Smoked Chicken Help

hillcitysmoker · Sep 3, 2009

I am planning to smoke two whole chickens. What temperature should they be done at? Are the chickens put on the grates breast side up or down? Thanks.

Ron

flash · Sep 3, 2009

Chicken does not really benefit from "low and slow" cooking, so if your smoker can reach 325º you can end up with some crispy skin. Lower than that, expect rubbery skin. Of course you can always roll it around on a hot grill for awhile to crisp it up some.

Smoked around 225º

Finished on the gas grill

Nice and juicy. No brining needed.

As to your grates, see if you can located a beer can chicken holder. Works great.

coyote-1 · Sep 3, 2009

Low&slow chicken benefits greatly from mopping. Keeps the skin moist; then when you finish it over fire you get a delicately crispy skin instead of tough crispy skin.

BTW, your stuff looks delish!

pineywoods · Sep 3, 2009

Most of the time I do the whole chickens on the rack breast side up. I try to smoke at 325 to get the skin crisp and take it at least 167 internal in the breast and thigh tho I usually take mine to 170 just to be safe. As Flash said theres not all the connective tissue and collagen to break down so higher heat is fine and the skin is much better that way. If you choose to do low n slow thats fine but the skin usually comes out like rubber but the meat is good

albeesmokin · Sep 3, 2009

On my charcoal ECB I start at 300 on the top rack breast side up. Cook to 160, then I move it to the bottom rack and take the water pan out. It's finishing the smoke closer to the flame, crisps it up just fine. Cook to 170.
On my GSM I just cook at 325, breast up till 170.
I have tried using a brine and without. The brine is great if your looking to add some added flavor but just rubbing it and stuffing with some veggies helps keep it moist with brine or without.
The beer can racks are great

mballi3011 · Sep 3, 2009

I always smoke my birds breast side up and run the smoker at about 275 or so and let the bird go till it's about 175 or alittle higher and thats in the thigh about 180 in the breast an thats a good juicy bird. So there are people here thet finish it on the regular grill personally I don't but thats my birds. so give it a shot and smoke it to fit your taste buds. Happy Smoking.

travcoman45 · Sep 3, 2009

I brine, smoke at 275°, internal a the breast at 170°. Gives a decent skin with a good spritz, if ya wanna crisp that skin up some more ya can pullem outa the smoker a bit early an put em in the oven at 350° ta do that. I've got a good brine ifin yer interested.

richoso1 · Sep 3, 2009

I've smoke them as high as 430°, and in 3 hrs. they were done with the skin looking like a thanksgiving turkey. No brine, and they still were moist. Diff strokes.

hillcitysmoker · Sep 4, 2009

Would be interested in your brine recipe. Read where the type of salt you use makes a difference in quantity. Good to know somone that has used a recipe before using it the first time and then it does not turn out. Thanks

Ron

pineywoods · Sep 4, 2009

Since Tip isn't on right now here it is and I can say its very good I use it most of the time for brining poultry

Slaughterhouse Brine:
1 & 1/2 gal water
1/2 cup kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp cajun spice
2 tsp celery salt

Mix all ingredients until dissolved and brine meat overnight. Rinse well before putting on the smoker.

Slaughterhouse Injection:
1/2 pkg. god seasonings italian dressing
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp celery salt
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 cups apple cider

Slaughterhouse Spritz (Good fer everthin!)
8 oz Apple Cider
6 oz Water
4 oz Whiskey
2 oz Cider Vinegar

travcoman45 · Sep 4, 2009

Thanks Jerry, just to much goin on.

I use the kosher salt. Bout all I use in my smokin recipes.

hillcitysmoker · Sep 4, 2009

Above your beer can chicken, saw you had some pretty good looking jalapenos. Would you mind sharing what you have in them? Think that would be a "keeper." Your chicken looks wonderful and really juicy.

Ron

hillcitysmoker · Sep 4, 2009

Thanks for the recipes. Think I might just drink the spritz when I'm cooking!!!

Ron

flash · Sep 4, 2009

LOL, well I am pretty simply with them, but here is what the wife does when she makes up the mixture.

ABT’s (Atomic Buffalo Turds)

Whipped Cream Cheese
Cream Cheese w/chives & green onions
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Garlic and onion powder
Celery salt
Black pepper
Spicy red pepper
Parsley
Green onion
Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce (your choice)

Mix this all together to your taste. It's not rocket science, as you will see.

Buy some fresh Jalapenos ( 3 to 4 inch range the best)
Cut in half lengthwise; core out the seeds and inner webbing. A sharp knife and small spoon works real good for me. Don't be afraid to leave a few seeds.
Take your mixture from above and spoon it into the hollowed out jap. Don’t over fill.

We use Little Smokies. Sometimes we cut them in half lengthwise, but otherwise place it in the Jap. Next take some Bacon (we cut the strip in half, but some use the whole strip) and wrap it from one end to the other of the Jalapeno. Best to secure it thru the Jap with a toothpick. To finish it off, we sprinkle something like Everglades Heat or Slap Yo Mama spices over the Bacon.

Originally these went on a Smoker. The problem here is that unless your smoker gets to 325º, the bacon will not crisp up as readily or take a lot longer to achieve this. Due to this, I started using the Gas Grill. Top rack helps, but keep them away from direct heat. 325º for 40 to 45 minutes. For smoke I place wood chips in a aluminum foil packet and rest it on one of the burners.
Once the bacon looks done to your taste, you’re done.

hillcitysmoker · Sep 4, 2009

Thank you for the recipe. Sounds good. Will try it tonight. As I say. "there are no bad jalapenos peppers, but some are better than others"

Ron

hillcitysmoker · Sep 5, 2009

Tried the ABT’s last night and they were awesome! Having company over tonight and doing a repeat! Thanks!

Ron

julz · Jun 19, 2012

I smoked 2 beer can chickens at 275 for 3 hours over applewood chips. The meat was great, the skin was black with soot and rubbery. What did I do wrong?

bruno994 · Jun 19, 2012

Black skin, could be you had the wrong smoke, a heavy white, billowing smoke will do that. You want a nice, thin blue smoke, at times almost invisible to the eye, some call it 'Ninja' smoke. Poor combustion of the wood causes white smoke, lack of air flow or even too green of wood. As far as rubbery skin, the smoke content could have something to do with that, but that is a side effect of slow smoking chicken 275 and below. If you want crispy skin you gotta cook it hotter (325 plus) or crisp the skin after smoking on a gas grill or in the oven. Or as some comp cooks do, scrape the fat off the inside of the chicken before smoking and giev it a good rub down with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) or italian dressing. Real mayonnaise does a good job as well.

julz · Jun 19, 2012

I will definitely have to try this. I did have a lot of smoke for the first 45 minutes. I wrapped my soaked chips in a foil packet with holes in it and thought that might help....not! The skin actually had soot that I could wipe off of it. How do you regulate the smoke?

austinl · Jun 19, 2012

Julz said:
I will definitely have to try this. I did have a lot of smoke for the first 45 minutes. I wrapped my soaked chips in a foil packet with holes in it and thought that might help....not! The skin actually had soot that I could wipe off of it. How do you regulate the smoke?

Don't soak chips for less intense smoke, also those little foil pouches seem to make it really strong too.. Don't use chips at all if you can, they flare up easy, burn out quickly; useless in my opinion. I saw a video on youtube of some chick using an electric smoker and she took the chip tray out and just set some wood chunks around the heating element but not touching it and she had some nice looking smoke coming out during her shots of the cook.

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