4.5 lb hen, brined 24 hrs, rub, in at 250, 4 oz hickory, probes in breast and thigh, set for 175*.
Do the temps sound good to you guys?
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You are saying 175* in thigh and 160* in breast?
Brined chicken will finish a little faster at the end, compared to regular chicken.
Good luck!
Brined chicken will finish a little faster at the end, compared to regular chicken.
Good luck!
Me....I'd go higher....225-250
Yes, I have the smoker temp at 250* and the probes set for 175 in thigh & 160 in breast
Please share, what did you learn? Are there any questions or comments on the chicken?
I don’t understand the two different probe temps. Chicken is done at 165°. Probe in the thickest part of the thigh and pull at 160° to 165° let rest for twenty minutes to allow the juices and temps to level out . I have found that cooking at 275° will cut your cooking time by two hours on a 5 lb. trussed bird from cooking at 225° and still produce a very juicy bird. If you are pulling at 175°, carryover will take it to 180° to 185° producing an overcooked bird. Remember if you have brined there may be some pink around the joints. Don’t worry about that, it is not blood but a result from brining.
quote:Originally posted by Mr.T:
... Chicken is done at 165°. Probe in the thickest part of the thigh and pull at 160° to 165° let rest for twenty minutes to allow the juices and temps to level out .
Well.....
I'd agree if the temp was in the breast, but I've not been happy when I measure in the thigh and pull it at 165. I've found, because of how the chicken sits in the smoker if I have 165 for the breast, the thighs are higher, usually 175. For us, we just don't like the thigh meat that undercooked (temp of 165).
We also don't Beer Can, I personally find it a suspect method (anyone temp the beer when it's in the can? It doesn't get to boiling). but I don't want to hijack the thread.
If it works for you, great.
For me, I brine (as you do T) and I'm happy with those results and hotter temps if I can get them for cooking the chicken.
quote:We also don't Beer Can, I personally find it a suspect method (anyone temp the beer when it's in the can? It doesn't get to boiling). but I don't want to hijack the thread.
Smoke,
As you well know, there’s a hundred different ways to cook an egg but we are talking beer butt chickens. Can’t be thread jumping there.
I have two different devises that I use. One is a aluminum plate with a tube welded to it that holds the liquid and bird. The other is a small metal bowl with two looping wires about five inches high that the bird sits over. It was my experience when I first started doing beer butts that I was putting too much liquid in the then cans and they never did get warm enough to provide the added moisture that I was expecting. Now, I put approx. ⅓ cup of liquid in each and they work much better. I don’t expect the liquid to boil but to provide light steam that provides a flavored moisture to the inside of the bird.
As for the lower temps. I guess we like our birds a little more juicy. And by the way I didn’t mention that they should always probe the birds in different areas to insure that the proper minimum temp has been reached.
I love beer can chicken and used to do it quite often. Since I started brining, I haven't beer canned. Like Smokin says, brining is a very good alternative to beer can.
My beer in beer can chicken dissipated quite well and provided a lot of moisture to the chicken. More than half the beer boiled away during the cook. However, I've only beer canned on the grill where the temperature is much higher than in the smoker. On the grill, the outside is cooked so the skin is crispy yet the inside is very moist and flavorful. To obtain the same effect while smoking a brined chicken, I finish the chicken on the grill.
My beer in beer can chicken dissipated quite well and provided a lot of moisture to the chicken. More than half the beer boiled away during the cook. However, I've only beer canned on the grill where the temperature is much higher than in the smoker. On the grill, the outside is cooked so the skin is crispy yet the inside is very moist and flavorful. To obtain the same effect while smoking a brined chicken, I finish the chicken on the grill.
Brining can be a good alternative but you can add more flavor to a brined bird also. I just like using the stands when doing a trussed bird brined or not, even turkeys. It makes basting easy.
The chicken turned out ok.
I think I let it cook a little too long (pulled at 173) as the breast was a little dry.
Good smoke flavor.
Next time to 165 and maybe an injection beforehand.
I think I let it cook a little too long (pulled at 173) as the breast was a little dry.
Good smoke flavor.
Next time to 165 and maybe an injection beforehand.
Sounds like you are keeping good notes. You will find them invaluable later on. The possibilities are endless of course. Try different liquids in the can, soy sauces, marinades and vinegars or combinations for example. Have fun and enjoy.