Whole Smoked Chicken Food

SMOKED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat a smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Combine paprika, chili powder, cayenne, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix completely with a fork until well combined.
• Spatchcock the chicken by placing chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Starting at the tail end, cut along both sides of backbone with kitchen shears. Remove backbone. Grabbing hold of both sides of the chicken, open it like a book. Turn breast side up. Push down on each side of breast with your hands until you hear it crack. Flatten. Rub with the seasoning blend.
• Smoke until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), about 3 1/2 hours. Turn up the heat to 350 to 400 degrees F (175 to 200 degrees C) and get direct heat on the skin to finish out with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).
• Remove from heat, cover in foil, and allow to rest until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 10 minutes. Cut and serve.

SMOKED WHOLE CHICKEN WITH HONEY BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• For the BBQ seasoning: Combine the brown sugar, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard and cayenne in a small bowl.
• Preheat your smoker or grill to 275 degrees F.
• If using a charcoal or gas grill, prepare for two-zone cooking with heat or coals on one side of the grill and none on the other. If using a gas grill, prepare your smoking pouches by tearing off 2 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil and layering them flat on your work surface. Place two cups of dry wood chips on the center of your foil. Fold up each long side and crimp to secure. Then roll up the ends to make a sealed wood chip pouch. Poke holes in the top of your pouch to allow the heat from the fire to singe the wood chips inside the pouch and make some gorgeous smoke that will be released through the holes and add a delicious smoke flavor to your food. Repeat this process so you have a total of 3 pouches.
• Combine the softened butter and the BBQ seasoning in a small bowl. Use your fingers to loosen the skin of the chicken and spread the seasoned butter up under the skin. Spread any remaining butter on top of the chicken skin.
• Use butcher twine to tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips behind the shoulder joint. Place your chicken directly on the grill grates over indirect heat on your smoker or grill. Add the wood of your choice; I recommend apple, cherry, maple, or pecan. If using a grill, place the smoking pouch on the direct heat. Close the lid and smoke for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, replacing the smoking pouch as necessary. Breasts should be about 160 to 165 degrees F. The thighs should be about 170 to 175 degrees F. If needed, rotate the chicken once during smoking.
• While your chicken is smoking, prepare your BBQ sauce. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, honey, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool.
• Baste the chicken with the honey BBQ sauce during the last 30 minutes of cooking (this is optional). Once the chicken has reached the correct internal temperature, remove it from the grill, rest for 10 minutes, slice, and serve.

EASY SMOKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Soak your hickory chips for 6 hours (may soak overnight).
• Split the chickens if you didn't have your butcher do it for you. Combine the salt, paprika, and pepper; stir well. Sprinkle over the chicken on both sides.
• Combine the vegetable oil, vinegar, and hot sauce, stirring well. Set chicken and oil mixture aside.
• Prepare a fire in your grill; let burn until the coals are gray. Rake the coals to one end of the grill; put an old disposable foil pan on the other end of the grill. Pour water in it to make steam and keep your chicken nice and moist. Sprinkle the hickory chips over the hot coals.
• Place the chicken on the side of the grill over the pan with water in it. Place the lid on the grill. Grill over indirect heat 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until done. Turn the chicken occasionally. Add hickory chips as needed to keep the smoke going. You may also need to throw a few pieces of charcoal in it to keep the fire going nice and hot. Baste the chicken with the oil mixture during the last hour of grilling time.
• Enjoy!

SMOKED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare chicken for even cooking: Lay chicken on a flat surface, breast-side up. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the breastbone, then all the way down to the opening at the other end. Open the chicken like a book, exposing the cavity, and flatten it; the backbone should crack a bit, which is normal.
• Brine: In a 1-gallon container, combine water, salt, and sugar. Seal and shake to dissolve salt and sugar. (Alternatively, stir with a whisk.) Place brine into 2-gallon container, followed by the chicken; make sure the chicken is fully submerged. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15-24 hours, optimally 20 hours.
• Smoke the chicken: After chicken has been brining for 20 hours, light the smoker and heat to 250 degrees F. Remove chicken from brine, and place skin side up on a flat surface. Pat dry with paper towels. (Chicken will be about ½ pound heavier from absorbing brine.) Flip over and dry the other side.
• Sprinkle BBQ Spice Rub on both sides of the chicken, then rub it into the chicken, making sure the entire bird is covered. Place chicken onto the grill, cavity side down. Cover and cook undisturbed for 2 hours. Add charcoal and use vents as needed to maintain a temperature of 250 degrees F through the duration of cooking.
• After 2 hours, flip chicken over so it's skin side down. Cover and cook for 20-30 more minutes. (Removing the lid of the smoker will reduce the temperature, so bring it back to 250 degrees F by adding more charcoal.)
• After 20-30 minutes, check chicken for doneness by gently tugging on the legs. They should be loose, but not pulling away from the bird. A digital thermometer placed into the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, should register 165 degrees F.
• Carving the chicken: Cut chicken in half along the backbone. Cut each half in half again, so the breast and wing (white meat) form one serving and the drumstick and thigh (dark meat) form another. Serve.

STOVE TOP SMOKER WHOLE SMOKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Trim any excess skin from the neck end of the chicken and pull out the giblets and any pockets of fat from the cavity.
• First brine your birds. Put the chicken(s) in a stockpot or Dutch oven. Pour in cold water, one quart at a time until the item is completely covered. Lift out the bird and stir in 3 tablespoons sea or kosher salt for every quart of water you have added. Return the chicken to the brine. Set the container of chicken and brine in the refrigerator. Brine for 1 1/2 hours per pound (minimum of 3 hours). Dry the chicken, and rub some freshly ground black pepper inside, also add some whole cloves of garlic and a few lemon wedges to the cavity.
• Start the chicken(s) breast side up on the smoker rack with the smoker on the stove top. Use 2 1/2 tablespoons cherry or oak wood chips OR 1 1/2 tablespoons hickory wood chips. Instead of the smoker cover, tent the smoker with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Smoke 40 minutes over medium heat.
• After the chicken(s) have been smoking 30 minutes, set the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 425ºF. When the chickens are done smoking, remove the aluminum foil and roast the chicken in the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh near the hip joint registers 170ºF, 30-60 minutes, depending on the size and quantity of the chicken(s).
• After they have rested for 5-10 minutes, serve hot or at room temperature. Leftover smoked chicken is delicious in chicken salad, casseroles, and sandwiches.