Smoked Chicken.


 

Arun L.

TVWBB All-Star
I made a curry-lemon smoked chicken on Sunday.

Pics:


http://imgur.com/a/y88uZ/layout/grid

Ignition was much better this time. It did take 31 mins between the 3rd and 4th pics, which seems longer than people said it would in another thread. But the quality of the fire was much better than my last few times.

I used the paper donut on the bottom of the chimney, and put the chimney on the charcoal grate.

Just as I was starting the cook, I realized the probes on the Flame Boss weren't working anymore. Neither the pit nor the meat. They sent me new ones and I got the replacements yesterday.

I ended up using another meat thermometer that I had.

After I configured the unlit charcoal in the charcoal grate and put lump charcoal and wood on top, I then put the lit charcoal on.

I used 2 pieces of applewood and 3 pieces of Sharpe Hickory.

After two hours, I used a spray bottle to spray the chicken with lemon juice.

It took 4 hours, 13 minutes for the breast to reach 155 degrees. Normally I wait until 165, but I felt it had cooked long enough.

I didn't taste much smoke the first day. On Day 2 and Day 3, I tasted it more.

How can I get more smoke flavor?

Should I refill the wood at a certain point?
 
Sometimes when you are the one cooking with your smoker you can't taste the smoke as much on the day that you are doing the smoke.
A lot of the time I can taste more of the smoke flavor on the 2nd and 3rd day as well.
 
What Bob said :)

From your description, I would say you should cut back to no more than 3. That's what I use (3) for 6 racks of ribs. I would have used 1 small piece of each with that bird. Kinda nice to taste the chicken, not the wood ;)

Like the guy that puts 6 teaspoons of sugar in his coffee--> would you like some coffee with your sugar? :)
 
What Bob said :)

From your description, I would say you should cut back to no more than 3. That's what I use (3) for 6 racks of ribs. I would have used 1 small piece of each with that bird. Kinda nice to taste the chicken, not the wood ;)

Like the guy that puts 6 teaspoons of sugar in his coffee--> would you like some coffee with your sugar? :)

Lol, ok.

At least good to know that the 2nd and 3rd day flavor was a consistent behavior.
 
It sure looks smokey good by your pics:wsm: ( I have some of those vertical roasters also) Bob and Len are both on it, and every once in awhile I notice a lack of smoke flavor but nobody else does.
Most people wouldn't use Hickory on chicken, apple yes but a strong wood like hickory prolly not.
Like you I like a strong smoke flavor and Hickory is great on poultry, ( I love it on turkeys) but I really like adding Alder from the east coast also.

Tim
 
...

How can I get more smoke flavor?

Should I refill the wood at a certain point?

A1: short answer--add more wood. ...but be careful. IMO Chicken can soak up smoke and you can get the "ashtray" effect. There is a point of diminishing returns. Apple is mild but the hickory should give you more of a smoke flavor.

A2: if you'd like more smoke flavor you certainly could. See A1 above for caution statement.

Also, you may want to wrap your temp probe leads loosely in foil as an insulator otherwise you'll keep burning them up. YMMV

...and throw away your stopwatch. This is BBQ. Relax. :)
 
A1: short answer--add more wood. ...but be careful. IMO Chicken can soak up smoke and you can get the "ashtray" effect. There is a point of diminishing returns. Apple is mild but the hickory should give you more of a smoke flavor.

A2: if you'd like more smoke flavor you certainly could. See A1 above for caution statement.

Also, you may want to wrap your temp probe leads loosely in foil as an insulator otherwise you'll keep burning them up. YMMV

...and throw away your stopwatch. This is BBQ. Relax. :)

Haha, I just like to note how long things take, so I can get a reasonable idea for the next time.

Plus with the Flame Boss charting the temperature over the cook, I can look at it and see about how long it took.

Yes, I wrapped the probes this time.
 
If I wanted to add more wood, about when should I do it? Is there a certain hour or temperature mark?

I'd just try one piece, not more than that.

Also, what would be the effect if I smoked it longer (whether I added more wood or not)? This time I stopped it @ 155 degrees, but what would the affect have been if I kept it going for another 30 mins or longer?
 
If I wanted to add more wood, about when should I do it? Is there a certain hour or temperature mark?

I'd just try one piece, not more than that.

Also, what would be the effect if I smoked it longer (whether I added more wood or not)? This time I stopped it @ 155 degrees, but what would the affect have been if I kept it going for another 30 mins or longer?

A1: I usually don't add more smoke wood so can't help there. I prefer a subtle kiss of smoke playing a supporting role vs the smoke dominating the taste. You and the folks you cook for may be different. Cook for yourself and those around you. If they like it you'll be asked to cook more.

A2: If you kept going it would cook more. 30 min wouldn't hurt but much more and I believe it'll begin to dry out.

Remember: this is cooking an agricultural product outside on open flame. Just because it takes 15.452 minutes to fire up the cooker, 1.3546 hours to cook a chicken to 162.25*F today, does not mean the time will be the same tomorrow or a week from tomorrow. Wind, temp, humidity, tender vs onery chicken, how it was prepared, etc will all play a part. Put your bird on, Ck back in a little while, adjust if necessary, and Ck back a little later.

I had to learn also: Relax. This is not meant to be stressful. It'll be done in a little while. Should take about an hour and a half give or take.
 
A1: I usually don't add more smoke wood so can't help there. I prefer a subtle kiss of smoke playing a supporting role vs the smoke dominating the taste. You and the folks you cook for may be different. Cook for yourself and those around you. If they like it you'll be asked to cook more.

A2: If you kept going it would cook more. 30 min wouldn't hurt but much more and I believe it'll begin to dry out.

Remember: this is cooking an agricultural product outside on open flame. Just because it takes 15.452 minutes to fire up the cooker, 1.3546 hours to cook a chicken to 162.25*F today, does not mean the time will be the same tomorrow or a week from tomorrow. Wind, temp, humidity, tender vs onery chicken, how it was prepared, etc will all play a part. Put your bird on, Ck back in a little while, adjust if necessary, and Ck back a little later.

I had to learn also: Relax. This is not meant to be stressful. It'll be done in a little while. Should take about an hour and a half give or take.


Thanks.

So far, I've cooked it for a little 4 hours. I was wondering what would happen if I did it for 5 or 6 hours. But as you said, you think it would begin to dry out.
 
So far, I've been using the top grate.

Is that the best for the smoked chicken, or is the middle one better? Or does it not matter?
 
Also, I've been putting a small pan underneath to catch any extra drippings that the vertical roaster's round pan might not.

I just wanted to point that out, in case it was affecting any of the cooking or flavor negatively.


http://i.imgur.com/gmOMUew.jpg
 
A1: I usually don't add more smoke wood so can't help there. I prefer a subtle kiss of smoke playing a supporting role vs the smoke dominating the taste. You and the folks you cook for may be different. Cook for yourself and those around you. If they like it you'll be asked to cook more.

A2: If you kept going it would cook more. 30 min wouldn't hurt but much more and I believe it'll begin to dry out.

Remember: this is cooking an agricultural product outside on open flame. Just because it takes 15.452 minutes to fire up the cooker, 1.3546 hours to cook a chicken to 162.25*F today, does not mean the time will be the same tomorrow or a week from tomorrow. Wind, temp, humidity, tender vs onery chicken, how it was prepared, etc will all play a part. Put your bird on, Ck back in a little while, adjust if necessary, and Ck back a little later.

I had to learn also: Relax. This is not meant to be stressful. It'll be done in a little while. Should take about an hour and a half give or take.

Another part of the reason I keep track of the time (sort of done for me with the Flame Boss) is so I know roughly what time I need to start by.

Do I need to start by 12pm, 5pm, or 9pm? If I'm cooking on a weekday, then a 9pm start is sometimes what happens. So I need to consider things things that I'll be able to finish within a few hours.

Since I've now seen a chicken takes at least 4 hours, for weekdays it would be best if I planned it for days that I could get home a little earlier.

Other times, if I really want to make something that day, I'll start it at 9pm or 10pm if I have to even if I don't finish until 12am-1am.

Also, I cook for myself most of the time. I only cook for others things either I think I make well, or I think I can make well. I don't want to give others something that I don't think is my best.

I can eat my own cooking if it's not great. I can reflect on the learning process.

But when considering others, I only give them options for things that I think I do well. So if I don't like how I make something yet, then I'm not going to suggest they try it from me until I've gotten better at it.

You must be cooking yours at a higher temperature if yours is taking about an hour an a half. When I did a roasted chicken in the oven, a 375 degrees, it took about that long.

For this lower temp cook in the WSM, it's at least 4 hours.
 
My suggestion for more smoke would be to start with fewer pieces, instead adding fresh when the ones already in there appear spent. The idea is a steady light stream of smoke over a longer time rather than a big burst of smoke at the beginning and then nothing. I would, however, agree with the others that you can over do it with the smoke, particularly with a mild meat like chicken. Most people would like it to taste like chicken, not like the aftermath of a house fire.

I would also add that for a whole chicken I prefer using a much higher temp, about 350F. This results in a much shorter cooking time and crisp skin. If I'm doing pulled chicken with legs and thighs then I'll do low and slow because I know I'm throwing away the skin.
 
My suggestion for more smoke would be to start with fewer pieces, instead adding fresh when the ones already in there appear spent. The idea is a steady light stream of smoke over a longer time rather than a big burst of smoke at the beginning and then nothing. I would, however, agree with the others that you can over do it with the smoke, particularly with a mild meat like chicken. Most people would like it to taste like chicken, not like the aftermath of a house fire.

I would also add that for a whole chicken I prefer using a much higher temp, about 350F. This results in a much shorter cooking time and crisp skin. If I'm doing pulled chicken with legs and thighs then I'll do low and slow because I know I'm throwing away the skin.

Yeah, it's never gotten to a point where it tastes like a house fire, or too ashy, etc.

I've actually liked the skin that's come out of it. It's been reasonably crisp.

I'll think about your idea about doing fewer pieces at the beginning but refilling it partway through.

If I cook at this lower 225-260 temp, which takes 4+ hours, at what time interval do you think a few wood pieces would be done?

Also, this cook was from 2 weeks ago.

I did another one last week. I'll have an update on that later today.

So people can put both of those attempts in perspective.
 
If I cook at this lower 225-260 temp, which takes 4+ hours, at what time interval do you think a few wood pieces would be done?
Too many variables to predict. If you see thin blue smoke coming out the top, you're good. If you don't see smoke, open up the door and take a peek inside. Or just throw another piece or two on. It's not rocket science. There are no precise formulas. I do advise being quick with the door though. If you leave it open too long the temps can really spike. I left the top off for maybe five minutes on my last cook while I was checking meat temps and moving things around. By the time I got the cover back on the temp had risen well over 100F. I had to adjust all the bottom vents to just a crack to get back to my desired range.
 

 

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