Help me get my boneless skinless chicken breast right.

[_John_]

You know i'm not sure I've tried it since coming to the site, never probed it, just went by the clear juices.

If I don't marinade what do you put on the outside, some oil or something?

[Huskee]

You know i'm not sure I've tried it since coming to the site, never probed it, just went by the clear juices.

If I don't marinade what do you put on the outside, some oil or something?

If you don't want to marinade, my advice on simply a 'for what it's worth" basis is wet brine in a recipe of 1 gal water, 1 C sugar, 1 C table salt, for 1 Hr. (If they're thick breasts go 1.5hrs, if you like meat on the saltier side go a max of 2 hrs) You can cut this in half or quarter it if only a small amnt of meat, but make sure to leave the time the same.

Or if you dry brine, I would just dry brine for a couple hrs minimum, or overnight or anywhere in between. Then a light coating of oil (I use a quick spray of PAM myself). Then generous coarse ground pepper, fresh if you can. Hot smoke indirectly at 325+ (I like 340-380). I have also dry brined chicken using my rib rub (in the rub recipe thread) and it's one of our favs too. So it all depends on if you want simple smoked chicken flavor, or seasoned smoked chicken flavor, or for some variety try some of each!

[cdd315]

I just did some today and my wife told me .. again .. how she loves my cooking <blush>. No, just kidding .. well not really! Anyhow, these did turn out great and I'll try to explain how it went (sorry, no pics). She bought these frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Came without the fillet. They were flat but not purposely flat as in pounded if that makes sense. Thickest would have been less than an inch probably 3/4's. Anyhow they came seasoned (salted). So I thawed them, rubbed some oil and my trusty beef rub since it was handy. I fired up the BGE and let it climb to a target temp of 325 because the kids had swimming lessons and I was in a hurry. I set it up direct when it got to my target (without plate setter) with the grill extender which is what, maybe a total of 10 inches above the fire? For some reason when I was ready to put the chicken on 10 minutes later it was running at 275. Ok no prob I just opened the vents a little to get it up to my target temp. I placed the chicken more around the outside away from direct burning coals. 20 minutes later I flipped (BGE now running 300 at the dome, closed the vents slightly since I didn't want to over shoot). Another 20 minutes later I temped them and two were at 163 and the other two closer to the outside at 157. Pulled the ones that were done and moved the last two closer to the burning coals to hurry them up. 10 minutes later the last two were at 160 and made an executive decision to pull them off and let them sit for a bit. Perfect inside texture. Outside was not tough. Easy to bite into. Finishing dome temp 300.

IMO I prefer them soft and not seared on the outside. I would rather cook boneless skinless breasts at a lower temp. Skin on thighs and legs and even skin on breasts bone in can be cooked at a higher temp like 325 or slightly more, direct if you can get the meat higher above the coal.

[_John_]

Thanks, too much heating could be the issue, I never paid attention to those sorts of things before which is a pretty boneheaded thing to say. We have a chicken plant nearby that sells extra from their runs, sometimes whole birds, sometimes just breasts or legs, either way it is always $1 a pound so I need to get better at it.

[Huskee]

cdd315 Nice cook! I know what you mean about the flat frozen ones. They're for sale in the bags here, sometimes for a good sale price. We use those for fajitas and alfredo, wherever it gets cut up. But I have to ask- if they turned out great like you describe, why do you say you prefer to cook them at a lower temp?

I too rarely sear skinless chicken. To me it gives them a thin jerky-like bark layer that I don't care for. Hard to cut. Usually hot & indirect all the way for me.

[cdd315]

I've been experimenting cooking chicken in a more direct fashion as opposed to indirect. In the BGE I find the skin too tough with the plate setter .. even at higher temps like 380. Chicken done this way, skin on, seem to work better for me 300 - 325 direct but high above the coal. Boneless, skinless breasts though work better at 275 - 300. That is directly above or slightly off to the side of the burning coals to give me better outside texture.

[Huskee]

cdd315 Ahh yes, the elusive BGE. I know nothing of them really, but it sounds like you are a pro and getting great experience with it. I bet your findings will help lots of ceramic users. I used to get tough skin cooking skin-on chicken at 325 and found 340-360, 380 even up to 390 at times made it crispy, but at the expense of being darker in color and a little less visually appealing (but not burnt thankfully). Must be one of those convection vs radiant heat things.

[cdd315]

LOL, the elusive BGE Huskee, you've been wanting a kamado for how long? I can't wait to see you get one and see you cooking on it :-D

I don't think I'm a pro but I am getting lots of experience with it. Using it this winter however makes me think that tough chicken skin isn't really a convection vs. radiant heat thing like you say but more of a moisture/steam thing. When the vents freeze up on you or water dripping off the bottom because of condensation I think it's a humidity thing. I feel like if I can get that skin cooking early with direct heat, the better the result. Even if I finish skin up. Kamado's are a different kinda animal. I can't stand beside it flipping the pieces every so often like some might do when I want to do sides as well or help the kids with homework. I want to be able to put the meat on and let my mental clock tell me that it's time to check on it.