first ever chicken smoke (real time qview)

[preston897]

this will be a real time thread. you will see it as i do! just a few minutes ago i put a whole chicken on the uds for later this evening. lets start this off with some back ground before pics. this will be my first time smoking a chicken, my first time using the uds, and my third smoke ever. i grill quite a bit but im new to the smoking world. so i guess i wont keep everyone waiting any longer!

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

i just got the new charcoal basket welded up today. prior to this i had an old camping grill that i drilled a bunch of holes in. this turned out great! i got home and went to get her started up and realized i didnt have enough charcoal. sooo i had to make a trip to the hardware store down the street. luckily its close. 

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

now that im home and the uds is heating up i got the bird all seasoned up with my favorite seasoning and some olive oil. plus ive got one more of my current favorite beer to drink!

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

its in the smoker now! i cannot wait to taste it! im running it at about 275 on my dome thermometer. im estimating closer to 300 at the grate. i dont have a maverick yet so nothing fancy here. im gonna let it run for at least 2 hours before i open it to check the temps. in the charcoal basket ive got a mixture of ozark and royal oak with 2 decent sized pieces of pecan. ive also got a diffuser sitting on top of my charcoal basket (wal mart pizza pan). ive already got that elusive blue smoke. as soon as i open it up ill post some more pics! hopefully it turns out great!

 

[preston897]

I forgot to mention. Im using the minion method with my coals

 

[pgsmoker64]

MMMmmmm..... I am looking forward to seeing that bird!

Looks like you got a great start.  I have been smoking my chickens between 275 and 300 and they turn out really good.

Good luck, and post plenty of q-view!

Bill

 

[preston897]

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

unfortunately we lost the blue smoke. i put my 2 pecan chunks on the side of the basket but i guess the coal got to them. its not a thick white smoke still opaque but not that pretty blue. it is bellowing out pretty good though. hopefully all still turns out well.

 

[preston897]

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

it has been on the uds for 2 hours. temps are exactly 180. it finished quicker then i thought it would!

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

the skin is so crispy! i cant wait to eat it. but now its time to wrap it in foil to rest for a bit while the potatoes cook in the oven. dont worry i will post a picture of it cut up.

 

[pc farmer]

Looks great.  You did that on 1 beer?

 

[preston897]

No i raided the fridge for my fiance's beer and wine haha

 

[preston897]

here is the final product. it tasted sooo good. the skin was crispy and they meat was moist and tender. i cant believe i got this out of my first smoke. 

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

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• preston897
• Oct 31, 2013

 

[pc farmer]

Very nice.

 

[venture]

Looks great!

My only worry was that billowing white smoke.  OK if it doesn't last long.  Or if you keep it up?

Glad you got the crispy skin.

Good job!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[preston897]

The white smoke lasted 30 minutes or so and went away. My pecan chunks were kinda large. Maybe i should have only put one instead of 2? I put them against the side of the basket and the hot coals were in the middleish. Could they have just been to close to the hot coals?

 

[pc farmer]

I use about 5 or 6 chunks but mix them in the charcoal or lump.

 

[fwismoker]

 
Looks great!

My only worry was that billowing white smoke.  OK if it doesn't last long.  Or if you keep it up?

Glad you got the crispy skin.

Good job!

Good luck and good smoking.

That smoke is perfect and perfectly normal for chicken on high heat on a UDS or mini with the chicken grease doing it's thing....it's not bad charcoal smoke just grease and heat.

GREAT JOB!!!

 

[preston897]

How large are the chunks you use? Mine were larger the softball size.

 

[preston897]

That smoke is perfect and perfectly normal for chicken on high heat on a UDS or mini with the chicken grease doing it's thing....it's not bad charcoal smoke just grease and heat.

GREAT JOB!!!

Thankyou very much! I will be doing experimenting and always trying new things. I may try more or less wood next time. So if i were doing a brisket i shouldnt have any of that white smone right?

 

[fwismoker]

How large are the chunks you use? Mine were larger the softball size.

You'll want  to hatchet those down smaller.   Just split that size one or two times. 

 

[pc farmer]

About half that size. You used 2 I use 5-6. About the same. And that smoke looks ok to me.

Remember you are cooking over a fire.

 

[fwismoker]

Thankyou very much! I will be doing experimenting and always trying new things. I may try more or less wood next time. So if i were doing a brisket i shouldnt have any of that white smone right?

No you won't..it's a chicken juice thing. Some fattier cuts you'll get some of that but nothing like a fat bird.   Whiter smoke will start out but as the fire heats up it'll thin out.  You're doing great

 

[preston897]

I used a heat diffuser to over the fire. The juice dripped onto it. Could the heat fro t the juice burning on the metal pan do that?

 

[fwismoker]

I used a heat diffuser to over the fire. The juice dripped onto it. Could the heat fro t the juice burning on the metal pan do that?

My diffuser has holes in it and my grease gets fed to the fire but yea the grease is just flashing on the metal.  Feel free to drill some holes in your pan because it'll add some nice flavor. 

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• fwismoker
• Oct 26, 2013

That pan is the diffuser that's normally in my UDS.