| Smoked chicken recipes are all about flavor and how | | | | Place the chicken's back side down, preferably over |
| moist the chicken is. Whether you're cooking thighs or | | | | indirect heat; after an hour and a half, turn the bird over |
| a whole bird, certain steps should be taken to | | | | to ensure that the inside meat stays moist. |
| guarantee that with every bite, you're sinking your | | | | Before using pecan or other wood chips in your |
| teeth into tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken. | | | | smoked chicken recipe to add even more flavor, be |
| Adding flavor: brine and seasonings | | | | sure to soak the wood chips in water for an hour or |
| First, soak the bird in brine. This step is essential | | | | more. After the chicken is inside the smoker, place the |
| because brine not only provides the meat with | | | | wood in a container beside the bird. When the smoker |
| moisture, texture, and flavor, it also helps conduct heat | | | | stops smoking, this is your cue to add more wood |
| so that the chicken will cook faster without drying out | | | | chips. |
| the bird. Heat up these ingredients on a stove: | | | | The heat source warms the wood chips, which, in turn, |
| - 1 gallon of water | | | | heats the water in the water tray. The water and |
| - 1 cup kosher salt | | | | smoke will then slowly cook the bird. This way of |
| - 1 cup sugar/honey | | | | cooking will create a "smoke ring," which is akin to a |
| - Herbs (optional but recommended) | | | | "tree ring," within the bird; once the chicken is done, you |
| Once the sugar/honey is dissolved, let the brine cool | | | | can see how far the smoke gets into the actual meat |
| by adding ice. Then place the mixture as well as the | | | | based on what parts of the meat are dark. |
| chicken into a sealable bag or cooler, where it can | | | | After about 4 hours, use a thermometer in the thickest |
| marinate. After four hours, take out the chicken and | | | | part of the chicken to determine if the meat's |
| pat it dry before continuing on with your smoked | | | | temperature is at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep |
| chicken recipes, namely adding seasoning. | | | | in mind that the bird should eventually get up to 165 |
| After coating the bird with vegetable oil, place herbs or | | | | degrees, which it will naturally do due to carryover heat |
| seasoning under the bird's skin. Many recipes also | | | | since the bird continues to cook and its temperature |
| suggest using spices such as lemon pepper but be | | | | continues to rise even after you take it out of the |
| wary; strong spices often take away from the smoky | | | | smoker. Then, wrap the smoked chicken in foil to |
| flavor instead of enhancing it. | | | | ensure that the moisture does not drip out. |
| Smoking: Different than grilling | | | | Once the chicken has been out of the smoker for |
| No matter what kind of smoker you use-electric, | | | | about 20 minutes, you've waited and been cooking |
| propane, or charcoal-to cook your chicken, the | | | | long enough. Now, it's time to enjoy your smoked |
| smoker's temperature should reach 225 degrees | | | | chicken recipe. |
| Fahrenheit before you start cooking. | | | | |