Smoking a chicken?

[BigFoot]

Anyone ever smoke a whole chicken? No, not killing a chicken, or rolling one up and smokin' it. Im talking a whole chicken wood smoked. Ive got abird thats about 5lbs, Wanna smoke it, any idears?

 

[hogfarmer]

I've done it and it was good. No brine, smoke in your smoker maybe 15 to 20 min then finish in a 350 degree oven. excelent.

 

[Alwayslit]

The draw was a biatch:grin: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beer_can_chicken/......this is the way to go.

 

[bballbaby]

never had a whole lot of success with smoking chickens. tried numerouse times. brine, no brine, diiferent woods. came to the conclusion the beer can chicken is the easier way to go with better results. you might try putting a wood chip inside the chicken if you go the beer can route. that will give it a little bit of that wood flavor.

but by and large, when it comes to smoking birds, turkey & pheasant work best.

HOWEVER, i smoke my jamiacan jerk chicken, but it's a whole cut up chicken, not a whole chicken.

 

[bballbaby]

feel free to PM me with questions or thoughts or other generally useless information.

 

[theribdoctor]

i've had good success in smoking chickens...typically I butcher it, brine it, then smoke them after a simple dry rub, and typically smoke for a couple hours.

 

[indyrob]

I smoke a lot of yardbird and have never had to go with the beer can. I do mine on a Chargriller BBQ. But lump charcoal off to the side and the bird on the other. Cooks at 300 - 325 in a few hours. Moist as all hell.

 

[Andytex]

I prefer to smoke my chhicken quartered. I just like the way the cut up chicken comes out. Dry rub and smoke for a few hours low and slow.

 

[Highlander]

We just bought a smoker last week and smoked a pork shoulder. Awesome goodness!

We have some huge chicken breasts dethawing now and was thinking about doing them.

Good thread timing!

 

[Bsneed51]

I spatchcock the chicken, brine it preferable overnight, but at least 5-6 hours, then I smoke it at 275 for about 45 minutes per pound, or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170. I have found fruit woods tend to be better for smoking chicken, because the skin will pick up bitter flavors from mesquite or hickory.


How to spatchcock: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/spatch.htm

 

[tubaman]

I will do one of two ways depending on how much time I have for prep. Both ways I like to brine if at a all possible.

1. Apply rub over whole chicken and do beer can chicken. Quick and easy. You just need to put a pan or foil under the chicken so it doesn't flare up from gease drippings.

2. As others have said, I like to spatchcock the chicken, put pats of butter and herbs under the skin and on the part of the chicken where the cavity would be. Then I roll it up and tie it, makes like a chicken roll.

Fruitwood or pecan is very nice for chicken, not too heavy. Only a couple chunks is necessary, it took me a long time to learn that a little smoke goes a looooong way.

 

[Hot_Sauce]

As Tuba Mentioned. Be sure to put some aluminum foil under the chicken.

I cut my chicken in half. Season it to my liking. Fire up the BBQ to 350-375 Cook the chicken under inderect heat and smoke it with alder wood. Flip the bird after 1 and a half hours or so. Let it cook for another hour and a half or so. Put your BBQ Sauce of choice on it the last 15 min or so. Then pull it off the grill. Let it rest a few minutes. carve it up and enjoy

 

[itallushrt]

Yes, many times but only on an Orion. I like to dry rub with simple black pepper, salt and chipolte powder then use mesquite chips.