1st Cook on SM045

Great choice! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine. Lots of good eating in your future.

Congratulations, Wally, everything is looking good.

Oh, the memories of a smoker that clean. Seems all of mine have a good amount of "character build up".

SHINY!!! Hopefully it won't take long for it to look like the inside of a coalmine.

Try throwing one of those birds in a blazing hot oven for a few minutes at the end to crisp up the skin.

Waiting to see the finished product...

I used too much wood on the chicken and over cooked them a bit too. They cooked for about 3 1/2 hours. I didn't trust the temp probe reading but I should have and will next time.They were still good but way over smoked. I also thought it was funny the way the grates cut though the skin on the backside. Anyway, I made some delicious chicken salad out of most of it. The rest I chopped and added sauce for sandwiches. I was impressed with how well the new design of the wood try burns wood. Turned it all into ash.
Today I'm doing the ribs. Just put on three 3 to 4 pound slabs. Wish me luck!

Good first attempt on chicken. Once that smoker gets good and seasoned. And I mean black inside. Try doing the chicken without any wood. You might be amazed at the flavor it will get just from the seasoned smoker. I still add one small chunk, maybe an ounce, just cause I like smokey chicken.

It is a lot of trial and error, as long as you are learning from what you are doing, you are on the right path.

A couple of thoughts for your next chickens,
1.) Spatchcock the birds - see Smokin Okie's 101's for a how-to-do that. I find both the white and dark meat come to proper temps at same time, plus your smoking time is reduced.
2.) Coating the chicken skin first with a little mayonnaise and then the rub/seasoning helps keep skin looking golden brown when it comes out of smoker. For good crispy skin, you will then need a few moments on your (gas) grill or hot oven to achieve that.

Good luck and have fun!!

you might try a vertical chicken roaster. That is the way I do mine and they come out great. It is the only way I do chickens anymore. Yes, the skin will need some tine in the oven etc if you want it crispy.

Thanks for the tips. Much appreciated. Will definitely give them a try.

Great post. Everyone has their own particular taste for smoke. I use a digital scale to weigh my wood and cut it into pieces of roughly 1, 2 and 3 ounces which gives me a good mix of weights to use for a subtle smoke. Of course I have heavier chunks for a longer smoke as the small pieces turn to ash rather quickly. But I find a 2 or 3 ounce chunk to be more than adequate for my family's taste.

And for something to help with the backs being cut, get some ofthese

I love using them in mine.

Chicken looks good, I understand about not trusting the reading on the thermometer, I do that myself at times.

I am still getting calibrated on the wood amount for poultry. It seems that all my poultry cooks have been oversmoked. As Padrefan says I think no more than an ounce is needed for poultry.

If your smoker is well seasoned, try smoking poultry with no wood at all.