Rubber Chicken Disaster

[Skip J]

I have been cooking roast chickens in my oven for 20 years and have relied on the popup thermometer with very good results.  Now I have my new Bradley smoker, which of course cooks very slowly at 225 degrees.  The first time I smoked a whole chicken, it was fantastic.  I was able to rely on the popup plus my own digital thermometer.  The chicken's color and texture were perfect, with a great smoked taste.

Here is a photo of that success story: 


But twice since then, I have had a disaster on my hands.  The popup thermometer has not popped even though my digital thermometer says 175 with the probe in the breast meat.  The resulting chicken was moist, rancid tasting and rubbery, however the dark meat was fine.  The smoker cooking time for these 2 seven pound roasters was extra long, at four hours each. 

I wrote to the chicken processor, and asked if the popup could be damaged by slow cook times.  The company line is if you don't follow package directions (350 for 2+ hours, etc.) then you are on your own.

When I overcook a chicken in my conventional oven, the white meat is dry and stringy.  Does overcooked white meat from a smoker come out moist, rancid and rubbery?
From my description above, have I overcooked or undercooked these birds?
Could the slow cooking throw off or damage the popup?   
What do I try next?
I love cooking Boston Butts in the BOS, they are so forgiving!  But I don't want to give up on smoking a whole chicken.
Help!

[FLBentRider]

What position is your vent?

Rancid tasting? Sounds like "Black rain" (from a closed vent) or a bad bird.


I can't help you on the popup - I always throw them away and rely on my own devices.

Do you have a picture of those bad birds?

Four hours sounds about right.

[Skip J]

No picture of the bad birds, sorry.  I was so disgusted I tossed them out quickly.

But they looked a lot like the good one.  The surprise was inside.

My BOS vent is always wide open - thanks to this forum!

[squirtthecat]

Very well could have been a bad bird...

I've had that happen before.   The packaging had unusual smell that was amplified in the meat when it was cooked.    Bagged and into the trash it went..   Not happy.  (not that a chicken is that expensive, but the time wasted was aggravating)   Never went back to that store again.


Ditto on the pop-up thingie - I rely on a probe into the breast meat.  Pull at 165-ish° and rest.

(note, we don't eat the skin, but you can crisp it in the oven or on a hot grill if you like)

[ArnieM]

Sorry to hear of your experience Skip.  One bad bird - maybe - but two is unlikely.

Alton Brown suggests you leave the popup in the breast even if you don't use it.  Pulling it makes a hole for the juices to run out of.

I generally smoke at the highest temp the OBS will go to.  I'll then pull it and finish in the oven or on the grill to get a crispy skin (sorry squirt, bet the cats would like the skin).

Smoked chicken is good but there's no need for low and slow; nothing to break down.  Eight hours in a brine might help also.