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− − − Smoked Chicken
So what's so great about smoked chicken? If you ask this then you've never
tried it. Imagine a roasted chicken bathed in flavorful smoke and slow
cooked to the point where it melts in your mouth. Got that? Then you're
about half way there. I really think that smoking chicken is the way it
was meant to be cooked. But then I think smoking anything is the way to go.
The first step in smoking a chicken is to find a good chicken. Don't pick up
a shriveled, frozen bird at the supermarket. Pick out a fresh, plump bird.
You want a good size because it's going to go fast. If you're cooking for
more than about five people consider getting two. I usually try to find a 4
to 5 pound bird. Yes you can find them, just not everywhere. If you can't
find a fresh one, then follow the instructions for thawing.
Smoking one 4 pound chicken will take about 4 hours. Before you put the
chicken in the smoker give it a good wash and trim off any lose fat and
skin. Smoke at about 180 degrees until the temperature at the center of the
breast reaches at least 165 degrees. Watch this temperature closely because
you don't want to get too far above 165.
If you do nothing with the chicken at this point but put it in the smoker
you'll get a marvelous bird. However there are several things you can do,
namely stuffing, mops and rubs.
Stuffing can range from the traditional to the somewhat strange. One good
way to flavor the chicken from the inside is with a can of beer. Beer mixes
well with smoked chicken so you tend to find it in a lot of mops and
stuffing. A good traditional stuffing would include apples, onions, sage,
thyme and bread.
My favorite mop is a good stout. I usually get a really big bottle of stout,
use about 1/4 for the chicken and the rest for me. Pour some beer in a bowl,
add some garlic and onion, maybe some sage, thyme and bay leaves, or
cayenne, chili powder and paprika.
For poultry a good rub usually has sage, thyme and bay leaves. These flavors
go along way with chicken. Try to harmonize your flavors by using the same
combinations in your stuffing, rub and/or mop.
So how do you know when the smoked chicken is done? Use a thermometer. It is
the best way to know that your bird is safe to eat. A good smoked chicken
will be very tender, have a late summer tan, pink meat and the juices will
− − − Smoked Chicken
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