How should i smoke the whole chicken?

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btnune

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 4, 2014
27
10
new jersey
I was thinking of marinadeing it in a pickeling solution first, then some dry rub. What fo you think?
 
IMHO, there's only two ways anymore that I smoke whole chickens..... Beer can & spatchcock ! Just my 2 cents !
 
I was thinking of marinadeing it in a pickeling solution first, then some dry rub. What fo you think?
I spatch mine usually, haven't tried the pickling brine, I usually just go with salt brine (with a little hot sauce in it, my twist) and the dry rub. 
 
Last edited:
I brine mine (sometimes) in my own brine recipe (whole chickens) and then rub them up to smoke.  Not sure about the pickling solution......do you really want pickled chicken?  Sounds odd to me (but I could be wrong).

You are going to wanna smoke them hotter.....not low and slow so you can crisp up the skin.  Usually takes about 2 hours.  Want breast meat at 165F Internal Temp and Dark meat at 170F IT. 

I don't brine y chicken pieces (and not always my whole chickens either.  I did find a new method for moist chicken.....I take my rub and make a compound butter then put it under the breast skin.  It melts all over and bastes the meat.   Also gets that rub flavor onto the actual meat and not just the skin.

Scott
 
The stuff I'm thinking of useing is pickeling lime, I've seen someware you can make a brine solution with the stuff, but I beleave that was with beef, but I enjoy exparimenting when cooking. I'll let you know how it comes out.
 
I spatchcock mine, cook it at 250, pull it at 164 degrees. I marinate it in Italian dressing, balsamic vinigar, and hot sause.
 
The stuff I'm thinking of useing is pickeling lime, I've seen someware you can make a brine solution with the stuff, but I beleave that was with beef, but I enjoy exparimenting when cooking. I'll let you know how it comes out.
Pickling brine is what is used on corned beef.

If you want a tastee bird, I suggest a 24 brine of your choice. That is salt, white sugar, and brown sugar. Then add your herbs/spices. After a 24 hour brine then rinse and pat dry and its into the reefer for 24 hours to dry (dehydrate). Now if you don't have the 2 days, I suggest just doing the dehydration. If nothing else, get a fan and set it blowing on the patted dry chicken for and hour. This dries and help form a pellicle that will allow the chicken to absorb the smoke better than anything else you can do.

Here is a brined chicken: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/152772/basic-brined-smoked-chicken

Here is a basic Nekkid Chicken:  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/156212/nekkid-chicken-foamheart

Both are delicious, both are dried ass much as possible and both are juicy birds with a nice color.

Whatever you do remember the drying/dehydration is an important step in smoking birds.
 
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Slaughterhouse brine is awesome if ya haven't tried it before !
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+1 Tip's Slaughterhouse brine is awesome! I have never had complaints with that one.
 
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