Help with smoking Chicken at the end of my Briket Run

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friscofaulkner

Newbie
Original poster
Aug 28, 2013
16
10
Texas
To start with, I am new to the forum and my first post so I apologize for any mistakes here.,

I am using a MES 40 with the AMAZE-N Pellet smoker.  I will be placing a brisket on the smoker but towards the end, I also wanted to throw in two whole Chickens but the recommended smoking temperatures for Chickens are higher than the brisket.   Curious as to the best option here?  Just leave it smoking at the same temp as my brisket, ~225 degrees and just let the Chicken stay in longer or raise the temp and remove brisket sooner than expected?

I don't want to ruin the brisket after its been smoking for 8-9 hours but am curious of the groups options.
 
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You could bump up the temp a little....like 250, and put the chicken in to do it's thing. The chick will cook ok but the skin will not be crispy at that temp. Many will flop the bird on a grill to char up the skin after smoking it, if you eat it. I usually only eat the skin on legs and wings...tossing the rest, as I feel fat enuf now. 8-9 hours?? how big a brisket? Most here will figure about 2 hours per pound as a guideline, allowing for stalls and mood swings of the brisket. Allow plenty of time....you can always hold it wrapped and in a cooler till serving time.
 
My brisket is starting off ~13lbs but expecting to get down to 11 to 11.5 after trimming excess fat.  So I was looking at about 1.5hrs per pound on my brisket for a total of about 16hrs or so, depending on internal temps.   My 8-9 hrs was more of a swag time when I expected to put the chicken in, expecting I would put the chicken in for 4-5 hours at that low temp. I really should have said after smoking brisket for 10-11 hrs I was going to put the chicken in.

All, in all, being my first smoke in the MES 40 I am open to timelines from you pro's.  Would it be smart to smoke for about 10-11hrs @225, then put the Chicken in, bump temp to 250 and smoke for 4 more hours taking both off at that end?  What do you think?

Last note, I agree that I won't eat the skin so I am not too concerned about that actually.  I may take your advice and throw on the grill for a bit to crisp up for look but I won't be eating it.

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That sounds like a viable plan. I take it you're not going to foil the brisket....going for more bark. Putting it in at 225 will allow a peaceful nights sleep and then bump it up in the morning. Whole chickens at about 250 should be in the 3 hour range or so. All depends on the IT...chicken, minimum 165....some like more around 170-175 so no pink around the joints and thighs are nicely done. Chicken goes in below the brisket, of course. I'm a watt burner and my max temp setting is 250, which is where I've been doing most everything. Many are going towards a 'new normal' temp of somewhere in the range of 250-300 ala Myron Mixon of PitMaster fame so 'low & slow @ 225' is changing. Many are concerned about the 4 hour 40-140 window to get out of the danger zone so don't probe for a few hours.
 
Great reminder about the foil.  Yes, I do want to foil it after a nice bark has set in but how long should that take on a 11lb brisket at 225 do you think?.  Should I foil it after about 11hrs when I put the chicken in and raise the temp to 250?  Then let them cook for maybe 3 more hours at 250? 
 
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