Some smoked chickens

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rookie177

Newbie
Original poster
May 14, 2013
8
10
Royal Oak, Mi
One of my first posts here: Last night I smoked two chickens and some stuffed portabella mushrooms. The chickens came out a little bitter, but once you peeled the skin back they were delicious.

I rubbed the chickens down with a little olive oil then sprinkled with some rub. Smoked for 2 hours in a MES(275 degrees) with 2 rows in the AMNPS.


 
Rookie, your Birds looked fine... practice will get the skin better tasting ( probably a bit of Creosote) .

Welcome to our World and keep the Q-view coming... Practice , practice , practice.

And as always . . .
 
I agree with oldschoolbbq, your bird looks fantastic.  The bitter taste came from being over smoked.  Cut back on the smoke time.  Try smoking for only one hour then apply your oil or other baste.  You will find that there will be good smoke penetration while still achieving that beautiful color.

Question:  Not being familiar with the MES products, why are you not using the chip tray that is provided?

Tom
 
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I think the issues arised when I turned the heat up for the smoker it caused the pellets to burn rather fast and over-smoke just like you guys have said.

I typically prefer apple, but this chicken was smoked with Pitmasters Choice(it was a freebie that came with the AMNPS, hickory/cherry/maple).

Tom, I use the AMNPS because it's easier to elongate the smoke. The chips only last for an hour or so in the tray and then I have to open and reload it.
 
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Tom, I use the AMNPS because it's easier to elongate the smoke. The chips only last for an hour or so in the tray and then I have to open and reload it.
Sounds like one hour would have done it.  One hour has always been enough smoke for my chickens, but you have to adjust the smoke color, density and time for your own taste. 

Tom
 
Don't let yourself become fixated on "Thin Blue Smoke", depending on the type of smoker or cooker you are using, there is a whole world of smoking to be touched with experience.

Maybe the following will help.

Most all items that are smoked using a light smoke can be smoked using a heavier smoke with caution as a heavier smoke is less forgiving making it easy to add too much smoke. There are also products that will only benefit from heavy smoke due to the short time required in the smoke. Without going into great detail, here are some of the products that can be smoked using a heavier smoke.  The times may depend on your personal taste. The times represent the time the smoke is applied. 

  

Breads, fresh, sliced -  cold smoke, one to two minutes will apply plenty of flavor.

Chips, Flat Breads, Crackers,  - cold smoke, 5 to 20 minutes.

Chicken,   - Hot smoke - 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Cheeses,  soft - cold smoke, 30 minutes to one hour.

Cheeses, hard - cold smoke,  I smoke to a desired color not by time.

Grilled meats - normally the duration of the cook.

Mushrooms, fresh - cold smoke, two to five minutes.

Nuts - hot or cold smoke, 30 minutes.

Oysters, fresh, for shooters - cold smoke, two minutes.

Ribs - hot smoke, one hour.

Sushi Rolls, sliced - cold smoke, two to three minutes.

Shrimp, cooked, cold for shrimp cocktail - cold smoke, two minutes.

Vegetables, grilled - Hot smoke, 5 to 10 minutes or duration of cooking time.

Vegetables, fresh  - 5 to 15 minutes depending on application.

The list can of course go on without including sauces and liquids, but this should give you an idea how I use a heavier smoke.

Tom
 
Thanks for the tips. This was my second set of chicken, the other set I threw in after a 16 hour Pork Butt smoke and they didn't have that bitter tinge in the skin.

Question: How often do you guys clean your smokers? I typically just crank up the heat and burn it out at the beginning of every smoke. Does anyone else actually degrease and wash out their smoker?
 
Question: How often do you guys clean your smokers? I typically just crank up the heat and burn it out at the beginning of every smoke. Does anyone else actually degrease and wash out their smoker?
Another newbie here but I thought the smoker was not supposed to be cleaned off.  The racks and things like that are but not the walls and door.
 
Another newbie here but I thought the smoker was not supposed to be cleaned off.  The racks and things like that are but not the walls and door.
 Pretty much correct. Racks only. Maybe after two years or so you can give the inside a scrap here or there if you have an excess buildup. Otherwise leave it be.
 
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