Smokin Chicken Quarters

[Rossybandit7050]

Put these yard bird quarters in at 225 ,took temps to 170 [oops my bad}took them out let them rest for about an hour.
Time to eat, well everything was GREAT , However , there was pink almost bloody meat towards the bone. WHAT?
have smoked these birds before and that didn't happen. They soaked in brine for 5 hours and were thawed. Should we have cooked them in the stove for a little bit?
Kickin with my "SMOKIN IT"
Perk

Moved the temp prob around to other racks all showed 170..

 

[Pork Belly]

If you were at 170 you were fine. From what I have come to understand, a lot of the problem with chickens is the young birds they are killing and selling. They are breeding chicken to bulk up to market weight early. The young birds bones are not fully developed the bone structure is not dense and has a lot of blood in it. I brine my birds then smoke them until the joints separate. Otherwise there is a lot of blood leaching at the joints, this may have been what you saw. It is also possible you didn't have the thermometer positioned properly.

 

[DivotMaker]

Brian's right - more blood in today's birds.  I experience this a lot.  But, if the meat is at temp, you're fine.  It's just a visual thing.  As long as the joints separate, and the meat's at temp, no worries.

 

[Paul Case Luca]

Smokin 14 of them at 3/4 lb each ... So total load is about 10 lbs.


What temp to smoke at? About how long? What IT?


Brine is the Disney Brine for turkey legs.
Will rub with salt, pepper, garlic.
Plan smoke at home and take to bonfire for college football games.

Hoping to throw on open pit at picnic location to tighten up skin if need as I've heard this can be issue.

Any pointers?

Thanks... PQ.

 

[DivotMaker]

Smokin 14 of them at 3/4 lb each ... So total load is about 10 lbs.


What temp to smoke at? About how long? What IT?


Brine is the Disney Brine for turkey legs.
Will rub with salt, pepper, garlic.
Plan smoke at home and take to bonfire for college football games.

Hoping to throw on open pit at picnic location to tighten up skin if need as I've heard this can be issue.

Any pointers?

Thanks... PQ.

I smoke all chicken at at least 250, with cherry.  I've been going to try leg quarters at 325 (with the Auber), but haven't had the chance yet.  Take leg quarters to 170; the dark meat can stand a few more degrees than the 165 for breast meat, and still be tender and juicy.  If you have good airspace between them, I wouldn't think they'll take longer than 2 - 2 1/2 hours @ 250.  1/2 chickens only take me 2.5 hours, so I wouldn't think quarters would take any longer.

 

[Pork Belly]

I would separate the legs and thighs. Not everyone will eat a leg& thigh. I would be afraid of a lot of waste. I can see some people taking a big leg quarter and not finishing all of it.

 

[Paul Case Luca]

Thanks for the tips.

Waste not an issue... This is for boys not so shy. 

 

[DivotMaker]

You got me hungry for chicken quarters, guys!  So, I brined 8 (about 6 lbs worth), rubbed with olive oil and Famous Dave's Country Chicken rub, and they're in the smoker @ 275 with 2.5 oz of cherry!  I'll do a post on how they turn out!

 

[Paul Case Luca]

I will post my pictures.... But will need do once back home.  Deal?

 

[DivotMaker]

Deal!  I'm posting mine in its own post...