# I smoked a chicken 8 hours still not done



## naturemara (Oct 25, 2007)

I smoked a chicken for 8 hours and had to finish it in the oven. It was delicious. I am an extreme beginner at smoking anything. I had the smoker at 190 degrees F .  I have an electric 1000 watt mustang smoker. It uses sawdust.  No one told me I also needed water. The fire was put out without too much trouble.  oops. Wife didn't see the humor.  At what temperature should I have the smoker set to and about how long should it cook? Any help would be great  Thank You    Ricky Fish  [email protected]


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## ajthepoolman (Oct 25, 2007)

First, welcome to the SMF!  Head on over to Roll Call and introduce yourself!

In time you will find that temperature, not time dictates when a smoke is done.  There are too many factors at play to give a time that is remotely accurate.  I would say that a chicken could go anywhere from 4 to 9 hours.  I can assure you though, that no matter how long it takes, when it is around 175 degrees, it is done.


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## Deer Meat (Oct 25, 2007)

ya what aj said


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## homebrew & bbq (Oct 25, 2007)

I'm pretty new to this, but from what I have read around here 190* seems kind of low for smoking chicken. Most of the posts I have seem recommend at least 250 and if you are wanting crispy skin more like 300.


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## deejaydebi (Oct 25, 2007)

I prefer to do chicken at a higher temperature say 300 to 350 so you get smoke but with a nice crispy skin. AT this temperature it's only about 2 hours or 175 degrees. Turkey same thing smoke it hotter and take it's temperature.


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## starsfaninco (Oct 25, 2007)

Absolutley what Homebrew said.  190* pit temp is way too low.  For chicken, I smoke at 300-350 or higher.  Even that makes the skin a little soggy for my liking.  Also, you want to pull it at at least 165 or you risk all kinds of nasties.  I usually pull the chicken when the juices run clear and the temps are around 175 or higher.  Also chicken really absorbes smoke for one reason or another, so be careful how long you keep it on the smoke and also what kind of wood you use.

Hope this helps.

KE


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## peculiarmike (Oct 25, 2007)

Yep. What Deb & Stars said!
I smoke chix at 350Â° and put a probe in it. 170Â°-175Â° it's done. Don't be fooled by the pink color of the meat, it is done. Crisps the skin also.
NO reason to go low and slow doing chicken, crank the temp up!


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## richtee (Oct 25, 2007)

Just ask. Well, BEFORE it's on the smoker. No shame in an oven finish... I do that often. But alot of good advice after the fact is but a lesson. Take notes?

Welcome to SMF... sign up for the 5 day ecourse. It's cheaper than meat!


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## richoso1 (Oct 25, 2007)

Debi's got it going on, you don't need low & slow for chicken. Next time will be even better for you.


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## ron50 (Oct 25, 2007)

Welcome to the forums, we are real glad you can join us.

I'd be very careful cooking chicken or any poultry for that long. The danger zone, the temperature range where bacteria growth thrives, is between 40 and 140 degrees. Most literature I have read says you do not want to keep the meat in that temperature range for longer then 4 hours. Even though the bacteria will be killed when you get to higher temps, the toxins they leave behind will not.

As many have said, there is not a big benefit to cooking poultry low and slow (225 - 250 degrees) as you would for a pork butt or a rack of ribs. 
I recommend cooking poultry at 300 - 325 degrees, it will cook a lot faster, get the poultry out of the danger zone faster and the bird will have a nice crispy skin. One of the popular methods to add a lot of moisture to poultry is to let the bird sit in a brine for a period of time before the smoke.

Best investment you can make is a digital thermometer to monitor the internal temp of the meat. Poultry is done at 165 degrees although many take it to 170 to be sure. Remember that the bird will keep cooking after you remove it from the residual heat and the temp will rise a few degrees after you pull it.

Lots of great information here, take a look around and ask any other questions you may have. The friendly people here will provide you with all the answers you need.


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## bbq bubba (Oct 25, 2007)

Ron pretty much hit it on the head...........that bird was in the danger zone way to long, would not have even eaten that, glad it was o.k.
Follow the tip's you have gotten next time and you'll be fine!!


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## smoked (Oct 25, 2007)

Okay, what everyone said....except I don't think your smoker will go that high in temp...... so basically pump it up to max temp next time or at least 250, and by god...don't forget the water in the waterpan!!! it helps regulate the temp.  personally I rather do my chicken on a rotisserie, but hey.....to each their own.....


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## smokin for life (Oct 25, 2007)

I bet by now you realize your smoker temp. was way to low. I also would of been a little concerend about eating eat. I eat my meat on the rare side some times but not the chicken. Oh well there's always next time right? Remember the skin may not be as crispy as you may like it, unless you crank up the heat. Let us know how the next one turns out.


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## ajthepoolman (Oct 25, 2007)

To clarify, I meant an internal temperature of 175, not a smoker temp!  I hope that no one read it that way.

Hey smoked, I run a chicken for a couple of hours to get a nice smoke, then I finish her up in my Ronco Showtime Rotisserie!  Smokey flavor and crispy skin!  Love it!


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## shellbellc (Oct 25, 2007)

Welcome aboard fellow Mustang smoker.  These units don't really get too hot.  I don't believe you'll be able to get it up higher than 220*.  I have had much better luck on my gasser as I can get temps up higher for poultry.  You shouldn't need water in your unit and I find that I'm more successful with chunks in the fire pan.


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## dionysus (Oct 25, 2007)

Definitely what Ron says, you don't want to leave poultry in that "danger zone" for too long. It seems everybody is on the same page .... you don't need low and slow for poultry.


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## smoked (Oct 25, 2007)

that's a great idea, I'll have to try it next time....don't have a ronco, but I do have a GE unit similar to them.......


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## ajthepoolman (Oct 26, 2007)

My wife likes the crispy skin while I could care less about the skin.  So we get the best of both worlds this way.


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## goat (Oct 27, 2007)

What most everyone said.  Crank up the cooking temp and smoke = pink color in chicken.  There is a fine line when the juices run clear and when the chicken starts to dry out.  I do not cook with a thermometer, but learn to hit the seam.


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## twomill (Oct 27, 2007)

*Yep, thier right!!! Bump up the temp on the chicken or any fowl so your fowl wont be foul.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I finish in the oven quite a bit because I usually smoke more than just for myself and I dont have a large pit. So if you come by in the middle of a smoking day then you will find my pit and oven full, I try to smoke the chicken last so it can be served freshly cooked (bacteria free) and I do a fatty or meatloaf early so there is something to munch on.*


*While it is true that most meats accept smoke during the whole process I would guess that 90% of meat smoking takes place in the first 33% of cooking time. The rest is just that ---- cooking.*


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## naturemara (Oct 25, 2007)

I smoked a chicken for 8 hours and had to finish it in the oven. It was delicious. I am an extreme beginner at smoking anything. I had the smoker at 190 degrees F .  I have an electric 1000 watt mustang smoker. It uses sawdust.  No one told me I also needed water. The fire was put out without too much trouble.  oops. Wife didn't see the humor.  At what temperature should I have the smoker set to and about how long should it cook? Any help would be great  Thank You    Ricky Fish  [email protected]


----------



## ajthepoolman (Oct 25, 2007)

First, welcome to the SMF!  Head on over to Roll Call and introduce yourself!

In time you will find that temperature, not time dictates when a smoke is done.  There are too many factors at play to give a time that is remotely accurate.  I would say that a chicken could go anywhere from 4 to 9 hours.  I can assure you though, that no matter how long it takes, when it is around 175 degrees, it is done.


----------



## Deer Meat (Oct 25, 2007)

ya what aj said


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## homebrew & bbq (Oct 25, 2007)

I'm pretty new to this, but from what I have read around here 190* seems kind of low for smoking chicken. Most of the posts I have seem recommend at least 250 and if you are wanting crispy skin more like 300.


----------



## deejaydebi (Oct 25, 2007)

I prefer to do chicken at a higher temperature say 300 to 350 so you get smoke but with a nice crispy skin. AT this temperature it's only about 2 hours or 175 degrees. Turkey same thing smoke it hotter and take it's temperature.


----------



## starsfaninco (Oct 25, 2007)

Absolutley what Homebrew said.  190* pit temp is way too low.  For chicken, I smoke at 300-350 or higher.  Even that makes the skin a little soggy for my liking.  Also, you want to pull it at at least 165 or you risk all kinds of nasties.  I usually pull the chicken when the juices run clear and the temps are around 175 or higher.  Also chicken really absorbes smoke for one reason or another, so be careful how long you keep it on the smoke and also what kind of wood you use.

Hope this helps.

KE


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## peculiarmike (Oct 25, 2007)

Yep. What Deb & Stars said!
I smoke chix at 350Â° and put a probe in it. 170Â°-175Â° it's done. Don't be fooled by the pink color of the meat, it is done. Crisps the skin also.
NO reason to go low and slow doing chicken, crank the temp up!


----------



## richtee (Oct 25, 2007)

Just ask. Well, BEFORE it's on the smoker. No shame in an oven finish... I do that often. But alot of good advice after the fact is but a lesson. Take notes?

Welcome to SMF... sign up for the 5 day ecourse. It's cheaper than meat!


----------



## richoso1 (Oct 25, 2007)

Debi's got it going on, you don't need low & slow for chicken. Next time will be even better for you.


----------



## ron50 (Oct 25, 2007)

Welcome to the forums, we are real glad you can join us.

I'd be very careful cooking chicken or any poultry for that long. The danger zone, the temperature range where bacteria growth thrives, is between 40 and 140 degrees. Most literature I have read says you do not want to keep the meat in that temperature range for longer then 4 hours. Even though the bacteria will be killed when you get to higher temps, the toxins they leave behind will not.

As many have said, there is not a big benefit to cooking poultry low and slow (225 - 250 degrees) as you would for a pork butt or a rack of ribs. 
I recommend cooking poultry at 300 - 325 degrees, it will cook a lot faster, get the poultry out of the danger zone faster and the bird will have a nice crispy skin. One of the popular methods to add a lot of moisture to poultry is to let the bird sit in a brine for a period of time before the smoke.

Best investment you can make is a digital thermometer to monitor the internal temp of the meat. Poultry is done at 165 degrees although many take it to 170 to be sure. Remember that the bird will keep cooking after you remove it from the residual heat and the temp will rise a few degrees after you pull it.

Lots of great information here, take a look around and ask any other questions you may have. The friendly people here will provide you with all the answers you need.


----------



## bbq bubba (Oct 25, 2007)

Ron pretty much hit it on the head...........that bird was in the danger zone way to long, would not have even eaten that, glad it was o.k.
Follow the tip's you have gotten next time and you'll be fine!!


----------



## smoked (Oct 25, 2007)

Okay, what everyone said....except I don't think your smoker will go that high in temp...... so basically pump it up to max temp next time or at least 250, and by god...don't forget the water in the waterpan!!! it helps regulate the temp.  personally I rather do my chicken on a rotisserie, but hey.....to each their own.....


----------



## smokin for life (Oct 25, 2007)

I bet by now you realize your smoker temp. was way to low. I also would of been a little concerend about eating eat. I eat my meat on the rare side some times but not the chicken. Oh well there's always next time right? Remember the skin may not be as crispy as you may like it, unless you crank up the heat. Let us know how the next one turns out.


----------



## ajthepoolman (Oct 25, 2007)

To clarify, I meant an internal temperature of 175, not a smoker temp!  I hope that no one read it that way.

Hey smoked, I run a chicken for a couple of hours to get a nice smoke, then I finish her up in my Ronco Showtime Rotisserie!  Smokey flavor and crispy skin!  Love it!


----------



## shellbellc (Oct 25, 2007)

Welcome aboard fellow Mustang smoker.  These units don't really get too hot.  I don't believe you'll be able to get it up higher than 220*.  I have had much better luck on my gasser as I can get temps up higher for poultry.  You shouldn't need water in your unit and I find that I'm more successful with chunks in the fire pan.


----------



## dionysus (Oct 25, 2007)

Definitely what Ron says, you don't want to leave poultry in that "danger zone" for too long. It seems everybody is on the same page .... you don't need low and slow for poultry.


----------



## smoked (Oct 25, 2007)

that's a great idea, I'll have to try it next time....don't have a ronco, but I do have a GE unit similar to them.......


----------



## ajthepoolman (Oct 26, 2007)

My wife likes the crispy skin while I could care less about the skin.  So we get the best of both worlds this way.


----------



## goat (Oct 27, 2007)

What most everyone said.  Crank up the cooking temp and smoke = pink color in chicken.  There is a fine line when the juices run clear and when the chicken starts to dry out.  I do not cook with a thermometer, but learn to hit the seam.


----------



## twomill (Oct 27, 2007)

*Yep, thier right!!! Bump up the temp on the chicken or any fowl so your fowl wont be foul.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I finish in the oven quite a bit because I usually smoke more than just for myself and I dont have a large pit. So if you come by in the middle of a smoking day then you will find my pit and oven full, I try to smoke the chicken last so it can be served freshly cooked (bacteria free) and I do a fatty or meatloaf early so there is something to munch on.*


*While it is true that most meats accept smoke during the whole process I would guess that 90% of meat smoking takes place in the first 33% of cooking time. The rest is just that ---- cooking.*


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