Boneless Chicken Thighs cooking way too fast???
- Thread starter Papa Rick
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Durangosmoker
Member
Chicken thighs usually take me just a bit over an hour at 250. Were yours just out of the fridge cold when you put them in?
SconnieQ
New member
If I am doing thighs only, I use 225 (lower and slower than whole chicken). They can go as high as 175-180. Wrap and rest 20-30 minutes. They will be more fall apart tender at that point, because more connective tissue will have been rendered. There is a big advantage to cooking dark meat separate from white meat just for that reason. They are a little hard to temp (especially since yours are boneless), but temp in as many places as you can. And I never open the door, sauce, and put back in. Sauce is applied to the cooked chicken, and in my case, served on the side. I don't see any advantage to saucing chicken during the cook. The skin on which the sauce rests is kind of inedible anyway, and the sauce/flavor will not soak into the meat if you are applying it at the end of the cook.
DivotMaker
New member
Thighs are hard to do at 250, Rick...they're just too dang small! I'm like Kari; I use 250 for poultry, but will back off to 225 for small pieces, like thighs. Also, brining really helps, if you didn't.
Thanks Kari, I will remember the 225, instead of 250. I could not believe they were ready that quick, so I actually overcooked them. They were both boneless and skinless and I guess this made them cook even quicker.
I did not know for sure at what temp they would be safe to pull. They were still good, but not as moist as I would have like. You could taste the smoke on them good, but not overpowering.
When you talk about wrap and rest for 20 to 30 minutes, what exactly are you talking about on the wrap? In tinfoil or what?
I did not know for sure at what temp they would be safe to pull. They were still good, but not as moist as I would have like. You could taste the smoke on them good, but not overpowering.
When you talk about wrap and rest for 20 to 30 minutes, what exactly are you talking about on the wrap? In tinfoil or what?
SconnieQ
New member
Use bone-in and skin-on thighs next time, and you will notice a drastic difference in moistness. They will also cook a little slower with the bone in, giving them time to pick up good smoke, and become nice and tender while staying juicy. I cover with foil when I rest. Don't worry about the skin getting soggy. It is there just to keep the meat moist and will not be crispy. You can eat it if you want, but it's not the greatest texture. I love crispy chicken skin, but smoked chicken skin goes to the dog. Everyone's happy.
DivotMaker
New member
Papa Rick said:
Not to "split hairs," Rick, but buttermilk is not a brine, it's more of a marinade. It will flavor the surface, but without salt, you aren't brining. Salt is what does the magic, in a brine. It actually causes a chemical reaction in the protein molecules near the surface of the meat, and seals them, causing moisture to be held inside the meat. Try something like this, next time, on any poultry:
DM's All-Purpose Poultry Brine
SconnieQ
New member
The lactic acid in buttermilk helps break down proteins and soften collagen, which tenderizes the meat. And there is a fair amount of salt in buttermilk (I would probably add more). So it's a pretty great marinade. I have not tried it on smoked chicken yet, but would like to check it out.
NDKoze
Moderator
Skinless/Boneless thighs can be pretty hard to insert a probe thermometer like a Maverick or the meat thermometer from a D model smoker successfully. It is like trying to probe ribs.
If you have instant read thermometer that would give you the best reading and +3 for smoking at 225 for smaller cuts of meat especially if it is boneless/skinless.
If you have instant read thermometer that would give you the best reading and +3 for smoking at 225 for smaller cuts of meat especially if it is boneless/skinless.
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