Hints for first smoked chicken

[tomrhodes]

It looks good to me.  Let me know how you liked it.  I may try it as well.

Tom

 

[brandx35]

I think foiling the chicken works wonders for keeping it moist, but if crispy skin is desired I woulld definitely omit that step. It'll only make any crispy skin somewhat soggy.

 

[stovebolt]

 Quote from TomRhodes

" I have an electric smoker and wanted to the same thing.  The temperature I think only gets to 225.  Any ideas on how I can smoke the chicken?  Please advise.  Also, where can I find the wiki section?

 Tom, The wikis are now the "Articles" located at the top of your page.

 You can smoke chickens just fine at 225, just toss on a hot grill or under your broiler if you want crisp skin. Many people just give the skin to the dogs to avoid the fat and eat the chicken in which case crispy doesn't matter.

Chuck

 

[overground]

[h1]Bacon Beer Chicken (with no bacon).[/h1]
This may sound like sacrilege to some, but my best whole chickens come out of my gasser. This can obviously also be done in a smoker or charcoal grill, but the temps are easier to regulate using gas grill with indirect heat.

I find brining overkill on chicken and not necessary. Turkey, on the other hand, I always brine.

Here's what I do. 

Get yourself some Big Bear Black Stout or Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

I use this infuser: Camp Chef, Sante Series Turkey Cannon Infusion roaster  ,  but you can just use a suitable can and fill it 3/4 full with the stout. Drink the remaining beer.

Take the chicken out of the fridge 1-2 hours before your cook, removing the innards and rinsing inside and out with cold water. Paper towel dry. Trim any excess skin and fat from the neck and tail areas.

Prepare this rub (good for 1 chicken, double for 2 and so on).

1/8 cup Kosher Salt

1/8 cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/8 cup paprika

1 tbsp freshly ground pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 tsp dried mustard

[font=arial, sans-serif]For more heat, you can up the cayenne and / or mustard.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Mix ingredients well.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Start by spreading the rub inside the cavity, then drizzle EVOO over the entire body. Place enough rub on the body to coat. Pour any remaining rub into your beer can or infuser.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Position bird on can or infuser, tucking wings behind the back of the chicken. Conversely, you can just let the wings fly if you enjoy burnt, crispy tips. I do.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Plug neck hole with an onion.[/font]

Fire up your grill or smoker. Use  indirect heat if possible: right and left on, middle burners off.[color= rgb(34, 34, 34)]  Get it steady at 325* to 350*. I like to use some hickory chips or pellets in a smoker box or foil pouches. You don't need much.[/color]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Place your chicken(s) in the cooker, and go do something else for 45 min (hopefully you bought more than one beer).[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]After 45 min, check the temp at the thigh, and then at 15 minute intervals. When the IT reads 140-145, crank the heat up to 525*-550*.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]This will really crisp the skin.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]When the IT at the thigh reads at least 165* (my girlfriend prefers 180*) take your bird(s) off the grill and let rest 15-20 min.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]Carve and enjoy.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]It will taste like bacon.[/font]

[font=arial, sans-serif]EDIT: Writing this made me want to make some last night. ;-)[/font]

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• overground
• Mar 13, 2013

20130312_190726.jpg

• overground
• Mar 13, 2013

 

[cheese smoker]

I have an old Smokey Joe.  225 is hot enough.  Get a Polder or other thermometer with a cable you can run outside the box so you can keep track of the temperature.  The first several times you use it, give yourself more time than you think you'll need.  The electrics I've seen can be turned way down, to a "keep warm" sort of setting.  I don't think I've ever dried out anything I've brined before I smoked it.

 

[integritybbq]

First smoke- 4 whole young chickens in 22" WSM (top rack)

Prime lump charcoal with Pecan and maple wood chunks added

260 - 290 deg. for roughly 3 hours.

Pulled when temp reached 165 deg. and wrapped in foil for 30 mins.

Skin was crispy, but did get a little chewy but still good after wrapping in foil, wonder if wrapping in foil is needed.

!

first smoke.jpg

• integritybbq
• Apr 25, 2013

 

[integritybbq]

Forgot to mention I used about a full ring of lump charcoal using Minion method with a chimney starter.  I also never let the temp get over 300, I used the temp. on the smoker which from what I read runs hotter than what it reads. I got really lucky with the skin as most of what I read was to be in 325-350 for crispy skin. I am really impressed with small tuning of vents in bottom of WSM help you get the temp you want. If you can't raise temp by opening vents add a handful of charcoal (lump in my case).  I only lifted lid twice in whole smoke, once to peek, 2nd to flip (about 2 hour mark). Very happy with how this came out, a lot better than I expected.  Juicy and a good light smoke flavor,  WSM 22" was a very good purchase! 

Thanks to the site and my father we produced some really good birds right out the gate.

Next 20lb Turkey! 

 

[fwismoker]

IMO nothing beats a chicken on rotisserie/ indirect heat... i'll be doing my Thanks Giving turkey on this. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71G0jCJIZGL._SL1500_.jpg

 

[yardbird]

I did my first chickens low and slow. Later, I learned that with chickens (or poultry in general) it's not really necessary. I have a propane smoker (Smoke Hollow) and I crank that puppy up. I can pretty easily maintain 375 and that's about where I cook 'em at. I use apple chips and chunks for smoke. They still get a nice smoke flavor, and they're fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy, but the skin is much better at the higher heat. At 225 where I did my first one, the skin was rubbery. And I'm too lazy to light the grill and flop 'em around on there after running them through the smoker. :)

That being said, I have nothing against a slow roasted bird. I guess another way to do it would be to slow roast at 225-230 and then right at the end crank up the heat to something near 400 :)

 

[nick981]

Wow! All of those q-views look great! I've got to try it!

 

[tjnamtiw]

I did my first two chickens splaycocked as suggested here on my 40" MES with window and will never cook them any other way!  So darn easy to do and it took one hour at 275 for two chickens, 5 pounds each.  I watched a YT video to see how it was done.  5 Minutes total time!

I also did another 5 pounds of andouille sausage the next day.  I know.  No pictures so it didn't happen.  :(

 

[smoker21]

Yep.

Never ever happened.

Guess you're gonna have to do it again

 

[tjnamtiw]

Can't go wrong with spatchcocking the birds.  Takes one hour at 275 for 2 five pounders in my 40" MES with window

AND I DID IT AGAIN!!!!!  NO pictures from last night.  And it IS spatch not splay, as I said earlier.  WILL get pictures next time!  

 

[chef willie]

I did a beer can bird in the smoker at 250 degrees. Even the breast was moist & delicious which isn't always the case. Only skin I eat is on the wings or legs, rest I dump so not a big issue here. The well around the bird contained sweet mini- peppers and Yukon Golds in the back that cooked in the juices....xlnt meal. Nice to see an old thread fro 2010 make the rounds again....

BCC.jpg

• chef willie
• May 2, 2013

 

[overground]

Looks fantastic CW! 

 

[bigtexun]

Large zip-loc bags can work for brining, but you have to be careful about leaks in the fridge.  If you can clear out a produce bin (and wash is after to disinfect) that might be the trick you need for a safe brining location for leaky zip-loc bags.
 

 

[ticker]

for crispy skin after i brine it lay the  chicken on a rack uncovered in frig overnight,make sure chicken is dry before cooking/been doing it for years

 

 

[sandlapper]

I am listed as a Newbie- OK- but I have been cooking with smoke siince around 1958 or so! I have in my outdoor kitchen a large and mini-BGE; two Bradleys a 4 rack original and 6 rack digital, an Oklahoma Joe wood fired smoker a 3 burner infrared TEC unit and an assortment of water smokers, plus a Cookshack

 Amerique which is my new best friend. I found on sale chicken quarters for $0.79 lb. and I have just read Jeff's newsletter on smoking chicken quarters so I did 3 pagkages this am. I went by Jeff's recommendation except for 2 things- I didn't brine the chicken before smoking, and I modified his BBQ sauce recipe by adding 2 TBSP of a Datil Pepper sauce to give it a touch more "kick".

I tried one of the quarters for lunch and found it quite moist with a solid taste and just a bit of after taste pepper which I think comes from the Datil peppers. All in all very good. I had one of my best critics eat one for his lunch and received a thumbs up!

 

[adamlovesbbq]

Excellent detailed beer can chicken recipe,

 

[fwismoker]

Here's some info on beer can chicken some might find useful.  

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/debunking_beer_can_chicken.html