# Smoking whole chickens



## arsmokinjoe

Never done this...

What temp smoker?
When to foil?
When to stop?


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## SmokinAl

Beer can chicken is the way to go. No foil. Smoke at 275-300 for crispy skin. Pull out of smoker when the breast is 165 and thigh is 175.


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## alelover

Even without the beer can pretty much the same.


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## so ms smoker

Al, if I am doing whole chicken for pulled chicken, do I need the temp that high? Or is that just for the skin?

Mike


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## roller

I use 275 as my smoker temp so I can get it out of the danger zone quickly. Then crank it up at the end for the skin. I do not brine...


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## SmokinAl

So MS Smoker said:


> Al, if I am doing whole chicken for pulled chicken, do I need the temp that high? Or is that just for the skin?
> 
> Mike




That's just for the skin. My all time favorite is smoke it at 225. While it's smoking fry up some bacon until crispy. Take the bacon & put on a paper towel, but leave the grease in the pan. When the chicken is done, take the skin off chop it into little pieces & put it in the fry pan in the bacon grease, fry it until it's crispy. Pull the chicken & put in a large mixing bowl. Chop the bacon up & combine the bacon & skin with the pulled chicken. toss them together & serve.


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## roller

I have already had open heart surgery ...do I want it again?????   LOL


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## SmokinAl

It's good Roller, just try it one time.


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## so ms smoker

Thanks for the tips. I think my arteries can stand it once or twice! Besides, if you can't have bacon, .....

 Mike


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## beer-b-q

We always go for 275ºF or higher with chicken and turkey.  We rub butter and Cavendars under the skin and also on the outside of the skin along with a generous amount of my rub...


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## rascus

I've been wanting to do this. I've had some good success with legs and thighs, want to try a whole chicken.

Is there a per lb time limit when it comes to chicken? Just want to make sure I could get it done before supper


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## ecto1

I say brine the chicken and then spatchcock or half the chicken. Rub them down both on and underneath the skin.  Smoke at 225 for around 2 hours or until it hits about 5 degrees before the temp you want then finish up skin side down on a grill.  But this is just my opinion there are lots of way to skin this cat.


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## ecto1

It will vary but I find a 5 pound bird will reach temperature at 225 in around two hours some faster than others.  Also brined birds seem to cook faster than unbrined birds.


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## scarbelly

If you have not tried ShooterRicks Snake Bitten Chicken Rub you are missing out. I have used it for over a year for many a smoke or bbq and folks just love it.  I do run it thru my grinder a bit to get some finer granules in addition to the larger ones but everyone loves this stuff.


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## austinl

I have found that a mop that contains some sugars (like thinned bbq sauce) will help crisp up the skin because the sugars will slowly carmelize, even at lower temps.  The next whole chicken I plan on doing I was going to inject it with something known around our house as, "chile lime sauce".  The sauce is just equal portions of freshly-squeezed lime juice, olive oil, and Sriracha-style hot sauce, then a little bit of salt and freshly-pressed garlic.  What do you chicken experts think about that injected into a bird?


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## venture

As to the mop, I don't think chix require that, but it is a matter of taste.  If you are pulling the chix there is no need to worry about the skin.  Everybody has their way of doing it.  Try the different methods and see what you like.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## austinl

Well here's the chicken








I couldn't really taste the sauce I injected it with but none-the-less the chicken was still delicious and moist.  Some other stuff snuck in there with it; pork neck bones for greens, a plantain, and some braut's.  Not a bad Sunday afternoon.


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## africanmeat

SmokinAl said:


> Beer can chicken is the way to go. No foil. Smoke at 275-300 for crispy skin. Pull out of smoker when the breast is 165 and thigh is 175.


X2


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## austinl

I will try the beer can chicken next time.


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## raptor700

The color was great Austin,

The Beer can chicken is pretty darn hard to beat!

Thanks for the Qview


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## stephanie nail

Last week I bought my smoker, electric masterbuilt 30,  it was delivered earlier in the week, Yesterday I smoked my first whole chickens, I used the brine mixture suggested on the website, mixed up my own spices, set my smoker to about 240, and started smoking using hickory. Smoker kept at around 235-240, they took about 3.5 hours to smoke, internal thermometer checked the chicken out, once they were to temp, I shut it down, made the sides, and was ready to eat.   I wish I had the presence of mind to have taken pics, they were beautiful!!  I was way too excited to cut into them... They were the BEST chickens I have ever had!! Looking forward to smoking some wings and corn tonight for dinner.  Tomorrow I am going to try my first Brisket. I LOVE this smoker, would of never thought of buying one, until I went to this rib joint in St. Louis called Bandanas, they had the best bbq that I have ever had, they smoked all the meats, and you put on your own sauce, they gave you a choice of 6 different ones to try.  I also Love the smoking meats website, I found this one, right of the bat, and have never looked at any others, this is the best site, all my questions have been answered and I am sure that if I have any more ?? I know I can hit the forums and get an answer.  Thanks to all of you out there who are newbies, and pros who dont mind helping another newbie out.


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## SmokinAl

That's some awesome looking chicken there Austin!


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## ugaboz

looks great good job


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## ewortman

Hot Damn, I just found Mecca!  

I have been using a crappy old round $79 Home Depot job for years, and decided it was time to get serious.  Well, to you Pros, it's not serious, but for me it is.  I was just delivered a 30" Masterbuilt with window and temperature probe.  I have not even cracked the box yet!  First, I wanted to get some ideas about dinner, and this site did not disappoint.  

I am planning on doing drumsticks tonight, and a whole chicken tomorrow, since they are both frozen and the whole chicken takes a while to defrost.  This weekend, the freezer will be getting full with all kinds of meat for the coming weeks...

I will keep reading posts and taking notes, and hopefully have some success stories to post soon!

Thanks for being here, guys.


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