Cooking chicken thighs like wings - smoke fry grill?

tn smoke

Newbie

Original poster

Apr 4, 2014

2

10

• Mar 31, 2015

• #1

I have read alot of posts about (and have eaten) wings that have what I call the triple treatment. You smoke the wings, then fry for crispy skin, then possibly baste and quick grill for some good carmelization etc. Have anyone tried this with thighs? I love thighs and thought it would be great to have the same texture/skin as a wing with more the meat-to-bone ratio of a thigh.

Maybe I am way off base here but seems intriguing to me. 

 

oldschoolbbq

Legendary Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Jul 16, 2008

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NW Ohio - outside Toledo

• Mar 31, 2015

• #2

Seems a lot of work, but would work , also maybe a 30min. Smoke , then Grill then , Fry The skin will be good after the Grill though.IMHO.

 

so ms smoker

Master of the Pit

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Dec 20, 2010

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Gulfport, MS

• Mar 31, 2015

• #3

  Sounds like a good plan. If you are wanting something similar to hot wings, try injecting the meat with a 50/50 mixture of your favorite hot sauce and Cajun Injector creole butter. I do this with chicken legs all the time!  Thighs and legs have a lot more meat than wings and I would not want all the spice only on the skin. I would smoke to nearly done, then fry or grill to finished temp to crisp the skin. Be sure to let us know how they turn out!

   Mike

 

timberjet

Master of the Pit

Jan 29, 2010

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Waitsburg Washington

• Mar 31, 2015

• #4

So MS Smoker said:

 
  Sounds like a good plan. If you are wanting something similar to hot wings, try injecting the meat with a 50/50 mixture of your favorite hot sauce and Cajun Injector creole butter. I do this with chicken legs all the time!  Thighs and legs have a lot more meat than wings and I would not want all the spice only on the skin. I would smoke to nearly done, then fry or grill to finished temp to crisp the skin. Be sure to let us know how they turn out!

   Mike

Click to expand...

Scarbelly style. I love wings and thighs like that. Man oh man.

 

rmmurray

Master of the Pit

Mar 21, 2015

1,060

123

Rock Hill, SC

• Mar 31, 2015

• #5

That sounds great. Be careful not to over cook them. When I do my thighs on the grill I do them over direct medium and they are done in about 16 or so minutes. Granted, dark meat is forgiving, but maybe just a hot flash on the grill. I'd forgo the fryer all together.

 

timberjet

Master of the Pit

Jan 29, 2010

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165

Waitsburg Washington

• Mar 31, 2015

• #6

I think Dirtsailor did a thread a while ago about smoker fried chicken. In fact just type smoker fried chicken into the search bar at the top of the page and you might find it. It looked really good. I don't have a deep fryer but I keep thinking I need to get one.

 

so ms smoker

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Dec 20, 2010

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Gulfport, MS

• Mar 31, 2015

• #7

I don't have a deep fryer but I keep thinking I need to get one.

  If you don't have something that you think you might need, you need to get it!

   M ike

 

timberjet

Master of the Pit

Jan 29, 2010

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165

Waitsburg Washington

• Mar 31, 2015

• #8

So MS Smoker said:

 
I don't have a deep fryer but I keep thinking I need to get one.

  If you don't have something that you think you might need, you need to get it!

   M ike

Click to expand...

Trouble is that my kitchen is so tiny I already have to keep the big turkey roaster and crockpot under my bed. lol. More stuff sounds like fun though.

 

so ms smoker

Master of the Pit

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Dec 20, 2010

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Gulfport, MS

• Mar 31, 2015

• #9

  The word of the day is 'covered trailer' !

  What would be your preferred hot sauce?

  Mike

 

Last edited: Mar 31, 2015

dirtsailor2003

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Oct 4, 2012

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Bend Oregon

• Mar 31, 2015

• #10

timberjet said:

Trouble is that my kitchen is so tiny I already have to keep the big turkey roaster and crockpot under my bed. lol. More stuff sounds like fun though.

Click to expand...

Best deep fryer is a Dutch oven!

For wing style thighs I inject them with a 50/50 mixture of Franks and beer. Let them marinate overnight or at the minimum 4 hours. Season liberally. Crank up the smoker temp if you can to around 400. Smoke until you hit 165 IT.

If you can get up to 425+ another option is to mix up your seasonings in flour. Dredge the injected chicken in that. I shake several pieces at a time in a bag with the flour mixture. Put in smoker cook to IT of 165. That's oilless smoker fried chicken.

For oiled smoker fried chicken follow above except take a cast iron skillet and heat it up in the smoker. Add 1/4 crisco or schmaltz, melt. Add thighs skin side down. When it hits an IT of 155 flip chicken. Pull at 165 IT. For this the smoker temp can be as low as 325.

Recommended woods: Kaiwe, cherry, pecan, peach, Apple or mixes of them.

 

Last edited: Mar 31, 2015