I now own a pitboss pellet grill and after using it some, I have a question.

When I do chicken in it, the skin is tuff as Kevlar. Am I doing something wrong or is that the nature of the beast???

The chicken is moist and has a really great taste, just that the skin is tuff. Cooking recommendations are appreciated!!!!

It's the hardest thing to get right when smoking any meat IMO, bite through skin. I'm going to try this, I think Big Moe knows what he's doing.

Thanks ADC, what I've cooked so far is definitely not bite thru! What I found odd was how good the meat is, its just the skin that's like leather.

I cooked some deer bologna in it and it was ok. Same with some beef.

Like I said, you can make great BBQ with it but that bite through skin is the hardest thing to get right in BBQ IMO. I have scraped it like so and its a lot better but not as good as I'd like... https://www.bbqdryrubs.com/smoked-chicken-thighs/

Come summer, I'll bust out the rack and do my chicken over charcoal as usual, but this thing will be great for cooking during cold months.

Hard to beat charcoaled chicken. I make the best BBQ ribs I've ever eaten on my Pitboss though. Pulled pork is awesome too. Second best brisket though, a buddy of mine's can't be topped.

It does do Beef like I've never had before. I'm with ya on doing halves of chicken over charcoal, giving it a spritz of vinagar/butter/salt and pepper mix every now and then.

Are you slow cooking / smoking it ?


I turn it up and cook it quick ( with no worries of a flash fire ) juicy as heck , but I don't remember the skin being tough . I'ma have to try some this weekend and see

I cooked it at 350.

The fan runs the whole time, is that to keep it burning and the way they work?

I smoke mine for an hour to an hour and a half then turn up the temp and open the sear plate to crisp the sink. I don't brine just dry rub for seasoning.

Did you put any butter or oil on it ?

I cook my chicken low and slow like they recommend.
Comes out finger lickin good.

Buy some chicken from somewhere different.The pellet grill shouldn’t cause tough skin.

No butter or oil, just dusted good with season all and garlic powder.

My thought was to cook it slower like said above. Its not the chicken, been buying it from the same place for years.

Cooking low and slow will cause rubbery skin but the chicken is very juicy. I find it hard to get both. Next chicken I do I will start low and slow and crank it up at the end or put it in the oven on broil.

Hippee I cook mine at 250 or 300 . 250 most of the time. Turning it 2 times basting it with a mixture of KC barb que sauce 1 stick of butter and lawrys seasoning salt. Its tender skin is perfect. 6 legs or 4 quarter take 1 hour and 40 minutes EXACTLY at 250 !!!! tinker with it I got to were I don't cook at 350 anymore. Beef will give a flash fire anything above 300. IF you haven't cleaned it for couple of uses.

I just spent 30 minutes vacumn sealing legs and quarters on sale at Kroger for 1.19. WINGS are 4.99 lb !!!

If you don't like sauce use stick butter. Melt it and use basting brush THATS the key to good chicken inside and out on any tipe of grill. I've basted in butter for 40 years . My chicken anyway .

Try it at a lower temp and then add some type of fat and raise the heat to crisp the skin. That lets the skin render out then the fat can cause the skin to crisp at the end. Even olive oil will work

Fan forces the air in to burn the pellets. It has to run all the time. Low and slow. Same on ribs with me. They come out great. Beef with any fat starts a fire unless drip rails clean. Burgers is a flash fire for he double hockey sticks.
Haven’t cooked chicken yet. Would wrapping them in foil work after a good smoke?

MMMMMMM 2 days ago before this dang ice and rain hit.

Here's some legs last week