Well, it's Monday and time for some smokin' BBQ. This is a follow up to my Smokin' Ribs post.
www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=499815

My brother-in-law and family are coming over for dinner tonight. So, I thought we would do some smoked chicken. Winn Dixie has whole roasters on sale for .88/lb. So, yesterday I stopped and picked up two whole roasters. Last night I opened, cleaned and brined the two chickens. This morning I got them ready for the smoker.

Here are the chickens after brining overnight.


Brine recipe:
1.5 gallons of water
1.5 cups kosher salt
1.5 cups regular white sugar
1/4 soy sauce
1 tbl dried rosemary
3 tbl black pepper
3 tbl red pepper flakes
1 tbl cumin
dash of this dash of that

After the brining, pull the chickens and wash inside and out (to remove excess salt). You only want the salt that the chicken absorbed.

Next step is to prepare the stuffing:

Two limes, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, 1/4 large red onion, missing from the picture are 6 cloves of smashed garlic.

Here the birds stuffed but not tied yet:


Now it's time for the rub: Each bird will have a different rub. Bird 1: South West Chipotle; Bird 2: Rub recipe from Israel (made from scratch)
Bird Rub 2 spices being warmed to intensify flavor. They they are ground in a spice mill.


Here are the spices used for the rubs:


Rub 1: Prepackaged SW Chipotle - I am concerned about this rub since it has salt and I already brined the birds. We'll see if it is too salty.
Rub 2: Red Pepper flakes, Cardamom, Coriander, Paprika, Oregano and Cumin.

Here are the birds rubbed and ready for the smoker:


Also, I am going to do some smoked sausage (seen at the right of the picture). These were left over after a recipe for dinner yesterday.

The birds are going to go on at noon. They should be ready sometime between 5 and 6 pm. Temperature will be 225 to 250 for 5-6 hours. They will be finished when the breasts are 162 on my digital thermometer. I will pull them an let them rest 15 minutes before serving.

Updates to follow.

Pics of you smokin' chicken = good.

Pics of you chokin' chicken = not good.

Just thought you should know.

I'm wondering how upset they would be if I brought a smoker to the office :)

Quoted: Pics of you smokin' chicken = good. Pics of you chokin' chicken = not good. Just thought you should know.

OS tag for foods.

My very first tag!

Lookin' good so far!


-T.

I love these threads.

I seriously need to get me a smoker. I bet since it's going into winter someplace will have good deals on them.

That looks tasty.
I use charcoal and wood in my smoker,and have had a heck of a time getting chicken to stay moist over a long slow smoke. I've been thinking of doing a short 2hr smoke followed by an oven roasting session. I'll have to try that brining recipe for long smokes.

this thread has screwed up my day

I can usually make it until 2 pm before eating lunch.....

Ok, Update: Chicken's on. (12:30pm)

Temp needs to stay below 250:


Place chicken on the smoker upside down for the first hour. This gives the breasts a head start and gets a little cook on the skin.


Here is a vertical pic:


The bowl at the bottom is full of water. The wood box is filled with soaked hickory.

Coffee can modification to get more wood/smoke.


Hickory wood soaked for smoking:


Flip and mop updates to come.

My ham-and-cheese sandwich for lunch left me strangely unsated. I wonder why?

Quoted: I love these threads. I seriously need to get me a smoker. I bet since it's going into winter someplace will have good deals on them.

Mine is the el-chepo from Walmart. I got it on sale for $89. I'm in FL. So, I don't need to worry about the cold. However, if you wanted to smoke in the cold, just get a sheet of heat resistant insulation and put in on all 4 sides and a piece on top with a hole cut in it.

Quick question.

You soak the wood in water and you also have a bowl of water in the smoker?

Here is the mop sauce:


The sauce has: 1/2 stick of butter, 3/4 cup of chicken stock, 1 squirt of dijon mustard, 2 tbs worchestere sauce, 1 tsp of rub 2, juice of 1 lime.

Add more wood to the smoker box, Flip the chicken and mop with sauce.


I will cook for another hour, then insert digital probe in thickest part of breast set to alarm at 162 F. I will mop every hour to hour and 1/2.

tagaroonie

Quoted: Quick question. You soak the wood in water and you also have a bowl of water in the smoker?

The wood is soaked in water so it will smoke. The water bowl is to keep the humidity high in the smoker to keep the meat from drying out.

Here is a close up pic of what the setup looks like:


I cut the bottom off a coffee can to hold more wood for smoking. The bowl is full of water, but you can use beer, wine, etc for more flavor.

Ok, 2 1/2 hours in. Second mopping and add temperature probe in thickest part of breast.



Looks like we are a bit past 1/2 there.



Next update at 162 F.

I dont usually like chicken much but that looks pretty good.

Update: I pulled the sausage.



Note: Smoke Ring (pink area in meat near skin). I am having trouble resisting the sausage.

Quoted: Update: I pulled the sausage. photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49634 Note: Smoke Ring (pink area in meat near skin). I am having trouble resisting the sausage.

That is a phrase I never expected to hear from you.

That looks sooo good. couple of questions if you dont mind? how long have you had the unit (how well is it put together). i have been looking at one for a while now. i seen your last thread in which you did ribs. i do not have a lot of money to spend and this looks like it would serve me nice, as long as it holds up for more than a couple of years. and the other question is how hard are they to clean, or do you not clean them? have you ever done any smoked cheeses? my buddy brought over some smoked venison summer sausage and smoked motzerella that was most excellent. awsome threads. we need you on the food network, "cooking with ar-15"        

I am having trouble resisting the sausage.

SIG LINES, GET YOUR SIG LINES!

Quoted: Quoted: Update: I pulled the sausage. photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49634 Note: Smoke Ring (pink area in meat near skin). I am having trouble resisting the sausage. That is a phrase I never expected to hear from you.

Didn't think about what I was writing. Doah!

Quoted: That looks sooo good. couple of questions if you dont mind?

Not at all, that is why I post it.

how long have you had the unit (how well is it put together).

I have had the smoker for almost 2 years. It is a POS, but works very well. I paid $89 for it at Walmart on close out. I know that Gander Mountain sells a higher quality unit from the same manufacturer. However, it costs almost twice as much as I paid.

This smoker has very thin walls and a chepo burner. Would I recommend it? Yes. It's cheap, but works well. I will buy another when this one dies.

i have been looking at one for a while now. i seen your last thread in which you did ribs. i do not have a lot of money to spend and this looks like it would serve me nice, as long as it holds up for more than a couple of years. and the other question is how hard are they to clean, or do you not clean them?

I have never cleaned mine. I clean the water bowl, but that is it. It does get very messy when you are doing high fat pork. I generally turn it on high for 15 minutes before I do any smoking. Then I let it cool and start going. It usually takes about 30 minutes for the smoke to start. So, I get the smoke started and put the meat, vegies, etc on. I have done garlic, apples, pork, beef, chicken, turkey, sausage, etc.

have you ever done any smoked cheeses? my buddy brought over some smoked venison summer sausage and smoked motzerella that was most excellent.

I haven't done any cheese. You have to cold smoke cheese (less than 90 F). This smoker only does hot smoking.

awsome threads. we need you on the food network, "cooking with ar-15"

They wouldn't want my bald, fat, smart ass comments on food network. But, hey, I'd love to try.

For poultry....try apple juice in the water pan....and add some apple wood for smoke.

Looks great!

All that hard work and a great looking rub.... and you go and throw it on a propane smoker

You should be ashamed.

Charcoal is the only way to go.

Quoted: All that hard work and a great looking rub.... and you go and throw it on a propane smoker You should be ashamed. Charcoal is the only way to go.

Looks to me like he is doing fine After seeing those ribs,,,OH MY,,,,OH MY

what is in the Israel rub?

Do electric smokers work well?

I love these threads.

Here are the results: Total smoke time 6 hrs.



Here they are ready to come off.


I took them off with a pair of tongs. When I did, both birds squirted juices. Think it's looking good.

Here they are resting before cutting:

tg 4 ltr.

Brining is okay.

I used to be an ardent fan of it, but I learned that if you simply pack the surface of the chicken with kosher salt, it accomplishes exactly the same thing, and only takes an hour! (as opposed to many hours with traditional brine)

It also doesn't make the muscle fiber spongy & watered down.


Cooks Illustrated baby.... get it....



Also... soaking your wood can leave a higher residue of soot on the meat.

That looks great, but you lost me with the mop sauce...a squirt of mustard

Mustard is the spawn of the devil.

Quoted: That looks great, but you lost me with the mop sauce...a squirt of mustard Mustard is the spawn of the devil.

No way man. Musterd changes in a smoker.

I normally hate the stuff myself. It's dog vomit.

But in the smoker, it mixes with the juices and dry rub to become something of a different nature....

Well, they liked it.



Everyone is totally full. Some went back for 3rds.

Quoted: what is in the Israel rub?

I found it with a google search. I wanted a poultry rub with coriander Here is the link:
fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=137566

I didn't use any salt. I also added cardimom.

Do electric smokers work well?

I don't know. I have not used an electric. Check here.
www.smokingmeatforums.com/viewforum.php?f=13&sid=e35dc7d773fc0f062233abdc813109f5

Quoted: Ok, Update: Chicken's on. (12:30pm) Temp needs to stay below 250: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49617 Place chicken on the smoker upside down for the first hour. This gives the breasts a head start and gets a little cook on the skin. photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49618 Here is a vertical pic: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49619 The bowl at the bottom is full of water. The wood box is filled with soaked hickory. Coffee can modification to get more wood/smoke. photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49472 Hickory wood soaked for smoking: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49469 Flip and mop updates to come.

As a barbecue and smoking enthusiast I commend you even if you use propane.  I will try your recipe myself on my wood only smoker.  But....


Good god man refinish that deck

Quoted: Quoted: Ok, Update: Chicken's on. (12:30pm) Temp needs to stay below 250: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49617 Place chicken on the smoker upside down for the first hour. This gives the breasts a head start and gets a little cook on the skin. photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49618 Here is a vertical pic: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49619 The bowl at the bottom is full of water. The wood box is filled with soaked hickory. Coffee can modification to get more wood/smoke. photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49472 Hickory wood soaked for smoking: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=49469 Flip and mop updates to come. As a barbecue and smoking enthusiast I commend you even if you use propane.  I will try your recipe myself on my wood only smoker.  But.... Good god man refinish that deck

From the original Ribs post:
I smoke ribs with Hickory. Hell, I smoke everything with Hickory because a buddy gave me a shit load of it for free. And, yes, I know my deck is in bad shape. The house actually has 3 decks and this one has the lowest priority.

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=499815

Next somoke: Turkey breast for slicking into sandwich meat or maybe a boston butt.

Rubbing the bird, pulling the sasuage and "When I did, both birds squirted juices".
You had no problems masterbating did you...


Looks good indeed!!  

Quoted: All that hard work and a great looking rub.... and you go and throw it on a propane smoker You should be ashamed. Charcoal Flaming logs is the only way to go.

Fixed it for you.