First chicken on MES

[skeeter013]

I smoked my first chicken today on my new MES40. I didn't have the time to brine it so I decided to inject it with melted butter and creole seasoning instead. I also put some of Jeff's rub on it. The chicken was smoked at 225F with apple and cherry wood chips. It took a little longer than I anticipated; about 4 hours in total. I stopped the cook when that breast reached 165F. The thigh reached 185F at this time so I was concerned that the meat might be a little dry. I let the chicken rest for 20 minutes before slicing. The chicken could not have been any juicier but it wasn't very flavorful. For the next chicken, I'll make sure to incorporate the brining step in order to add a little more flavor. Everyone was very happy with the final result but I'm looking forward to experimenting with chicken #2 this weekend. Here is a picture of the final result.

 

[gmc2003]

Looks good from here, did it have a smokey flavor?

Chris

 

[SmokinAl]

It sure looks good to me!
Al

 

[sauced]

Looks delicious!! Yes, you can increase the flavor by brining the chicken first.

 

[skeeter013]

Looks good from here, did it have a smokey flavor?

Chris

Yes, it was moist and had a nice smokey flavor. Come to th

Looks good from here, did it have a smokey flavor?

Chris

Yes, it did have a nice smokey flavor. Come to think of it, we tasted it without putting any extra sauce on it. Had we added some bbq sauce, it definitely would have been more flavorful.

Chicken #2 is going in the brine tonight and I'll try it again over the weekend. I'm also doing my first brisket this weekend. I have a feeling that the brisket is going to be a little more challenging than the chicken.

 

[chopsaw]

Looks real good . I've been messin with chicken for the last month . All great results . What brine you using ?

 

[skeeter013]

Looks real good . I've been messin with chicken for the last month . All great results . What brine you using ?

I went with a pretty basic brine: ~ 1gallon water, 1/2 cup Kosher salt and 2/3 cup sugar. I also tossed in a few garlic cloves and some fresh parsley. The chicken brined overnight. I'm letting it dry in the fridge now and it will be going on the smoker this afternoon. I'm hoping that it will have a little more flavor than my first chicken that was cooked earlier in the week.

 

[chopsaw]

I'm sure you will see a difference . Let us know how it turns out .