next smoke chicken thighs. recommendations

[KyDog]

Planning on doing some chicken thighs next, plan on brining for a couple hours, dry then apply rub .
How much wood, temp and what rack?
Davey

 

[DivotMaker]

Davey, thighs aren't much different from legs or other "parts."  Brining is great!  Keep them as high as possible in the smoker (heat is more stable at the top), and 2-3 oz of wood, at the most.  I like cherry for poultry, but hickory is great, too!  Temp to the max - I do all poultry at 250.  Chicken doesn't benefit from "low and slow," like beef or pork, so get 'er done at a higher temp.  Thighs are big enough to probe to make sure you hit 165 internal temp.

 

[Pork Belly]

A couple things I like to do is remove the section of pelvis that the thigh bone connects with. I find it lets the meat get more even heat. I leave the thigh bone in, just remove the strip of pelvis and any extra fat or skin. Also on any chicken I peal back the skin and get the rub directly on the meat.

You said you are brining the thighs. If you put them in the smoker wet the smoke basically doesn't stick. You should pat them completely dry with paper towels then leave them uncovered on a rack in the fridge for a few hours. You could rush this step by putting the rack of chicken in front of a fan.

 

[swthorpe]

Like Divot, I too use cherry wood for poultry, although I have tried hickory as well.  I think the cherry gives a sweeter taste on chicken.    I like the idea of going at 250F as well.  If the thighs have skin, then you may find the skin a bit rubbery as it may not fully crisp up at 250.    If you want to keep the skin, then you could remove at about 160F and throw them on the gas grill for a high temp finish (or a broiler, but I have not tried this).    When I do thighs it is mostly for pulled chicken, so I remove from the #2 at 165F and discard the skin. 

I would recommend going with the small loaf pan of juice again, and place it against the wood box.  You might want to fill with more liquid this time to see if it retains.  Should take 2-3 hours to complete the smoke...let us know how you make out.

 

[DivotMaker]

Like Divot, I too use cherry wood for poultry, although I have tried hickory as well.  I think the cherry gives a sweeter taste on chicken.    I like the idea of going at 250F as well.  If the thighs have skin, then you may find the skin a bit rubbery as it may not fully crisp up at 250.    If you want to keep the skin, then you could remove at about 160F and throw them on the gas grill for a high temp finish (or a broiler, but I have not tried this).    When I do thighs it is mostly for pulled chicken, so I remove from the #2 at 165F and discard the skin. 

I would recommend going with the small loaf pan of juice again, and place it against the wood box.  You might want to fill with more liquid this time to see if it retains.  Should take 2-3 hours to complete the smoke...let us know how you make out.

I hate the way the skin shrinks up on parts (thighs, legs, spatchcocked chickens, etc...).  I think that next time I do thighs, I'm pulling the skin, brining, then bacon-wrapping!