Tips for smoking a whole chicken?

[que-ball]

The trick is to pour off ONLY HALF of the beer.  If you pour too much off but had the foresight to pour it into a glass, you're in business since you can pour from the glass back into the can.  I sometimes pour into my mouth to save washing dishes, but if I pour off too much I have to start over with a whole new can!  Sometimes more than once! 

 

[Bearcarver]

Hey, it's a tuff job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Bear

 

[sqwib]

Being a Philly Boy, I'm positive SQWIB means pour it into a glass, and don't spill any.

I didn't want to offend any of our younger smokers, that sounds awful...younger smokers... or non beer drinkers

 

[gene]

im about to put a whole chicken in to smoke. i have a masterforge so i can crank it to 300 to crisp the skin up. my question is when do i put the olive oil on the skin and when do i put the seasonings on and when do i put bbq sauce on?. sorry for all those but i want to do a good jub

 

[SmokinAl]

Streach, I'm a little late getting in on this, but you have gotten plenty of good advice. I'm sort of partial to beer can chicken. I usually buy a 12 pack & by the time the chicken is done so am I!  

Gene, Put the olive oil & seasonings on before you put it i the smoker. If your going to put BBQ sauce on it put it on the last half hour or so. About when the IT gets to 155.

 

[sqwib]

Personally (speaking from experience), I would pass on the barbecue sauce.

In my reverse flow the skin crisped up at 250 smoke temp, but don't worry about the skin, smoke till the bird is done and you can always crisp up the skin in a frying pan.

(I just realized my earlier post did not state the actual smoking temp of 250°, sorry.

Here's one I brushed with homemade Honey Barbecue at 155° (doesn't look very good, does it!)

the skin was crispier than it looks but I would not do it again.

You would be better to use a sweet dry rub in place of a wet sauce

Here's one with no oil butter or anything, just sprinkled some salt and pepper.

If you were doing a bigger bird such as a turkey, then a wet rub (slather) would be ok, however, I would suggest foiling the wings when they are getting dark, then foil the breast at 150°

Cherry wood smoke	Foiled Wings, starting to get dark	Foiled breast when thigh reached 150°F
Removed all foil at 155°F and brushed with honey	Pulled when thigh reached 160°F	Rested, wrapped in foil and towels for 30 minutes and ready to carve.

 

[kimbro]

I've been smoking whole chickens for a while now .And looking at your picture you choose the right idea ...Being you stood the birds up it lets the fat run off making the birds crispy. Now what I do is not to use the smoke box but I put a pan of chip coals in a pan with lump of hickory soaked for and hour .light the coals get them to where they're burning good  and then add my lumped Hickory. Place the birds to the right of the pan . And now you have more heat and the smoke is right there in the same chamber with the birds . ajust your smoke stack lid to 3/4 closed and every 4o minutes rotate birds for even cook...

 

[bdskelly]

I use a Masterbuilt smoker. It's tough to get a good skin on an electric unit.  The high temp is the key. Mine wont get to 300  about 270 - 275 is all the old girl can give.  BUT with a heavy smoke it the birds come out great  In addition MB units are known not to put out large amounts of smoke.  I changed from chips to pellets and that appears to give additional smoke.  AS the other say, watch your internal temp.  The difference between a great bird and a bone dry one is about 30 minutes too long on the grate.  It must work.  Seems like the chicken go before the pork butt and brisket.  

 

[todd2968]

Over cooked my chicken 3 hours at 250 internal breast temp finished at 180 breasts way to dry

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Hmmmmm.

 Looks like the Guys got ya covered, I was out with G-kids, have fun and send the Q-view.  Don't worry , it's not a test, it's so we can Congratuate you on a job well done

 .

Hang around, we always have new ideas

 .

HAVE FUN AND AS ALWAYS . . .

 

[sqwib]

Over cooked my chicken 3 hours at 250 internal breast temp finished at 180 breasts way to dry

I have pulled Beer Can chixc at 180° IT  at breast, that were moist.

20130331126.JPG

• sqwib
• May 28, 2013

 

[smokinjoan]

Hi, I love smoking meats.  Thanks for the great tips on flavors for chicken.

Thanks

SmokinJoan