# Need to rest a whole smoked chicken?



## cwb124 (Aug 10, 2008)

Sorry, I can't seem to find the answer.  Smoking my first whole bird today on the Traeger using hickory.  I have it all rubbed down ready to go on.

After I get the bird up to temp, is it recommended to rest the bird like is done with Brisket?  If so, for how long?


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## bmudd14474 (Aug 10, 2008)

I like to rest all the meat I do. It lets the juice go back up into the meat just like a brisket. I usually give it about 15-20 minutes. Just my 2 cents. Good luck on your bird.


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## travcoman45 (Aug 10, 2008)

Yup, I sure do, I'll give em 20 ta 30 minutes ta snooze an soak up there juices again.  Otherwise ifin ya cut em to soon all that goodness runs out on the plate an it takes a fair bit a flavor with it.  Good luck.


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## flatbroke (Aug 10, 2008)

Definitely rest them.  I tried it both ways one double wrapped with foil resting for 1/2 hour and the other cut about 5 min after taken out of smoker.  the wrapped one won hands down.  did you inject your bird?


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## cwb124 (Aug 10, 2008)

Did not inject the bird, although I have in the past when broiling them in the oven.  Definately the way to go, and I will do it next time.  I didn't brine either.

Well I goofed up on this bird.  I fired my Traeger up on high (375*) to get it started and forgot to change it.  1.5 hours later the bird was damn near done.  I set it to "smoke" which sits it right around 200 for a while but the temp still came up to 170 quickly so I pulled the bird after 2 hours.

It was thoroughly done, very juicy.  Just hardly any smoke flavor at all.  I used a combo hickory and alder since that's all I had left.  I will do mesquite next time and make sure I have my settings right.  Overall the bird tasted like an oven bird.  Very good and juicy with a nice crispy skin but no smoke flavor except a little in the skin and a little in parts of the extremities.  Oh well...I guess if it's edible it's not so bad after all.  

Right now I am making chicken soup from the carcass.  Does anyone have any experience making soup from a heavily smoked chicken?  How does it come out?


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## bb53chevpro (Aug 10, 2008)

Yup, just about everything needs a rest. Including us old guys.


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## dennisdocb (Aug 10, 2008)

Couldn't agree more..even on the smoked meat..rest everything it lets the juices redistribute


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## vince (Aug 10, 2008)

I agree all meat needs to rest.


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## meat-man (Aug 11, 2008)

Ya you need to let the meat rest all meat need's to rest. any where from 15-30 min.


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## pops6927 (Aug 11, 2008)

Never thought much about the meat resting... it was more like polishing off 2 beers while the wife fixes the sides, then I bring in the meat... had two or three cigarettes too... not now though, quit the dang things about 2 years ago.. just smoke meat, not lungs..


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## richoso1 (Aug 11, 2008)

What he said.


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