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Learn how to get crispy chicken skin in pellet smoker very easily! We have reviewed 5 methods of getting a crispy chicken skin cooked on a pellet grill.
Imagine having waited almost 4 to 5 hours to eat some smoky, flavorsome, and finger-licking chicken that you put in one of your best pellet smoker a while ago.
But when it’s the time to eat it. You come to know that due to low slow cooking process, the skin of the chicken has just lost its crispiness.
Now, what would you do?
Well, the bad news is that there is no way to go back.
The only thing you can do now is utilize this mistake and learn how to get crispy chicken skin in pellet smoker.
Below, you will find 5 easy and simple ways to retain the crispiness of your chicken skin even in a pellet smoker.
- Drying the Skin Method
Before cooking your chicken in the pellet smoker, one thing you can do to retain its crispiness is to dry it with paper towels before.
Moreover, you can also put the chicken in a refrigerator for about 4-5 hours to let it dry completely.
Usually, chicken skins are moist. And this moisture does not let the fats render fully. So, drying your chicken skin before cooking is an important part. Whether you do it with paper towels or whatever.
- The Mighty Baking Powder
The science behind the baking powder method is so beautiful.
To be very straight, the baking powder when applied to the chicken skin raises its pH level. Which in turn, breaks the peptide bond and provides you with a wonderful brown and crispy chicken skin.
Simply coat the chicken with a nice layer of baking powder before putting it in the smoker. This method yields the best results with wings and thighs. Because you can easily flip them while cooking and make another layer on the opposite side.
Furthermore, if you do not have baking powder available, you can also use cornstarch. However, always remember to apply it right before cooking the chicken.
- A little Salt Can Do the Wonder!
You would be surprised to know that a little salt can also help you pull out the moisture of your chicken skin.
Have a look at the procedure:
- First, you need to spatchcock your chicken.
- Then, apply a handsome amount of Kosher Salt all around the chicken.
- After that, refrigerate it for about 1 to 2 days.
- Then, take it out and rinse it fully.
- Pat it to dry.
- Finally, smoke it on the pellet smoker as usual.
- Right Temperature is the Key
As we all know that pellet smoker uses a low slow cooking method. Hence, cooking at high temperatures in a pellet smoker is itself stupidity.
If you want a crispy chicken skin from your pellet smoker, you will have to cook the chicken anywhere between 275 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. And wait until the inner temperature of the chicken gets up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Parboil the Chicken First
Parboiling chicken takes a little more effort but works great. Through this method, you will remove the access oil from the chicken before cooking it in the smoker. However, this method works best with chicken wings and thighs.
Follow the simple steps:
- First of all, fill a pot with water.
- Then, put the chicken in the water so that the water goes 1 to 2 inches above the chicken.
- Bring water and chicken to boil.
- Keep it boiling for 10 minutes.
- Now turn off the heat. You will see some chicken fat floating on the water surface.
- Take this fat with a spoon and take out the chicken from the water.
- Let it cool and squeeze it to remove extra water.
- At last, dry it.
After all these steps, cook the chicken at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30-40 minutes flipping it halfway through.
To Summarise
We all know that there are some fats in the chicken skin. These fats and moisture do not let the skin render fully. Hence, making it leathery and losing its crispiness.
However, as you can witness in this guide, there are several methods of retaining the crispiness of your chicken skin while cooking it in a pellet smoker.
So, hopefully after reading the whole article, you have now learned how to get crispy chicken skin in pellet smoker.
