I’m smoking these two ladies. I’ve never smoked a whole bird. Any advice?
by EddySpaghetti4109
46 Comments
brewditt
My plan next time is to remove the skin, cut in half and cook at 350.
SausageKingOfKansas
Yeah, slow smoking at a low temp is the worst way to cook poultry.
MoeSzyslakMonobrow
Spatchcock them
Every_Zone_57
Brine, spatchcock, season, smoke, eat.
lilbithippie
Brine them
WYLD_STALLYNS
Spatchcock, dry brine, “smoke” at 375 until done. Enjoy.
Almostmadeit
Spatchcock them, season, and aim for 300-350 on your smoker. My WSM likes to settle around 315ish and i’ve never had a bad result on a bird above 300 degrees.
minedigger
You don’t have to be a millionaire to do two chicks at the same time.
Laughing_with_myself
Spatchcocking and a large dose of salt-heavy dry rub is highly recommended. Peel back the skin, but not enough to deform it, remove as much moisture as you can with some paper towels, this will stop the skin from getting leathery or gummy towards the end of the cook. Shove some oil or butter infused with salt and spice underneath the skin.
Start your smoke low and slow to impart more smoke flavour and crisp up the skin. Longer smoke times are preferred.
StIdes-and-a-swisher
I take fine chopped bacon and butter and whip into a paste with fresh rosemary and garlic. Then shove that under the skin. Thank me later.
BabymanC
If you smoke at 250 crisp over direction heat before serving.
cleveheathen
I’d say smoke 2 in the morning and 2 at night. Then smoke 2 chickens in the afternoon so you feel alright.
Skysoldier173rd
Cook to temp not to time
rochvegas5
Find papers that won’t rip when you roll them
DolemiteGK
Brine them and smoke them hot and you’ll be fine.
madcradd
I always do mine at a higher temp for reasons already stated. If you are worried about smoke flavor can always through in a smoke tube to add some extra for the shorter cook. Chicken doesn’t need a ton of smoke to take on the flavor and be delicious.
ders5
Brine and Shove a beer can up one of them!
pallidamors
Spatchcock them. You’ll never go back.
jamminCOYS
One thing I love to do when I am done, and I am sure you’ve already thought about this, but what I like to do after I am done smoking them, is eat them.
needanap2
Every time I do beer can chicken the chicken is so moist.
KlooShanko
Smoke two chickens in the morning. Smoke two chickens at night. Smoke two chickens before you smoke two chickens and it’ll make you feel alright
evillilfaqr77u
Brine for 24 hrs. Then stuff them with lemons, garlic, whole pepper corns and a hefty spoon or 2 of honey.
motorhead84
Definitely take them out of the bags first. The bags get rubbery when smoked low and slow and the smoke doesn’t penetrate much at all.
lakorai
Baller chickens
runs_with_airplanes
Two chicks at the same time
dickballs38
I usually: – Dry brine with diamond crystal salt and get a nice even coat down under the skin so you have good contact on the actual meat.
– Wire rack over a tray in the fridge over night, spatchcock or not
– Cover with some kind of fat then season, duck fat is awesome but melted butter will do just fine
– Smoke at 300-350 till the breast probes 155ish
– Loosely tent with foil for 10min and enjoy
Don’t be scared if you see pink meat on the outer edge, just a light smoke ring. Can throw some people off.
If you don’t spatchcock, there’s two pieces of meat called “Oysters” by the spine and thighs that stay intact and are the chefs treat for all their hard work.
Hope this helps. Got most of it from Chuds BBQ on YouTube, he does great stuff.
Have fun with it and keep us posted OP!
Weird-Security1745
Take the plastic off first?😂
just-keep-does
Spatchcock them, dry brine them in lowrys seasoning for 4-24 hours, then cook them indirectly at 350-425. This way you will roast them but you can still get that smoke flavor and crispy skin and retain moisture. I did this last weekend on my BGE and it was some of the best “smoked” chicken I’ve made but I maintained about 425 the entire time.
Wise_Use1012
Spatchcock one and brine and beer can the other them you can decider which you like better for the effort.
youshittytitREDUX
1. Spatch
2. Cock
3. SPG
300-350 degrees until no longer clucking
DirtyFatB0Y
Take the plastic off first.
adamtc4
Spatchcock for the win.
blade_torlock
I like a honey brine with basic pickling spice mix.
kapeman_
Cook at 325.
apost8n8
I can’t believe people are recommending beer cans again. It has been thoroughly debunked.
PierreDucot
I do Peruvian chicken two at a time on my pellet grill – the recipe is for direct heat grilling, but it works well on my pellet grill (not sure what you are cooking on). It’s a really simple recipe, but it somehow always comes out great with no brining, etc.
I’ve never tried spatchcock like others have said, but I’ve seen plenty of photos on that show it clearly is a good option.
If you want to do it whole, I’d say let them sit out and fully get to room temp.
Bit of salt on the skin and let it sit for 15-20 mins. Or if you’re using a dry rub with a decent salt content that’ll work too. You could also rub a light layer of olive oil before the rub as well.
On to the smoker, set temp no less than 300. I cook until the internal on the breast is around 155-157 and the thigh is about 165-170. I’ll then transfer to an already pre-heated oven at like 400-425 to try and crisp the skin which will raise the internal the last few degrees it needs as well.
I will say it is the absolute juiciest whole chicken I’ve ever made. Even with crisping up the skin, the skin doesn’t quite turn out as well if I just used an oven. But the sacrifice on the skin for the level of tenderness of the meat is worth it.
Even though you don’t get a ton of smoke flavor since you’re cooking hotter, it’s become one of my favorite things to do on a smoker.
46 Comments
My plan next time is to remove the skin, cut in half and cook at 350.
Yeah, slow smoking at a low temp is the worst way to cook poultry.
Spatchcock them
Brine, spatchcock, season, smoke, eat.
Brine them
Spatchcock, dry brine, “smoke” at 375 until done. Enjoy.
Spatchcock them, season, and aim for 300-350 on your smoker. My WSM likes to settle around 315ish and i’ve never had a bad result on a bird above 300 degrees.
You don’t have to be a millionaire to do two chicks at the same time.
Spatchcocking and a large dose of salt-heavy dry rub is highly recommended. Peel back the skin, but not enough to deform it, remove as much moisture as you can with some paper towels, this will stop the skin from getting leathery or gummy towards the end of the cook. Shove some oil or butter infused with salt and spice underneath the skin.
Start your smoke low and slow to impart more smoke flavour and crisp up the skin. Longer smoke times are preferred.
I take fine chopped bacon and butter and whip into a paste with fresh rosemary and garlic. Then shove that under the skin. Thank me later.
If you smoke at 250 crisp over direction heat before serving.
I’d say smoke 2 in the morning and 2 at night. Then smoke 2 chickens in the afternoon so you feel alright.
Cook to temp not to time
Find papers that won’t rip when you roll them
Brine them and smoke them hot and you’ll be fine.
I always do mine at a higher temp for reasons already stated. If you are worried about smoke flavor can always through in a smoke tube to add some extra for the shorter cook. Chicken doesn’t need a ton of smoke to take on the flavor and be delicious.
Brine and Shove a beer can up one of them!
Spatchcock them. You’ll never go back.
One thing I love to do when I am done, and I am sure you’ve already thought about this, but what I like to do after I am done smoking them, is eat them.
Every time I do beer can chicken the chicken is so moist.
Smoke two chickens in the morning. Smoke two chickens at night. Smoke two chickens before you smoke two chickens and it’ll make you feel alright
Brine for 24 hrs. Then stuff them with lemons, garlic, whole pepper corns and a hefty spoon or 2 of honey.
Definitely take them out of the bags first. The bags get rubbery when smoked low and slow and the smoke doesn’t penetrate much at all.
Baller chickens
Two chicks at the same time
I usually:
– Dry brine with diamond crystal salt and get a nice even coat down under the skin so you have good contact on the actual meat.
– Wire rack over a tray in the fridge over night, spatchcock or not
– Cover with some kind of fat then season, duck fat is awesome but melted butter will do just fine
– Smoke at 300-350 till the breast probes 155ish
– Loosely tent with foil for 10min and enjoy
Don’t be scared if you see pink meat on the outer edge, just a light smoke ring. Can throw some people off.
If you don’t spatchcock, there’s two pieces of meat called “Oysters” by the spine and thighs that stay intact and are the chefs treat for all their hard work.
Hope this helps. Got most of it from Chuds BBQ on YouTube, he does great stuff.
Have fun with it and keep us posted OP!
Take the plastic off first?😂
Spatchcock them, dry brine them in lowrys seasoning for 4-24 hours, then cook them indirectly at 350-425. This way you will roast them but you can still get that smoke flavor and crispy skin and retain moisture. I did this last weekend on my BGE and it was some of the best “smoked” chicken I’ve made but I maintained about 425 the entire time.
Spatchcock one and brine and beer can the other them you can decider which you like better for the effort.
1. Spatch
2. Cock
3. SPG
300-350 degrees until no longer clucking
Take the plastic off first.
Spatchcock for the win.
I like a honey brine with basic pickling spice mix.
Cook at 325.
I can’t believe people are recommending beer cans again. It has been thoroughly debunked.
I do Peruvian chicken two at a time on my pellet grill – the recipe is for direct heat grilling, but it works well on my pellet grill (not sure what you are cooking on). It’s a really simple recipe, but it somehow always comes out great with no brining, etc.
https://www.seriouseats.com/peruvian-style-grilled-chicken-with-green-sauce-recipe
I’ve never tried spatchcock like others have said, but I’ve seen plenty of photos on that show it clearly is a good option.
If you want to do it whole, I’d say let them sit out and fully get to room temp.
Bit of salt on the skin and let it sit for 15-20 mins. Or if you’re using a dry rub with a decent salt content that’ll work too. You could also rub a light layer of olive oil before the rub as well.
On to the smoker, set temp no less than 300. I cook until the internal on the breast is around 155-157 and the thigh is about 165-170. I’ll then transfer to an already pre-heated oven at like 400-425 to try and crisp the skin which will raise the internal the last few degrees it needs as well.
I will say it is the absolute juiciest whole chicken I’ve ever made. Even with crisping up the skin, the skin doesn’t quite turn out as well if I just used an oven. But the sacrifice on the skin for the level of tenderness of the meat is worth it.
Even though you don’t get a ton of smoke flavor since you’re cooking hotter, it’s become one of my favorite things to do on a smoker.
Consult the VWB, https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/
Inject em’ & shove a can of beer up the prison wallet
First step, make sure you take them out of the plastic.
Yes, either overnight brine or 4+hr of dry rub . My preference is holy gospel from meat church.
anyone have any experience smoking air-chilled vs. wet-chilled chicken?
It’s a bad day to be a chicken
Unwrap the package before smoking.
Thaw em out first
Do it in a smoker . Not in the sink