Chicken Thigh Prep?
Other recipes or videos might tell you to:
- Remove excess skin
- Remove the kernel of cartilage near the bone
None of these are super necessary.
The excess skin will shrink and in some cases char BUT this skin I tear off and eat – it’s delicious.
If you don’t like excess potato-chip-like skin, you can slice off the portion that doesn’t cover the meat.
The cartilage won’t matter much either since it’s near a bone and people don’t eat bones – if you don’t like it though, you can remove it.
Rub for Chicken Thighs
Liberally apply this to both the skin and meat side of the thighs:
- 2 tbsp brownulated sugar
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 tbsp diamond crystal kosher salt
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp granulated onion
- 1/4 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp medium grind black pepper
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder*
*If you like more heat, use 1 tsp of Chipotle powder.
If you don’t have brownulated sugar, use light brown sugar.
You will also likely have rub left over, save for another cook.
Get Your Smoker to 325F and Put Chicken Thighs on, Indirect
Don’t go above 325F since there’s lot of sugar in the rub that can and will burn.
Going hot and fast also lets us render the skin fat better.
Other recipes might tell you to do 225-250F but I find that going lower creates rubbery skin.
Put your thighs on indirect and add your favorite hardwood – I used apple.
1 medium chunk should be enough for the whole cook.
Check on the Thighs in 30 Minutes
Some thighs are bigger than others and will finish faster.
I’m looking for 2 things:
- Skin fat that’s rendered
- Internal temperature above 200F (don’t probe near a bone, probe meat)
When you go to touch the skin, it will feel “rigid” like a potato chip.
Skin fat that isn’t rendered will be soft and squishy.
Chicken thighs have so much fat and collagen that they taste better when they’re pushed to around 200F+.
Chicken thighs @ 165F are technically safe to eat but the skin fat will be barely rendered.
It’ll be soft, chewy and you were better off removing it.
After 45-60 Minutes All the Thighs Should be Done
Allow the thighs to rest for 10-20 minutes or until the internal is around 150F.
Optionally, sauce with your favorite BBQ sauce
Then enjoy!
Sweet & Smokey Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 3-5 whole Bone-in, Skin-on, Chicken Thighs
Sweet & Smokey BBQ Rub
- 2 tbsp brownulated sugar
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 tbsp diamond crystal kosher salt
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp granulated onion
- 1/4 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp medium grind black pepper
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
Instructions
- Get your smoker to 325F. Don't go higher as the rub contains lots of sugar which can and will burn.
- Take chicken thighs out of packaging and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Combine rub ingredients in the specified quantities and liberally apply to the meat and skin side.2 tbsp brownulated sugar, 2 tbsp white sugar, 1/2 tbsp diamond crystal kosher salt, 1 tsp celery salt, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp granulated garlic, 1/2 tsp granulated onion, 1/4 tsp mustard powder, 1/2 tsp medium grind black pepper, 1 tsp ancho chili powder, 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- Put seasoned thighs on smoker, indirect.
- Add a chunk of your favorite hardwood – I used 1 medium chunk of apple for the entire cook.
- You'll know the thighs are done when the skin is rigid and crispy to the touch and the internal temperature is above 200F.
- Once done, take off the smoker and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then enjoy!
