Hastily Smoked Whole Birds: Apple/RBP Rub Recipe & Q--View

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forluvofsmoke

Smoking Guru
Original poster
OTBS Member
Aug 27, 2008
5,170
409
Hi everyone! I was in the process of getting started preparing my birds for a skinless low & slow smoke for pulled chicken today (I get great smoke reaction and flavor with this method, and it's healthier eating), when, unannounced, the water mains in our neck of the woods were being flushed out just when I wanted to get started. And, of course, during their maintenance, the water supply has been interupted repeatedly for the past 2 hours. So, I had the delema of needing to do a quick prep (I couldn't even find my butcher's twine to tie the wings and legs back...grrr), and opted to leave the skin on and crank up the heat for a high temp smoke so the birds might be ready in time for dinner @ 6:00 pm tonight...this SUX big-time...

The birds hit the Smoke Vault 24 @ about 1:50 pm, so I'll be crowding it a bit for sure. I'll push the 300-320* temp range and hope my apple/rbp rub holds up to the heat. Not making the danger zone time/temps isn't even a thought a these higher chamber temps. The singular posible advantage to this high-temp bird burn is that I might be able to get a crispy skin...not a fan of the rubber-skin syndrome, myself. Maybe the natural sugars contained in the dry rub will carmelize just about the right time for a crsipy skin...a unknown blessing disguise? I;'d be OK with the smoke if I can get some decent smoke flavor (with high heat?) and a crsipy skin on a smoked bird...that's a tough combination to achieve, but I guess anything's possible.

Here's the victims:

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APPLE & RBP CHICKEN RUB

1/2 cup ground apple

2 Tbls ground red bell pepper

1/2 tsp ground sage

2 tsp ground rosemary

1-1/2 tsp ground oregano

1/2 Tbls ground garlic

1/2 Tbls ground black peppercorn

1/2 tsp cumin

1 Tbls parsley flakes, ground

1 Tbls paprika

2 Tbls kosker salt

I managed to run enough water between interuptions to get the birds unpacked, rinsed out well, dry rubbed, and my hands washed with anti-bacterial dawn dishsoap when the water supply went dead again:

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I dusted the cavity with dry rub first, then, hit the exterior...under the wings, legs and thighs, then, the open areas on the sides, back and breast...I try to handle the bird by inserting a finger or two into one or both ends to lift/rotate so I don't disturb the rubbed areas, but today I just did a slam & bam so I could get 'em into the preheated smoker and get the cooking started...apple smoke, of course...I propped the wings and legs as best I could by slightly squeezing the breast to sort of reform the body positioning them against the bird, but we'll see if they stay in place for very long after the meat starts shrinking from the cooking process:

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1-hr, 20 minutes in, I wanted to check quickly on progress in case I had issues with burning, etc:

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It looks like a grate rotation at 2 hours will be in order, and then, stab probes in for temps and see where we are.

This really screws up my plans today, because I have a packer brisket which was supposed to go into the smoke vault while the chickens got a charcoal fired smoke in my gourmet. Past experience tells me I really have a delema with the brisket to figure out now, becuase I will be tossing it in as soon as the birds come out for resting before dinner. Pobably a point/flat seperation is only way to go now, as it'll put my brisket smoke about 5 hours behind my scheduled start time. Man, what a way to start the smokin' day!

Finished pics and the results of this redicuolously fast-paced smoke to come ASAP...

Wish me luck, I think I'm gonna need it!

Eric
 
My birds are usually smoked at 250* and are done in the 3.5 - 4.0 range, so you should be done ahead of schedule.  They are looking good, anyway.  looking forward to the money shot!  Good luck with the brisky!
 
Not a bad run for heated smoke! Just over 2.5 hours to get everything over 170*, as we don't like pink in our chickens. I rested them for 20 minutes before cutting one up to start dinner. I thought the wings were going to get pretty dark, nearly charred, from all the natural sugars of the dry rub, but they came through it allright...a bit over-cooked, but still edible.

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I was kinda sweating it on the interior moisture, especuially the breast meat, but it held up nicely. The smoke was very light as I expected it would be with the high heat, even though I kept the smoke coming the entire time, and no noticable smoke reation. The breast meat was not mushy, so not overdone at all, with a light chew and good juices. The skin still was a bit chew in most places, with some being a bit more crisp than the rest.

The dry rub, now that was really nice for the chicken...light flavors with a slightly sweet hit right up front from the apple, with the red bell pepper coming in close behind...really smooth overall profile. That recipe was conceived just last night when I got home from work. I did a few minutes of studying my arsenal of spices and contemplating a formula, and viola! So, it's another fresh one for you dry rub buffs.

I ate a breast and commenced to getting my cerimonial brisket smoke going, so I think I'll come through this smoky pair of days off work with...well, smoke in my belly!

Back to the grinder...gotta get that brisket post started...see ya soon!

Thanks all!

Eric
 
With the added troubles I don't think it made a difference, they look great. I just finished off the first batch of your bell pepper rub that I made. Man that stuff is good. 
 
That's some fine looking chicken!   Good luck on the brisket.
 
Great looking birds man - glad you pulled it off
 
YeeeeHaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll take a plate just like that the one in that last picture, please!!!!!!

Bear
 
That chicken looks good, well done, when I do chicken or turkey after I carve them I remove the skin and save it with all the ones etc for making chicken stock
 
That's some good looking chicken, Eric!
Thanks, Al!
 


Them birds are looking real good.. Can't wait to see the finish. Nice job
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Thanks, this smoke had me on the run...I don't like being crowded in by the clock.
 


My birds are usually smoked at 250* and are done in the 3.5 - 4.0 range, so you should be done ahead of schedule.  They are looking good, anyway.  looking forward to the money shot!  Good luck with the brisky!
Thanks, I have had some 5lbr's push nearly 6 hours. I don't smoke whole birds very often, and it seems like every time I have a dead-line of sorts, something backs me against the wall, so I didn't want to take any chances with a lower temp smoke like I would normally run. Oh, and the brisket's going fine, ahead of shcedule as well...smoker has temp issues which I'll need to check out and correct, but still getting the job done for that smoke anyway.

 


YeeeeHaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll take a plate just like that the one in that last picture, please!!!!!!

Bear
Thanks Bear, we actually had one breast elftover from the two birds...it's not very often that we come that close to no leftovers at all. My wife wanted me to smoke 3 birds instead of two, and I had to explain about the fridge/freezer space...she didn't think 2 would be enough. If I could send you a smoke PM, it would have landed in your lap(top) right about now..LOL!!!

 


That chicken looks good, well done, when I do chicken or turkey after I carve them I remove the skin and save it with all the ones etc for making chicken stock
Thanks, hey, I hadn't thought about that...skin along with the carcass for stock...nice idea!

 


With the added troubles I don't think it made a difference, they look great. I just finished off the first batch of your bell pepper rub that I made. Man that stuff is good. 
Thanks, yea, the RBP rub has gained some notoriety over the past year or so...here at home and with SMF members. Just the basic rub (5 ingredients) goes well with most anything, but with a few added savories to match it up for the individual cut/species you're cooking, it can really build a great flavor profile. Well, you've probably already found this out by now, but adding other spices you use for certain meats gives some nice subtle changes.

 


That's some fine looking chicken!   Good luck on the brisket.
Thanks, the brisket's turning out fine so far...cooking a bit too fast for me this time, but that's OK.

 


Great looking birds man - glad you pulled it off
Thanks, I really didn't want to push them hard like this, but it all panned out in fine shape.
 


Great looking birds
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Thanks!
 


Great looking Yardbirds...
Thanks Paul!
 

Hmm...next time I go for a whole bird smoke, maybe I will have things lined out better, or I'll just dedicate myself to one smoke that day so I can take things slow & easy, and then I send you all into the world skinless smoked pulled chicken. Man, the smoke is great with no skin, and pulled chicken is a requested item here already...think of it as pulled pork, but not? We'll see what happens when I lay my hands on a pair of cluckers again.

Eric
 
I stand in awe.  This must be one of the shortest smoke posts you've done, in recent memory.  Fine looking birds.  But only two? 

~Dave
I think it's costing Eric more to smoke lately, as he has to keep driving farther & farther in Wyoming to find meat that he hasn't already smoked!

Elk & Deer will soon be the sole survivors of his outdoor kitchen!

Bear
 
I stand in awe.  This must be one of the shortest smoke posts you've done, in recent memory.  Fine looking birds.  But only two? 

~Dave
Thanks Dave, I didn't have alot to show or talk about with this smoke, and was just glad to be able to pull it off. I don't like to rush things like I did on this one. Ya, only two birds...in a smoker that could handle ten or twelve...LOL!!! I used to load 'em up a couple years ago, but if I do that too often, well, then I'd have nothing to smoke for the rest of the month...Ha-ha!!!
 


Nice lookin' yard birds!!! 
Thanks! It was a quick burn, but still a fun one!

 


I think it's costing Eric more to smoke lately, as he has to keep driving farther & farther in Wyoming to find meat that he hasn't already smoked!

Elk & Deer will soon be the sole survivors of his outdoor kitchen!

Bear
LMAO!!! You know, our neighborhood still has about a 1/2 dozen cats and few dogs wandering around from time to time...I wonder if...naw, it'd be too much trouble to figure out a good dry rub to match the flavor...then, which smoke wood(s) to use...hmm, what would go good with a tom tabby? Does it taste like chicken? Heck, I'd be stumped on that smoke! LOL!!!!!!!
 

I have actually smoked some white-tail back-strap for a neighbor about 3 or 4 years back. No muleys or elk yet, though.

Thanks fellas!

Eric
 
LMAO!!! You know, our neighborhood still has about a 1/2 dozen cats and few dogs wandering around from time to time...I wonder if...naw, it'd be too much trouble to figure out a good dry rub to match the flavor...then, which smoke wood(s) to use...hmm, what would go good with a tom tabby? Does it taste like chicken? Heck, I'd be stumped on that smoke! LOL!!!!!!!
 

Eric
No Problem!

Any Vietnamese markets in the greater Wyoming area?

They served me dog one time----I thought they said "Duck" !

Victoria Hotel, Saigon, 1969.

Bear
 
 
No Problem!

Any Vietnamese markets in the greater Wyoming area?

They served me dog one time----I thought they said "Duck" !

Victoria Hotel, Saigon, 1969.

Bear
 
Woah! Nothing like a language barrier to create confusion. I suppose after experiencing the reason for being there that your stomach wasn't too weak to hold it's own, upon discovering what you'd just eaten?

Nope, don't have any ethnic markets nearby to speak of. I think that the natural aging process of fresh fish/seafood might go a bit too long by the time the product reached the consumer. Of course, if you were searching specifically for dog, cat or pigeon, well, where there's a will....

Eric
 
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