After my first smoke on my new WSCGC, I got the temperature to drop back down and hold at 350° (all temps are as shown on the built-in cooker thermometer) by closing the bottom vent to the ‘dot’ left of Smoke and the top vent half open.
So I decided to cook some chicken thighs.
Used the Direct Method as I had only lit about 20 coals and put just a handful of smoke wood on.
The day before I had dry brined some chicken thighs with a seasoning called West Coast Poultry Rub that someone had given me. I saw (somewhere) that you peel the skin back from the thighs like a sock then dry brine the meat, pull the skin back over the chicken to its original position and dry brine it too. Was supposed to help flavor the meat and make the skin crisper.
I put the chicken on the grill skin-side up.
At 5 minutes, the temp had dropped to 275°.
I turned the chicken over and opened the top vent, left the bottom vent alone.
At 10 minutes, temp was still 275° but a quick peek showed that the minimal fire I had started for my first smoke was dwindling. I opened the bottom vent.
At 15 minutes, temp had briefly climbed up to 285°. Turned thighs over, skin was browning nicely, internal temp was about 130°.
On the 20-minute mark, the temp had dropped to 250°, still plenty of smoke being produced. Moved two thighs that were almost at 160° off the fire and repositioned the other two (still under temp) over the fire.
At 25 minutes, took thighs off.
They were done perfectly, very juicy, and the skin was quite crisp (I will now use the ‘sock method’ for all of my poultry).
Can’t wait until tomorrow…may do ribs or fresh shrimp.
Comment