Bull Skinless Chicken Thigh Issues

[tds8268]

Fired up the 700 today to smoke some boneless skinless chicken thighs. Smoked at 225 for 3 hrs until IT was 170. Let them rest for 20 minutes before eating. Inside of the meat was great but the outside had a thin layer that was tough, almost like eating an apple. I did salt (koser) and pepper both sides prior to smoking and flipped them after 90 minutes. Any suggestions to eliminate the tough outer area ?

 

[SmokeOCD]

Hot n fast. Less time to make jerky.

 

[WooPigFoodie]

Did you have the skin on? That’s the issue. Smoke them a couple hours for smoke flavor and then finish hot and fast at like 450 to bring them to 170. (Pull them off while you get the heat up) I like using baking soda in the rub for chicken. It crisps up the skin really well. This pic is just hot and fast on the 380. I cook there over the bull a lot because with a smaller surface are it heats up faster.

 

[BethV]

Like @WooPigFoodie suggested, cook them with the skin and then just simply remove the skin if you don't want to eat it. It serves as a barrier that will keep the chicken moist. You will get plenty of smoke flavor regardless.

A suggestion would be to pull the skin back, season the thigh with a rub or put a pad of butter on top of the thigh meat and then cover the top of the thigh with the skin.

I usually leave the skin on because we like it. Once the chicken is close to being done, I take it in the house and put it in a hot oven to crisp the skin.

 

[Jim6820]

The OP stated that he started with "boneless skinless thighs," so leaving the skin on wasn't an option. Costco and other locations sell chicken thighs that way.

So, the hot-and-fast technique is what I'd go for in that case. You could also try wrapping the thighs with bacon and cooking them at 225F for the first hour to get some smoke, then finishing at 350F. The bacon would baste the meat a bit. That said, some folks are not fond of the bacon flavoring so that wouldn't work for everyone. Spritzing every few minutes with chicken stock, apple juice, etc. might also work.

Personally, I like to use thighs with skin on and bone in for grilling, for the very reason mentioned by the OP. YMMV

 

[Lager1829]

Poultry is just not suited for low temp cooking. Recteq chefs say start at 275 minimum and only for a short time. I put them on at 400 and take them to IT around 195. The smoke flavor you get from the fat rendering at the higher temp is better IMHO. IT over 190 yields very juicy meat.

 

[Antisocial]

Fired up the 700 today to smoke some boneless skinless chicken thighs. Smoked at 225 for 3 hrs until IT was 170. Let them rest for 20 minutes before eating. Inside of the meat was great but the outside had a thin layer that was tough, almost like eating an apple. I did salt (koser) and pepper both sides prior to smoking and flipped them after 90 minutes. Any suggestions to eliminate the tough outer area ?

I am late to the party.... But I have the answer...Mayonnaise, brush it on then season, the fat in the mayo is just enough to do the the trick.
I do them all the time and had the same issue until I started using mayonnaise, olive oil also works but I think mayo works better because it buys more time because it "melts" off as it leaves the seasoning behind.

 

[Antisocial]

Also works with breasts and pork loin.

 

[rhouser]

+1 for the mayonnaise. Antisocial, what temps are you running (time and temp) if you would share that.

v/r r

 

[Antisocial]

+1 for the mayonnaise. Antisocial, what temps are you running (time and temp) if you would share that.

v/r r

It varies depending on what I am cooking and the type of pellet I am using but for the thighs usually 200-225, breasts and loin I go 180-200 most of the time. I usually cook by temp with probes so I don't have the exact times but I should probably start keeping track of times to dial things in more.

With the lower temps sometimes the mayo doesn't quite melt off all the way so you might be left with some on the meat but that's where you can use oil instead but for the higher temps mayo works really well.

 

[rhouser]

Antisocial, I use the mayonnaise to set the panko/parmesan on oven baked panko chicken breasts and fish fillets. I never considered it for thighs on the grill. Shows how tunnel-visioned old guys can be. I do 250 on the boneless skinless thighs with either the olive oil or the "imitation butter" spray (parkay sprayer or the newer "can't believe its not butter" spray).

I just got in a couple of the "needle sized" probes from thermo works just so I could probe cook chicken and fish filets more precisely.

Until these needle size probes, I only probed the "big meats" . I used time and temp for everything less.

 

[Pacman]

@Jim6820 mentioned those needle Thermoworks probes a while back and I am slowly converting to those. They work great in smaller cuts. They also work just fine in the big stuff.

 

[Maule Guy]

Antisocial, I use the mayonnaise to set the panko/parmesan on oven baked panko chicken breasts and fish fillets. I never considered it for thighs on the grill. Shows how tunnel-visioned old guys can be. I do 250 on the boneless skinless thighs with either the olive oil or the "imitation butter" spray (parkay sprayor "can't believe its not butter" spray).

I just got in a couple of the "needle sized" probes from thermo works just so I could probe cook chicken and fish filets more precisely.

I always probe "big meat" but have gone time and temp for everything less.

I popped for one of the Combustion thermometers which have multiple sensors along the probe. I gave that a try w/ bone/in chicken thighs at 350F. I was amazed when the alarm went off that the one I had probed was done. Opened lid and tested all of them w/ my instant read and yes they were all in the 170F range.

I have also used this new thermometer for ribs and briskets. Works really well. Ribs were a surprise since there is such little space between the bone and meat, but it worked...just have to push it in parallel to the rib bones to the thickest part of the meat.

This gadget is winning me over after having major reservations if it was worth the $$

 

[Beach Bum]

I popped for one of the Combustion thermometers which have multiple sensors along the probe. I gave that a try w/ bone/in chicken thighs at 350F. I was amazed when the alarm went off that the one I had probed was done. Opened lid and tested all of them w/ my instant read and yes they were all in the 170F range.

I have also used this new thermometer for ribs and briskets. Works really well. Ribs were a surprise since there is such little space between the bone and meat, but it worked...just have to push it in parallel to the rib bones to the thickest part of the meat.

This gadget is winning me over after having major reservations if it was worth the $$

Glad to hear it. I have been happy with mine, as well.

 

[Jim6820]

Glad to hear it. I have been happy with mine, as well.

As have I. The predictive algorithm of the CIPT works really well IME and it lets me make mid-cook temperature adjustments to bring the cook in on my desired schedule.

 

[RattleR]

Welp, there goes my money again

 

[whta]

@Jim6820 mentioned those needle Thermoworks probes a while back and I am slowly converting to those. They work great in smaller cuts. They also work just fine in the big stuff.

Are you referring to the Thermapen Instant Reads, , or something else?

 

[Pacman]

No, Thermoworks started making these probes that are compatible with many of their devices. FYI, they are 60% off today.

 

[Waterboy]

No, Thermoworks started making these probes that are compatible with many of their devices. FYI, they are 60% off today.

Thanks. I missed these during the Christmas sales. just placed an order for two of them. Apparently I still had room on my credit card after all the Better Half’s holiday shopping.

 

[RPopeilFan]

I baste with chicken schmaltz, much like people mentioned for mayo or oils. At high temps you have to be careful because of the smoke point.