cooking, move the smaller ones to cool side as they finish. The big should not be far behind. I would also just start with any that are noticeably bigger.
You can actually pull around 150 and be just fine as far as food safety goes. And you’ll have even juicier chicken.
Pasteurization charts are a game changer
Next to the grill I keep a dish covered in foil. As the chicken hits 160 I pull it from the grill and put it on the plate under the foil. When I serve, I start with the ones that were pulled first. It’s good for the chicken to rest a little after it is pulled off the heat.
Them chicken boobies aren’t cooked properly.
That looks 100% safe. For me, that’s how smoked chicken turns out. I like it but the texture just isn’t as pleasnt as something a little bit drier. You’ll know what I mean. You want it moist but we don’t want to be cutting wood. Moist and that firm texture can be achieved. This texture is still a little too soft for me.
I pull mine between 145-150. I put them all on at the same time and pull them when they get to temp.
I don’t stress out about keeping everything perfectly evenly hot. Everything doesn’t need to be piping hot like it just came off the heat. Trying to have everything done at the exact same time is a mug’s game.
Definitely don’t put them in a 200F oven – that will cook them further. The chicken will continue to rise in heat for 5 minutes and will take another several minutes to come down. That’s plenty of time.
Best to separate your different chicken parts.
Get yourself some oven bags, distilled water, and a tub of kosher salt. Start by removing the spine, neck, and wings. Freeze for stock. Then wet brine the chickens with an 8-10% saline solution overnight. Pat dry, cut to separate the legs from the bodies, proceed to smoke.
Pull the breasts around 155 and hold in an aluminum pan that has slightly tinted foil to rest them in. Let some steam escape so it doesn’t keep cooking the meat. Just set it on the counter on hot pads so it can all cool down to room temp that way the breasts relax and suck back up all water and brine. Throw in fridge when done. I find they’re actually best the next day. Reheat in a bread oven wrapped in foil at 350 for 8 minutes.
The legs when they reach 175-180, pull and hold in a keep warm oven set to 170 for 1-2 hours. You want the collagen to gelatinize which takes a while.
There are a lot of folks out there that are still cooking chicken the old way, basically cooking the crap out of it so they aren’t killed by any pink part that is still remaining. 150 degrees for 3 minutes (FDA Pasteurization Chart) and the chicken is safe, and juicy and tasty. This also leaves a bit of room for the thinner pieces to get a bit hotter and still be edible as opposed to tough cardboard.
Cook the small, thin pieces separate, maybe for chicken salad, or pull them off sooner but definitely don’t hold them at 200 degrees, they will become shoe leather.
Only my opinion so don’t smoke me 😉 for sharing it, and I got the factual part (150 degrees 3 minutes for chicken) from this sub reddit .
Take the pledge. Say NO to dry chicken.
Looks moist!
For starters I avoid the breast, go with chicken quarters, bone in and skin on.
My in-laws would not eat that. Not grey enough.
I grew up with dry chicken too and it’s been a revelation
Use a wet brine, basically both salt and sugar dissolved in water with any other seasonings/marinade you want in it, lots of recipes online. Makes it much harder to get dry meat with chicken or turkey breast or any other meat without much fat in it like pork tenderloin.
I feel as if food network in the 90s single handedly saved america from mainstream dry meat
Tbh for chicken breast it’s always whole chicken. Otherwise, i just stick with thighs