Butterflied whole chicken

[short smoke]

Brined 11 hours in kosher salt minced garlic and fresh cracked black pepper. Smoked apple and cherry wood. Used rub your breasts seasoning and black pepper on skin,and inside body. Smoker temp 280. Fell to 250 many times. Chicken breast temp 165 rested 20 mins. Skin wasn't all the way crispy most rubbery. Overall chick was nice and Smokey and juicy.

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• short smoke
• Jul 2, 2017

 

[short smoke]

First time doing whole chicken. Did leg quarters a while back with same result with rubbery skin. Can't seem to get skin nice and crispy but meat has been juicy. Skin is always my favorite but not when not crispy

 

[mike5051]

You gotta cook at about 325 to get crispy skin.  You can also smoke till done and crisp the skin on a hot grill after smoking.  Those temps you're at will result in rubbery skin.  

Mike

 

[joe black]

Mike has you going just right for that elusive crispy skin. I like my birds butterflied, or as lot of folks say, spatchcocked. I don't know what you are cooking on, but Mikes idea of crimping on a grill is right on. Or if you have an offset with a grill, just throw it on that grill for a few minutes.

 

[short smoke]

Thanks all.

 

[short smoke]

Ok, now a question. If cooking at 325° is that temperature for the duration of the cook, or a number of hours to obtain the crispy skin then back temp down for slower cooking?

 

[SmokinAl]

Yes smoke at 325 the whole time.

Al

 

[short smoke]

Will it take away from the amount of smoke it gets by cooking faster? Should I add extra chunks to offset this if that's the case?

 

[joe black]

I don't add anything. IMO, the porosity of the skin and the meat will absorb smoke faster than other meats.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

As mentioned the 325-350 pit temp will get you the best of both worlds. Crispy skin and Smokey goodness.

I'd skip a wet brine. It will hinder the crisping of the skin. Try a dry rub brine. I use salt, pepper, onion, garlic (powder for the G&O) mix in a teaspoon of baking powder.

Spatchcock (butterfly) the bird. Pat dry. Apply baking powder evenly. Then shake on everything else. Place the bird on a drying rack over a baking sheet otmshallow pan and place in fridge uncovered for at least 8 hours and up to 24.

Smoke in a 325-350 pit.

 

[mike5051]

Will it take away from the amount of smoke it gets by cooking faster? Should I add extra chunks to offset this if that's the case?

Chicken is a smoke sponge!  I have to fight to not get it too smokey!

Mike