I had 2 3#+ birds that had the beer can treatment with 1/2 can beer, some soy sauce, some onion powder and a little vinegar in the beer cans. They were rubbed with CS chicken rub a few hours before the cook. I used 2 oz of apple wood for a little smoke.
They were cooked for 4.25 hours at 225 degrees, with a decrease to 175 degrees for an hour when they reached 147 degrees ( we had to go out to visit relatives visiting from Brazil with a new baby!). The last 30 minutes they cooked at 250 degrees. Here's the photo of the little birds all in a row getting ready for the heat.
And here they are all in a row in the Smokette after they reached 163 degrees internal (breast) temp. Looks almost like the chorus line at RKO Music City in N.Y.
As expected, the skin was not crispy, and yet the chickens were juicy and extremely flavorful.
Some problems encountered in doing the beer butt thing in the Smokette were getting the birds to sit up on the racks in the device, and taking them out without spilling the stuff in the beer cans. My can opener did not remove the top of the beer cans so I had to use kitchen shears. Be forwarned and think ahead if you decide to do the beer butt thing!
I would like to hear your comments on this cook. My wife loved the birds. I prefer brisket!
