How to Smoke Chicken Thighs | Mad Scientist BBQ
Summary
TLDRIn the 'Mad Scientist Barbecue' video, Jeremy Yoder demonstrates how to transform the underrated bone-in skin-on chicken thighs into a delicious barbecue dish. With sponsorship from HelloFresh, he emphasizes the simplicity of seasoning with just salt and pepper, smoking the chicken at a low temperature to build smoke flavor, and finishing with a glaze of barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar. The result is a tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken that challenges the common perception of dark meat, proving that with the right technique, even the most overlooked cuts can become a star at the barbecue.
Takeaways
- 🍗 The video is about cooking bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, which are considered an underrated barbecue item.
- 👨🍳 The host, Jeremy Yoder, introduces the video and thanks the sponsor, HelloFresh, for providing meal kits that make cooking easy and affordable.
- 📦 HelloFresh sends pre-measured ingredients, offering flexibility and convenience, especially for those with busy schedules or families.
- 🔥 The chicken thighs are seasoned simply with a 50/50 mix of salt and pepper, emphasizing the importance of smoke flavor in the cooking process.
- 💰 The total cost of the chicken used in the video is $11.25, highlighting the affordability of this dish.
- 🌡️ The cooking process begins at a low temperature of 225 degrees Fahrenheit, focusing on building smoke flavor before increasing the temperature to crisp the skin.
- 🔥 After an hour, the temperature is increased to 300 degrees to crisp the skin and render the fat, ensuring the chicken is juicy and tender.
- 🍯 A glaze is prepared using barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar, mixed to a runny consistency for even coating.
- 🔥 The chicken is glazed after reaching an internal temperature of 185 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring the glaze sets properly without overcooking.
- 👨👩👧👦 The video encourages viewers to try cooking chicken thighs, as they are a cost-effective and flavorful option for barbecue enthusiasts.
- 📚 The host suggests that this method of cooking chicken thighs is the easiest way to achieve great results, emphasizing the simplicity and effectiveness of the technique.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the video by Jeremy Yoder?
-The main focus of the video is to demonstrate how to cook bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, which the host considers the most underrated barbecue item.
Who is the sponsor of the video and what do they offer?
-The sponsor of the video is HelloFresh, which offers pre-measured ingredients for easy and affordable meal preparation.
What are the benefits of using HelloFresh according to the video?
-HelloFresh saves time, offers flexibility, and allows for restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of buying large quantities of ingredients.
Why does Jeremy Yoder consider chicken thighs to be underrated in barbecue?
-Jeremy Yoder considers chicken thighs to be underrated because they are not a glamorous cut of meat and often result in dry and boring meals, but when cooked properly, they can be amazing.
What is the simple seasoning method used for the chicken thighs in the video?
-The simple seasoning method used is a 50/50 mix by volume of salt and pepper.
How much did the chicken thighs cost in the video?
-The total cost of the chicken thighs in the video was 11.25 dollars.
What is the initial temperature used for smoking the chicken thighs and why?
-The initial temperature used is 225 degrees, which can drop as low as 200 degrees, to focus on adding smoke flavor early in the cooking process.
Why is it important to season the skin side of the chicken thighs?
-Seasoning the skin side helps dehydrate the skin, resulting in a crispier texture that is not chewy or rubbery.
What is the purpose of increasing the temperature to 300 degrees after an hour?
-The purpose of increasing the temperature to 300 degrees is to crisp the skin and ensure the fat under the skin is rendering properly, which keeps the chicken juicy.
What are the two ingredients used for the glaze on the chicken thighs?
-The two ingredients used for the glaze are barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar.
What is the recommended internal temperature for the chicken thighs before glazing?
-The recommended internal temperature for the chicken thighs before glazing is 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why does Jeremy Yoder test the juiciness of the chicken before applying the glaze?
-Testing the juiciness before applying the glaze ensures that any extra moisture detected is from the chicken itself and not from the sauce, maintaining the integrity of the glaze.
What is the final step in glazing the chicken thighs?
-The final step in glazing the chicken thighs is to leave them on the smoker just long enough for the glaze to thicken and become sticky.
What does Jeremy Yoder suggest as an alternative to store-bought barbecue sauce for the glaze?
-Jeremy Yoder suggests that if viewers want to make their own barbecue sauce, they should feel free to do so.
How does Jeremy Yoder encourage viewers to try his method of cooking chicken thighs?
-He encourages viewers to try his method by pointing out the low cost of chicken thighs and the impressive results in terms of smoke flavor, tenderness, and juiciness.
Outlines
🍗 Introduction to Chicken Thighs Barbecue
Jeremy Yoder, the host of 'Mad Scientist Barbecue,' begins the video by introducing the focus of the episode: bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which he considers the most underrated barbecue item. He thanks the sponsor, HelloFresh, highlighting its convenience and affordability in providing pre-measured ingredients for easy and delicious meals. Jeremy emphasizes the simplicity of the chicken thighs preparation, seasoning them with a 50/50 salt and pepper mix, and placing them on the smoker. He also mentions the cost-effectiveness of the chicken, noting that the total cost was only $11.25, and provides tips for seasoning the skin to achieve a crispy texture without being chewy or rubbery.
🔥 Smoking Chicken Thighs for Flavor
After an hour of smoking the chicken thighs at a low temperature of 225 degrees, Jeremy checks the internal temperature and finds it in the 150s. He then increases the smoker's temperature to 300 degrees to crisp the skin. Jeremy explains the importance of rendering the fat under the skin to prevent it from being rubbery and to ensure juiciness. He discusses the use of barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar to create a glaze for the chicken, aiming for a consistency that is not too thick or too runny. The glaze is applied once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 185 degrees, as recommended by the package, to ensure tenderness and juiciness. Jeremy emphasizes the importance of achieving the right balance of smoke flavor and glaze sweetness.
🏆 The Underrated Champion - Smoked Chicken Thighs
Jeremy concludes the video by reiterating the underrated status of smoked chicken thighs and encourages viewers to try this cost-effective and flavorful barbecue method. He suggests that the quality of smoke flavor and the tenderness and juiciness of the chicken will impress anyone who tries it. He invites viewers to share their thoughts in the comments and to follow him on social media platforms for more barbecue tips and insights. The video ends with a reminder to like, subscribe, and engage with the content for more barbecue adventures.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Barbecue
💡HelloFresh
💡Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Thighs
💡Smoke Flavor
💡Seasoning
💡Smoker
💡Temperature Control
💡Glaze
💡Internal Temperature
💡Juiciness
💡Mad Scientist Barbecue
Highlights
Introduction to the barbecue cooking show and sponsorship by HelloFresh.
Focus on cooking bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, an underrated barbecue item.
Advantages of using HelloFresh for meal preparation and its flexibility.
The simplicity of cooking chicken thighs and the potential for impressive results.
Seasoning the chicken with a 50/50 mix of salt and pepper for simplicity.
The cost-effectiveness of cooking chicken thighs at only $11.25 for the total.
Importance of seasoning the skin side of the chicken for crispiness.
Avoiding rubs with fine granules to preserve smoke flavor.
Placing chicken thighs on the smoker at a low temperature of 225 degrees.
Building smoke flavor early in the cooking process.
Increasing the temperature to 300 degrees to crisp the skin after an hour.
The internal temperature of the chicken reaching the 150s before skin crisping.
Using barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar for a glaze.
Adjusting the glaze consistency to ensure an even coat on the chicken.
Cooking chicken thighs to an internal temperature of 185 degrees for tenderness.
Dunking the cooked chicken in the glaze and returning it to the smoker.
Ensuring the glaze thickens and sets properly on the chicken.
The transformation of an undesirable cut of meat into an amazing barbecue dish.
Encouragement to try cooking chicken thighs for their potential to impress.
Transcripts
hey guys welcome to mad scientist
barbecue i'm jeremy yoder and today i'm
going to show you how to cook the most
underrated barbecue item there is that
is bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
i want to take a minute to thank today's
sponsor hellofresh america's number one
meal kit
they send you pre-measured ingredients
to make meals fun
and easy and it makes them affordable
too because you don't have to buy large
quantities of things that you're not
going to use
in addition to saving time and being
delicious the hellofresh meals
offer you flexibility so if you can't
get to the grocery store guess what you
have these meals with pre-measured
ingredients ready to go
and you can make something delicious for
your family without a lot of hassle
my wife sometimes gets intimidated when
she's trying out a new recipe and she
has to go buy all the ingredients and
it's a big hassle
especially with a little baby to take
care of she loves that she can make
restaurant quality meals at home
and for fun we make them together
everything that you need to know is on
this convenient sheet
and everything that you need to use is
in this bag there are lots of options
available
so if you want meat there are meals with
meat if you're a vegetarian you can
order something vegetarian it's never
been easier to feed your family
go to hellofresh.com and use code mad
scientist bbq12 to get 12 free meals
including free shipping that's
hellofresh.com use codemad scientist
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to get 12 free meals and free shipping
when i say that bone and skin on chicken
thighs are underrated
it's because it's not really a glamorous
cut of meat so
if i make a video about brisket people
comment on it they talk about it they're
planting their own next brisket cook
but chicken doesn't inspire the same
kind of excitement that's probably
because
people have eaten a lot of dry boring
gross chicken in their lives and they
don't get super excited about it
now there's no reason that the chicken
you cook on your smoker can't be great
as a matter of fact when i was doing
barbecue pop-ups people would come up
after they'd gotten their food they
would say the brisket like always was
great
but that chicken was amazing and
for me that was disappointing because i
worked really hard on the brisket spent
hours and hours and hours doing it
and the way i did the chicken was about
the simplest way i could possibly think
of doing it but it just turned out to be
the best
we're not going to do any trimming we're
not going to do anything weird to it at
all we're going to take the chicken out
of the package
season it and then put it on the smoker
and we're going to season with just salt
and pepper
so a 50 50 mix by volume couldn't be any
easier
the total cost of this chicken was only
11.25 so it's
a lot of food for not a lot of money but
a couple important notes
number one is make sure you season the
skin side because that helps dehydrate
the skin
so that it's crispier in the end and
it's not chewy and rubbery the second
thing
is i wouldn't use a rub that has a lot
of fine granules because
for some reason it seems to diminish the
smoke flavor and the way we're doing the
chicken today
smoke flavor is going to be king so for
ease of transport i put all the chicken
thighs into one pan so we're going to
take this pan out there and then put the
thighs on the smoker
we're going to put these chicken thighs
on at 225 degrees it can drop maybe as
low as 200
that's totally fine because right now
i'm only concerned with adding smoke
flavor
because chicken cooks for such a short
time it's really important that you
build in smoke flavor early
and quickly so we're going to do is low
temperature build in all that smoke
flavor
and then we're going to dial up the
temperature and worry about crisping
that skin
[Music]
so
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
so
[Music]
it's been about an hour at this point so
i checked the temperature on these
pieces of chicken
and it's in the 150s for all these
pieces so at this point what i'm going
to do
is i'm going to increase the temperature
of the smoke i'm going to bring it up to
300 degrees
instead of 225 because at this point
we've got good color on there we've got
good smoke flavor so now what i want to
do is crisp the skin
and the internal temperature of these
pieces is in the 150s
but the temperature of the skin right
now is in the high 180s sometimes even
in the 190s so that means the fat under
the skin is rendering properly it's
going to do two things
it's going to keep the skin from being
rubbery number one and number two
it's going to make sure that the chicken
is juicy because what you're going to
taste this juice in your mouth is
actually rendered fat
all right i'm going to add some logs to
the fire and bump up this temperature to
300 degrees now the package says
that these need to be cooked to an
internal temperature of 185 so we're
gonna go at 300 degrees until we reach
185
at that point we're going to glaze the
chicken so we have the smoke flavor as a
layer underneath and then we have the
sweetness of sauce on top
so to mix up what we're going to use for
the glaze there are only two ingredients
necessary number one
barbecue sauce i have a bunch of sweet
baby rays so that's what i'm using today
if you want to make your own sauce
then by all means do that and then apple
cider vinegar so this is
bragg's apple cider vinegar you can just
get plain jane
you know hines apple cider vinegar if
you want but we're going to mix those
together because i want the consistency
to be thinner than the thickness of
regular barbecue sauce
and so i'm going to put barbecue sauce
in this tray you're going to find out
why we're using the tray later
but i'm going to put barbecue sauce in
the tray add vinegar until it gets to be
the right consistency and we're going to
show you how that works
[Music]
so i add vinegar until this sauce
mixture is runny
so it doesn't just glue glue glue
because if you have a gloopy glaze
what will happen is you don't get an
even coat on the outside so i want an
even coat so i want it to be runny
enough
but don't add so much vinegar that it
you know has the consistency of water
you still want some of the viscosity
there
so from everything that i've read dark
meat for chicken should be
safe to eat you know usually people say
between 170 175
some places as low as 165 but i think on
that package they're recommending to
cook to 185 because
it breaks down some of the connective
tissues and stuff like that a little bit
more
to make it juicier and more tender and
these guys are ready to glaze so
they're done cooking all we're going to
do is dunk them in that sauce
put them back on the smoker to set the
glaze so we don't need to increase the
temperature anymore
and the reason i get them to a final
temperature before i glaze them is
because when i dunk them into that cold
sauce
they're going to drop in temperature
rather than continue to climb up
but one thing i want to test is is this
juicy so what i'm going to do
i'm going to test the juiciness before i
add the glaze because
that way you know that there's no extra
moisture being added by any other source
so i'm going to pull a piece of this off
we're going to see if it's juicy so here
we have
this piece of chicken and it looks juicy
so far
but let's see how juicy it is
if that's not juicy and tender i don't
know what is okay
gosh it smells good i might eat this
right now
it smells incredible now this whole cook
has been about making it easy and this
in my experience is the easiest way to
glaze a whole bunch of chicken at once
[Music]
[Music]
at this point we're going to leave the
chicken on only long enough for that
glaze to thicken up a little bit so it
starts to get sticky
[Music]
looking at this chicken i see the glaze
on the outside it's nice and shiny which
tells me that it's thickened up properly
and then i know that i've already added
a nice layer of smoke flavor underneath
that so it should
hit all the notes that we want in our
chicken now
another thing that's important to
consider is that a lot of people aren't
huge fans of dark meat chicken
but what barbecue is about is taking
something undesirable
and turning it into something amazing
and that's what we did with this chicken
out there on that smoker
perfect smoked chicken thighs
really are the most underrated barbecue
item out there what i would encourage
you to do
is go get a pack they're dirt cheap
usually less than a dollar a pound
and try this out you really don't have
much to lose and you have a lot to gain
i think you're really going to impress
people
with the quality of smoke flavor that
you get and the tenderness and juiciness
of these pieces of chicken
so give this a shot let me know in the
comments what you think about it and if
you liked the video hit the like button
down below subscribe to the channel
and you can also follow me on instagram
twitter and facebook at mad scientist
barbecue i'll see you guys next time
you
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