While Texas is known for brisket and Carolina for pork, at Eager Beaver BBQ we love to push the boundaries of wood-fired flavor. Enter our Smoked Ginger Chicken—a sweet, savory, and zesty backyard favorite that has quickly become a crowd champion.
The Ginger-Soy Marinade
The secret to keeping chicken thighs incredibly juicy during a long smoke is a deep, flavorful marinade. We brine our chicken thighs for 12 hours in a custom mixture of:
- Fresh grated ginger root
- Tamari soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Garlic cloves and toasted sesame oil
Smoking Chicken Thighs
Unlike beef brisket, chicken has a high moisture content and skin that can easily turn rubbery if smoked too low. We smoke our ginger chicken thighs at 275°F to render the fat under the skin and crisp it up, using sweet fruitwood like cherry or apple.
Cooking timeline:
- Direct Smoke (2 hours): We lay the thighs skin-side up on the racks.
- The Glaze (Last 15 minutes): We brush on a light layer of our custom honey-ginger glaze, allowing it to caramelize and tack up under the heat.
Serve these thighs hot off the pit with a side of our creamy coleslaw and a cold beverage, and you’ve got the ultimate summer platter.
