First time ever about to smoke a chicken on MES30 how?

[tempnexus]

So my next door neighbor helped with cleaning up the snow and I promised him a smoked chicken I have a bought a 9lb Butterball "Oven ready" chicken I am I am trying to smoke it tomorrow (i.e. 12 hours from now) since I promised him a smoked chicken for the labor. Yeah I know. Anyhow what is the best way to smoke it? It's a whole chicken sealed with juices and gibbets. All I have for wood is 20lbs of Pecan.

 

[R Blum]

9 lbs? Are you sure that is a chicken?o_O

 

[tempnexus]

well I guess it's infused with Purdue ready to Oven shitsauce, Yeah with their sealed container and all it's between 6 and 9 pounds I have 3 chickens.

 

[tallbm]

So my next door neighbor helped with cleaning up the snow and I promised him a smoked chicken I have a bought a 9lb Butterball "Oven ready" chicken I am I am trying to smoke it tomorrow (i.e. 12 hours from now) since I promised him a smoked chicken for the labor. Yeah I know. Anyhow what is the best way to smoke it? It's a whole chicken sealed with juices and gibbets. All I have for wood is 20lbs of Pecan.

First thing about smoking chicken.
The skin will be like leather if you don't smoke at a temp of 325F or higher.
You can remove the skin and your chicken will be fine. With the skin removed ou can smoke at whatever sensible temp you want, I would suggest this route for your first chicken smoke especially if you are giving it away.

The pecan wood will be fine. An even stronger wood would also do well because chickens smoke fast so it's hard to get a lot of good smoke in chicken with it cooking quickly.

I would also place a pan under the chicken to catch all the juices... NOT put the chicken in the pan just over the pan.
You can put the neck and giblets/organs in the pan and the juices should/may keep them good to eat. If you plan to pull/shred the chicken you can add the pan juices back if you like.

Cook to 165F in the breast and you should be good. Best of luck :)

 

[petehalsted]

I haven't done any whole chickens in my MES but I have done wings. Dry brining with 3 parts Kosher salt and 1 part baking powder (NOT SODA), and then a quick crisp up on the grill works for my wings, but since that chicken has already been pumped full of stuff not sure dry brining will be much of an option now.

 

[tempnexus]

Thanks all, chicken is in the smoker, I also injected it with a mix of melted butter and cajun spices.

I kept the skin on since some of the injected spices were between the skin and the meat, but my question is:
With the skin on, will the smoke actually permeate to the chicken meat or will it just smoke the skin?

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks all, chicken is in the smoker, I also injected it with a mix of melted butter and cajun spices.

I kept the skin on since some of the injected spices were between the skin and the meat, but my question is:
With the skin on, will the smoke actually permeate to the chicken meat or will it just smoke the skin?

Yes, Smoke will still get to the meat under the skin.
You could run below 275° for awhile to get more smoke on it, but try to do the last hour or so at 275° (your Max) to tighten that skin up. I never had trouble with 275° for the last hour with the skin on the Chicken Thighs I do.

Bear

 

[normanaj]

I'm doing two half chickens tomorrow in my MES 30.Right now they are sitting in a pineapple infused brine(yes pineapple!),a little poultry seasoning right before going in the smoker.I usually smoke between 225-250 depending on size.I stick a 6" AMNTS loaded with hickory into my MES and a couple of hours later...smoky deliciousness my friend!