Help me make the ultimate smoked chickens!

[mrob22]

So this year for my wife's side of family Thanksgiving we are having whole chickens. I've smoked whole chickens for large groups before and got excellent feedback but I didnt do anything too special. Just brined them and seasoned then smoked. They always come out super moist whether i brine or not.
My brother in law recently got in to smoking with an MES30 and apparently I was volunteered to smoke 5 whole chickens but my sister in law spoke up and said that her husband is going to cook some (2 of them) because not everyone has the same taste and may not want to eat just the way I cook mine. So challenge accepted because everything ends up becoming a competition and I'm always down for a little comp cooking between family and friends.

So I want to step up my game a little. I've been reading about people placing compound butter under the skin and I am curious about some good injections as well. Any tips would be appreciated!! Thinking about cooking atleast 2 different styles if not 3

 

[browneyesvictim]

The best I have ever done has been with the Slaugherhouse Brine. I also add 1T. Cure #1 and I inject the brine. Just wow...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/tips-slaughterhouse-recipes-for-poultry

If you aren't familiar with curing... its really something different that gives it a hammy taste.

 

[chef jimmyj]

This Bird won a Throwdown a few years ago...JJ

BTW...Pate is just a fancy word for sausage meat. No liver in this one.

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/smoked-chicken-galantine-with-country-pate.116456/

 

[jcam222]

Subscribing to see the ideas, I am doing whole turkey along with extra breasts and drumsticks. I usually just inject mine with a homemade jalapeno butter. Basically about 1 1/2 sticks butter, teaspoon of garlic and onion powder, some chipotle powder or cayenne and some jalapeno hot sauce to taste. I scale that up as needed. Outside I have done with both my normal butt rub and others with a poultry seasoning.

 

[sdkid]

I like Jeffs Maple BBQ Turkey recipe. Should be good on Chicken too??

https://www.smoking-meat.com/november-13-2014-smoked-maple-barbecue-turkey

Here is a chicken

https://www.smoking-meat.com/july-9-2015-smoked-maple-barbecue-chicken

 

[zwiller]

I am with my fellow buckeye and say inject. TonyC is hard to top. Inject it, light rub, overnight pellice/marinade, and smoke high temps (oak or hickory) for good skin and pull 160F (5F rise...) and you got a fighting chance.