Brined them in the fridge for 12 hours. Then I let them set uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours. They set out of the fridge for two hours before hitting the smoker.

Didn't put a rub on them, wish I had. I am mostly concerned with keeping the temp constant in my Weber, that's going to be trial and error until I learn it.
It's turning out to be a very fine gap between shutting it down and keeping it smoldering.

As long as I cook them to an internal temp of 160, won't they be done?

 

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I've never done the internal temp thing. But I do know you need to kill any bacteria and if you don't cook them hot enough and long enough they will be fatty and tough. My oldest daughter hates dark meat and was very upset I didn't do any breasts, untill she tried the thighs. She now says she'll eat them anytime I smoke them.

 

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Yeah they will be done, of course....they might not be edible if you take too long or too short a time to get them there though.

Too short and they are burned up, too long and they are rubbery, over smoked, vile tasting crap.

It's not actually smoking them if you use a temp of over 270, it's just cooking them. Smoking makes cheap, tough meat more tender because the long exposure to low temps breaks down the meat fibers (it's actually speeded up decomposition but don't think about that cause it's icky). During this breakdown, natural sugars are formed as the chemical process is activated. That's where the sweet taste in smoked meats comes from.

A lot of people talk about temps between 200 and 220 and that's often used as the guideline. I think it's crazy to cook any poultry at those temps, because poultry isn't that tough. It also doesn't need that much smoke. It gets to be too much rather quickly.

Nothing wrong with cooking chicken at higher temps than 270. It's how most of it's cooked after all. You will get a bit of smoke flavor even with the much quicker cooking time, though the internal chemical process of breakdown into sugars wont occur much, so the meat wont be as sweet and it will also have more gristle. In exchange, you will get a more crusty exterior which can be nice.....but it's not why I would smoke any meat. I'd just grill it if that was what I was after. Which is what I usually am and what I usually do btw.

Any pointers for bacon, that's my next project. I can get pork bellies at an Asian market. Got the sodium nitrate on order.

 

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I was gonna say 'Whatever Reapist says'

 

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what temperature makes it turn green?

 

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250 for chicken thighs, you retards.

 

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I would cold smoke it if I wanted it green.

 

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Remote temp monitoring while playing a game?


I have to say, quite clever!

 

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They're done! Cooking time was an hour and 15 minutes. The internal temp was 170+, they are very juicy anyway.

Used a brine I got from this book, http://www.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Craft-Salting-Smoking-Curing/dp/0393058298/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IRJ3JJTJ1W217&colid=2XRGY20YP38QN
Just brined it for 12 hours, didn't use any pink salt.

 

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