Nothing special tonight. Simple smoked whole chicken from Aldi in the MBE smoker and A-MAZ-N 6X6 tray.
Recipe was simple - spatchcock the chicken, trim excess fat, etc.; used a simple olive oil and lemon pepper rub tonight. Smoked using apple pellets @ 250F for approx. 4 hour in continuous smoke. Finally got a steady thin smoke from the vent today, (2nd time using the maze) and of course, put too many pellets in the maze for the time used. Third time is the charm. LOL! Once at temp, the MBE held within 5 deg F of the set point until I opened it to put the potatoes in. Dropped to 214F and within 25/30 mins was back at 250F. Outside temp was in the upper 90s, so I'm sure that helped as well.
Mrs. Wurtz made some seasoned sweet potatoes to be smoked. Put them in around the 2.5 hour mark. Quick air fried some corn on the cob as a spure of the moment idea.
Anyway, the meal was successful and very tasty with premeditated left overs. The breast top layer under the skin was a little dry (~1/8") but the meat below fell apart just the like the wing, thighs and legs. I oil/butter under the skin like I normally do this time so that didn't help much. The top of the sweet potatoes had a bite to them, didn't cover in foil to steam. Chicken and potatoes had a nice mild smokey flavor to them.
For those using the maze in their MBE smoker, the last two photos show how I positioned the chip feed tray for ventilation: about an 1" from the lock tabs to the smoker body; tray is opening down and top vent fully open.
John
4.5 pounder from Aldi
Spatchcocked and seasoned
Mrs. Wurtz's Sweet Potatoes
Ready to plate
Plated
Chip Feeder Opening on the MBE smoker with 6X6 maze
Top down with camera on the smoker box
Approx. 1" from nibs to opening
Recipe was simple - spatchcock the chicken, trim excess fat, etc.; used a simple olive oil and lemon pepper rub tonight. Smoked using apple pellets @ 250F for approx. 4 hour in continuous smoke. Finally got a steady thin smoke from the vent today, (2nd time using the maze) and of course, put too many pellets in the maze for the time used. Third time is the charm. LOL! Once at temp, the MBE held within 5 deg F of the set point until I opened it to put the potatoes in. Dropped to 214F and within 25/30 mins was back at 250F. Outside temp was in the upper 90s, so I'm sure that helped as well.
Mrs. Wurtz made some seasoned sweet potatoes to be smoked. Put them in around the 2.5 hour mark. Quick air fried some corn on the cob as a spure of the moment idea.
Anyway, the meal was successful and very tasty with premeditated left overs. The breast top layer under the skin was a little dry (~1/8") but the meat below fell apart just the like the wing, thighs and legs. I oil/butter under the skin like I normally do this time so that didn't help much. The top of the sweet potatoes had a bite to them, didn't cover in foil to steam. Chicken and potatoes had a nice mild smokey flavor to them.
For those using the maze in their MBE smoker, the last two photos show how I positioned the chip feed tray for ventilation: about an 1" from the lock tabs to the smoker body; tray is opening down and top vent fully open.
John
4.5 pounder from Aldi
Spatchcocked and seasoned
Mrs. Wurtz's Sweet Potatoes
Ready to plate
Plated
Chip Feeder Opening on the MBE smoker with 6X6 maze
Top down with camera on the smoker box
Approx. 1" from nibs to opening
