Chicken problems!?

When I first got my Smokette, I tried a bunch of things.. but have long since settled down to the following..

Chickens, cut up or halved.. sprinkle with my favorite 'rub'. I like Pappy's low sodium.. sometimes Cookshack Chicken rub. I sometimes like to add a sprinkle of Tony Chichere's (sp) Cajun spices.. depends on what I'm looking for on a particular day..

I place my bird parts on the middle rack and sitck the cable thermometer in a thigh away from a bone.

All my chicken/turkey gets cooked at 250º. I always use oak.. for everything except fish. but any mild wood works fine.. apple, cherry. I'd avoid the strong ones like mesquite.

Regarding amount of wood.. doesn't really how many birds in the smokette.. 2 oz of wood is enough to get a good smoke flavor.. for my taste. Birds take smoke very easily and can get overly smokey fast.

This is my opinion (and methot)

I think Bill gave you some good guidance.

Additionally, I brine the breasts for sure. You don't need a long brine...even 1/2 an hour helps a lot. The thighs can go either way. They won't dry out on you as easily, and the differences, brined vs not, aren't as dramatic. They will 'taste' a bit better brined, as you'll get them saltier, but as far as moisture, it's a toss up.

Don't rub heavily, and don't use too much smoke. If your unit is well seasoned add just a tiny amount of wood (as Bill said, two ounces is plenty, plenty). I like apple with chicken (and pork for that matter) it's just 'friendlier' to the birds, and not so 'rough' on them. Try it, you'll see.

Oh, and, don't over cook the birds. No way not to disappoint on the skin, I fear. It's going to be a bit rubbery...even if you do as I do... to grill them after pulling them from the smoker. But, the meat should be goooo-ooood.

Have fun.

Mike

Well,folks above have cooked some yardbirds.

Their thoughts should get you to where you could make your own decisions.

I think I understood cutups to be whole chickens,cut into individual pieces?

Brining always helps breasts,even if an hr,or two.

If I had all pieces,I'd keep the breasts separate,and put a probe in a midsized one of them.

When it hit about 155º-157º,I'd open the door and check with my insta-read,and maybe nick a couple with the knife tip.

If they were all close,ziploc,towel,and cooler,while the thighs got up to about 175º.

Check them the same way.

Let us know.

quote:

Didn't seem to be one good post to go off of.

Nope, there never has been a Chicken 101, wonder why? I'll answer some questions here, hope it helps.

quote:

Originally posted by FFMedic82:
Before I get accused of not searching. . . . I promise I have spent a couple of hours doing so.

Appreciate you looking. Not EVERY question has been asked before, but a lot have. All we ask of people is to try to search, since there have been 10,000's of posts the question might have been answered

quote:

The flavor was good initially, until I realized the smoke flavor was going to make me sick. (VERY STRONG)

Keep notes, and based upon time/temp method, next time cut back on the wood. Cut the amount in 1/2 to start with.

quote:

where to stick my thermometer on the chicken

Depends, in pieces you'll have to stick the smallest thigh and the smallest breast (they'll be done first). In whole chickens I stick it in the breast because I don't want to overcook that part. I shoot for 165 in the breast ONLY if I'm doing a whole bird and ONLY if I've brined. Without brining, 160. Yes for you chicken experts , the thighs will need more time/temp but I put the dark meat down and it seems to cook evenly that way. I think the USDA is not saying 165 is food safe for a whole bird.

quote:

I stick it in the chick on the top rack or bottom?

How about the middle if it's only one or two?

quote:

What temp should I go for?

Depends. Lowest temp, longer time, more smoke. Higher temps, less time, less smoke. Also if you're a skin purist, higher temps will do better than lower.

quote:

I was thinking of the mayonaise rub chicken, but would it be better to brine?

Two different methods. The Mayo method is because it's mostly oil so it's just applying an oil to keep the outside moist and to let the rub stick. Brining imparts flavor inside the bird. I NEVER do poultry without brining. Check out Brining 101 in the Guide pages for lots of info. But thighs a min of 4 hours, breast a min of 2 hours. Shorter won't have much effect except flavoring the outside of the skin

quote:

How much wood for 2 4# whole cut up chickens?

See above response, you had an issue with too strong.

quote:

I assume to turn to 008 to 250?

Depends. See temp answer above.

Smokin'

Amazing guys, as always! Any particular brining recipes you guys prefer for chicken?

I appreciate you clearing up the brining thing, smokin. I have read the 101 several times, along with others, but for some reason had it in my mind that the oil on the outside would help the moisture stay on the inside. (Oops)

Anyway, thanks again guys. I'll let you know how it goes. If you hear from me soon, it went well. . . otherwise, I may be grounded by the wife. :-)

~Eric

Most use Smokin's brine,as he has probably done more work on brining than anyone in the bbq business.

Plus,you have him here to answer questions.
http://forum.cookshack.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/299102888...351048883#6351048883

USDA has recently revised their standards for chicken to 165˚ internal for all chicken, whole or parts http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Chicken_Food_Safety_Focus/index.asp

One way to avoid the excessive smoke is to allow the meat to warm to room remp on the outside before cooking, or to warm in the cooker before applying smoke. Creosote is your culprit, and creosote will condense out on the coolest objects just like water vapor condenses on cooler surfaces.

Higher cooking temps will not only yeild crispier skin, but also allow less creosote deposition on the meat. When cooking at temps below 250˚, you have to be much more careful about how much smoke you apply.

Not trying to be a peckerhead(see what I did there? ) but I would caution against room temping chicken.

Well now,we might have two parts,or maybe three,of different discussions.

I'm thinking this thread is mostly about how to turn out some chicken that looks and tastes acceptable to our family and friends.

Now,the added benefit is they don't get food poisoned.

There is" nope you probably won't die from it".

There are good chefs ,that hot cook chicken about 450º-500º,until their eyes just quit blinkin'.

.

That carryover, external heat will haul dark meat from in the 150º s to about 175º,where it is still pretty moist.

I'm thinking,maybe 160º, for around a half minute,will keep you from dying, from most things,unless they have converted to a chemical.

This being why you don't leave that butt in the OK sun, in the car,all afternoon and figure cooking it enough, ought to kill most critters.

This be where the old, above 35º-40º and below 135º-140º for four hrs, ought to go to the landfill.

Then there is visually and texure[mouth feel] appealing,which often takes a few more degrees.

Also, there is the yardbird industry figurin' out you could get a chick to market size -this month-whether it's bones have developed and sealed, or not.

The packer can also freeze it some,but not too much,and it is still sorta fresh.

Now Smokin' will probably point out to you,how disappointed a comp cook can get,when he's paid about $2,000 in total expenses, been on the road for five days in his shiny big truck,haulin' that fancy custom 36 ft Featherlite trailer,to that big invitational, we all want to go to,and sees the KCBS rep walking back towards you with your chicken entry.

He opens that box,to show the partially sealed bone,with the blood vein running bright red along it.

Now the up side of that DQ,is you can sit right down and start drinkin that Jack and Coke,'cause its all over but the shoutin' and the cryin'.

That is why hot chicken cooks,sometimes, let their chicken parts set out 30-45 mins,to warm up a little.

Also,vendors,etc, hate to turn out well cooked chicken,and see the trash barrels filled with "undercooked" chicken.