3.5lb Fryer whole chicken

my bad it is a 4.25lb one.

My Basic Brine ratio is 1 cup Kosher Salt to 1 Gallon of water mixed until completely dissolved. You can add aromatics like Bay Leaf, and sweetner like sugar, honey, or maple syrup, but keep that to about 1/4 cup per gallon of water.

I brine one hour per pound, so a 4.25 lb bird would get 4.25 hours in brine, refrigerated.

I just got an Amerique and have had much better results putting it into a hot smoker and cooking until you hit an internal temp of 165 in the thigh, or when the juices run clear and the legs moves easily.

Hope that helps!

DMG -- Just for clarification, "NO," you don't "have to brine!" I rarely brine my birds and friends & family love the smoked chicken. Probably get more requests for that than anything else.

Go ahead and brine if you are looking to add a variety of flavors or to juice-up the bird a tad. That's ok. I just don't want anyone to get the idea that one "must brine" when smoking poultry!

Let us know how it goes...