need help with chicken halves

[skinsfan75]

so im a member of my local moose lodge and they are having there big fund raiser this saturday, any way they had a guy who was gonna cook the chickens on his rotisarre but something came up and he cant make it know. heres where i come in, they have asked me to smoke the half chickens since i smoked some briskets for them a few weeks ago. but i have never done chicken halves, anyone that has any suggestions it would be of some great help, such as what type of wood and about how long do i smoke them. i dont think i will have time to do a brine, will that be ok. any help would be great.

thanks joe

 

[meat-man]

Hey brother a moose member here as well Clark County Moose lodge 1432

If your doing this Sat. you should have enough time to brine the chicken. As far as wood you can't go wrong with hickory. How much chicken are you wanting to do ? I smoked a couple of whole birds couple weeks ago and they took around 4 hrs.

 

[jack2u2]

How much work you want to put in it? I use real butter mixed with my rub. Get under the skin. Mayo and rub outside. Smoke at 250 w/hickory for about 3 -3.5 hours.

 

[solar]

How big is your grill/smoker?

I'm not sure of your smoking history, so excuse me if I'm preaching to the quire.

(I'm guessing you're cooking a bunch of chicken halves at one time)

If you can't use a brine you're okay, I've done really well with rubbing the chicken with olive oil and some salt and pepper. I like to smoke/grill the chicken halves over a indirect lower heat, (if possible), the slower the better because a high direct heat will dry the meat out. Chicken, to me, seems to adsrob smoke a lot more than beef or pork, so a light smoke (hickory) will work nicely. Have a therm with you, and when the middle of the breast meat hits 170 pull the cooked row and and cover them in a foil pan and let them sit for a few minutes.

 

[gorillagrilla]

Like Solar said, smoke em to temp. not time. I would go a little higher , masybe 275 or so to kick em through the danger zone

 

[pops6927]

Know this is a basic, but sometimes often overlooked especially when cooking for a large group w/so much to do all at once - make sure you wash the chicken good just before brining, rubbing, cooking, etc. Bacteria and large groups don't mix well.

 

[travcoman45]

Ifin ya ain't gotem in a brine by now, ya probably aren't gonna, but anyway, give em a nice rub with yer favorite, smoke em at 250* to an internal temp a 170*, now here is where ya gonna hep yer skin get a decent texture an a nice sheen spritz each hour with this:

Smoke in the Hollar Spritz:

8 oz. Apple Cider
6 oz Water
4 oz Whiskey
2 oz Cider Vinegar

Besure ta check the temp of each piece so that no one gets an under done bird. Let them rest fer bout 15 ta 20 minutes after the smoke. If time an money allow, brush them with a 50/50 mixtue of melted butter an honey, this is a fantastic glaze.

Rule of thumb is 1 1/2 hours a pound, but it don't always hold true! Good luck an may the smoke gods smile upon yer cooker!

Moose Lodge 1328
Mason City Iowa

 

[ron50]

Just some advice on the wood. Hickory is a stronger taste then fruit woods and might be too much on chicken for the crowd you have.

Apple wood works great with poultry as it gives a much lighter smoke flavor then hickory. If you don't have apple any fruit (peach, pear, etc) would work.

Pecan is also a good choice.

 

[flash]

He was going to do chicken ''halves'' on a rotisserie

I can see full birds but can't picture halves that way. Halves are always good just to grill. Was it a basket type holder??
Brining, nah, don't need it. Google up Memphis Rub and add that to the birds. Remember if you smoke, expect rubbery skin unless you can finish them on a hot grill.



Smoked Quarters



Finished on the hot grill

 

[skinsfan75]

thanks for all the great advice, i think im gonna smoke with some apple wood and give travs spritz a try. the chickens were whole chickens but guess the guy supplying the birds got mixed up and had them split. i dont have time to brine since i have to work today and have a wedding tonite. hope i behave tonite(it is a open bar tonite). the party starts at 5pm sat so i figure if i start smoking at about 12ish i should be safe on time. is it ok if some birds are done early to wrap in foil for a short time, or maybe wrap in foil and put them on my gas grill on low heat till time to eat. i guess the time thing and if some are done early are biggest concerns. thanks again for all the help.who knows maybe someday ill get really good at this, seems like just when i think i get good at one thing, i read some more posts and i have to tackle a whole new situation.

joe(skinsfan)

 

[pineywoods]

Personally I would either hot smoke em 300-340* smoker temps or finish them on the grill so you have edible skin. If mine finished early I'd dry cooler them then if needed re crisp on the grill. Oh and apple is an excellent choice for wood

 

[1894]

Joe, let me know if you need anything to help get 'er done .
Just happened to be chargriller cleaning day today so if you want to run two , one smoking and one hot , or whatever .... It's clean and ready to go.
I'll check the apple wood , may be some seasoned in there by now , a few cherry chunks are dry and ready to go.
Got new batterys for my thermos if you need a couple more.
A few bags o' RO in the shed as well.
It's all your fault I got started in this obsession , so any thing you think you could use ( except for cooking advice

), just ask .


Phil

 

[skinsfan75]

1894, thank god for friends, i will need help, but im an a**hole. i cant ask 4 help when i need it,u are always there ,true friends mean you dont have to ask, and i dont have to wonder are you and the miss going show up for the MOOSE at 5pm

 

[1894]

Were headed to the Scottish games this AM , but give a call if you are up before we leave , if not I'll try to call you.

Phil

 

[1894]

Copied from wrong thread.


My wife and I had some great tasting chicken last night

Stopped by in the afternoon and Skinsfan75 had things well under control

Was either 38 or 48 halves , but I could smell the TBS from over a block away

A chargriller and a smoke vault churning out beautiful chicks and smoke.
Get back there for the tasty vittles , and then find out he had no qview tool

Shouldn't have listened to my better half , she said " Don't bring the camera , it's his smoke and I'm sure he will take his own qview ."
Some one did get some pics , but when he offered a peek into the smoke vault ,



All I can do is a verbal description ( sorry) but the perfect color on the birds , the thin blue from the apple chunks , and gentle drippings falling from the chix was a picture perfect sight , and the smell that just made your mouth water , even my wife was amazed and wished she had one of her cameras

.
Tastey , tender and juicey MMMMMMMMMmmmmm GOOOOOODDDD
Tell ya what , that there skinsfan is a dang good cook

Phil