Smoking chicken

[SMOOTHboar]

Marshall I definitely respect & heed you're advice since you are a professional chief, but I didn’t think that putting a small pan of water in the smoker with the meat steams the meat in any way; it was my understanding that it only acts as a buffer to counteract the dry heat from the firebox.

We cook food in order to cause a chemical reaction designed to aid in digestion, impart flavor, and create an experience. At least that's why I cook. I like to think of cooking as a tasty science experiment.

I don't believe that a small pan of water, beer, or juice can effectively reach a hot enough temperature to offer any relative amount of moisture. Some will evaporate. True. But not enough to augment a dry cooking method like smoking. Using a true water smoker my position changes. The real value of the beer can thrust into the cavity of a wog is the same benefit that is achieved by using a cornishing rack.

With other proteins, cooked in a water smoker, I would agree with you. Beef, pork, venison, ect the addition of moisture into the environment is a positive. These proteins react well to a softer indirect moist smoking method. However, foul proteins are similar to a bowl of spaghetti with meatballs in it. In so far as literal protein shape goes. Scientifically fowl proteins have a turgor effect when heat is applied to them. When you try and add a moist heat to chicken the protein water wants to give up its water. There by drying out before reaching a safe serving temp. Also the skin turns to an unsavory rubber. Can you cook it in a water smoker yes. But it is my opinion that the protein shape (at the cellular level) is always going to suffer.

Ok miles from what we are considering and on the extreme end of this spectrum and to make my point. Lets consider how different chicken performs when boiled as opposed to beef or pork. You can take the same weight (say 3lbs) for each and boil them all at the same temp. With beef and pork the proteins will usually hold their desired shape. You can very quickly go from a fantastic succulent pulled chicken to a stringy dry mess. Love the conversation!

[IowaHunter]

PM me your email and I'll send my electric smoker chicken recipe. It hasn't been dry yet.

[Buckwheat]

Rub with olive oil. Then my rub. Get smoker up to 350. And cook. I also mix in a sauce pan a can of fruit Nectar (peach). And half cup brown sugar. This is mopped on lightly to not whip of rub. I cook leg quarters till they are 165 Degrees. Never had any that was remotely dry. Or raw. Trust me wife freaks

[cj7zrcool]

I bought two whole fresh chickens a couple of weeks ago, split them so they laid flat and then rubbed 'em down with a combination of salt, pepper, chili powder, & garlic salt, back in the fridge. Built the fire & got the smoker up to about 235* with oak, put a couple of water-soaked mesquite chunks in, and laid 'em out on the rack. I kept the temp constant and added mesquite one more time. @ approx 3 hours in I flipped them, smoked another 1.5-2 hours, pulled 'em, let them rest for about 15 minutes and pulled/cut 'em apart. The family loved 'em and they didn't last long.

[LWD]

Don't overcook it and put a half-stick of butter in the body cavity.

LWD

[brrdnk]

I use pats of butter with seasoning up under the skin. Careful not to tear it. I also spray or spritz it with a mix of apple cider vinegar a few times while its cooking and also use a water pan in the smoker.

[IowaHunter]

Brine for a few hours ahead of time will sure help the cause.

[panhandlehunter]

Brine it and spatchcock it. Brining the chicken helps tremendously.

[dbaio1]

Brine for 24 hrs then inject with seasonings a couple hours before

[Cazador]

Thanks. What if it is not the whole chicken, but just the breast? I did some in my electric smoker and they were dry.

Are you talking boneless skinless breasts? If so don't try to smoke them, grill them on a hot fire. Cook them to 155 internal and pull them off. If they're bone in with skin you can try to smoke them but do it hot and pull them off at the same temp. The main thing is don't over cook them.

[Full Throttle]

Spatchcock it, coat w EVOO, sprinkle on some yardbird and cook at 350* till breast temp is 165.

[CaptJack]

the basic brine recipe is 1-cup of salt to 1-gallon of water
you can add 1/4 cup sugar, and whatever spices you want
but it's the saltwater that keeps the meat moist
i use the produce bags from the vegetable department at the grocery store
put two together, put in the chicken / or pieces - pour in the brine
squeeze out the air and tie it in a knot
put it in a bowl so if the bag leaks it doesn't make a mess
i use a Reynolds oven bag when i brine a turkey
a minimum of 4 hours, better overnight
breast meat should be pulled at 160°, no higher than 165°, or it will be DRY!
dark meat can go forever but at least 175°

this is BBQ-Roasting, not really smoking - over 300°

turkey breast brining in a Reynolds oven bag


standup chicken


bone-on turkey breast - 2-sided indirect - OldSmokey - around 330°

[masonred]

BRINE! You can use apple juice or sugar with salt, it doesn't take a lot. A 1/3 to 1/4 cup of salt and sugar is fine for a whole chicken, give it time to drain and come to room temp before cooking. Cut up chicken is a similar process, again drain and let temp raise. This works with pork also. Brine over night for larger pieces and at least 4 hours for cut up chicken or thin pork chops.

[sir shovelhands]

Thanks. What if it is not the whole chicken, but just the breast? I did some in my electric smoker and they were dry.

When I grill chicken breasts, I make a sauce of limes, garlic, cilantro, mayo, some spices, and slather it all over them. They end up nice and juicy and most of the mayo comes off in grilling.

[Mike D]

I have never brined anything I've ever smoked and it always comes out juicy and pull apart tender.

I do use a water pan smoker most of the time and keep it around 220° and cook to 165° in the breast on a whole bird or if just doing breasts I'll pull them at 155.


"An honest government has no fear of an armed population".