Great success with chicken

[Jeff Wildrick]

This probably isn't earthshaking, but I'm so happy I could jump to the roof!

Yesterday I smoked two chickens - fryer size - and had my best ever success with the WSM and poultry.

My first decision was to leave the chickens intact. Just cut off the excess fat, oil the skin, and spinkle liberally with Adobo seasining.

Second was to take my original WSM water pan, wrap it with extra wide foil, and place it inside my Brinkman pan, then into the smoker. Other times I've had nasty smoke from fat burning when it hit one pan. This time I just ended with a great pan full of juice and fat that I could use for gravy.

Other than that it was pretty straightforward. Two chimnies of charcoal. Two (yes, just two) chunks of cherry wood. 1 3/4 hours with all vents open. Internal temp in the thigh was 170. When I cut it open after 20 minutes rest I got the juciest, most flavorful chicken I've ever made.

And, miracle of miracles, all three of my kids loved it. That NEVER happens - there's always one who doesn't like something!

Hope this helps someone - especially the tip about using the two pans.

Jeff

 

[Tim Johnson]

Congrats Jeff... I LOVE chicken on the WSM!!!

 

[Toby Keil]

Congrats Jeff sounds like everything turned out great.

 

[Tom Chips]

The great thing I find about the WSM is after slowly BBQing the chicken, you can remove the center section altogether, and finish the chicken skin to a nice crispy end, right over grate placed on top of the ring of coals. It's a good use of the dying coals anyway.

 

[Neil R.]

Originally posted by Jeff Wildrick:
This probably isn't earthshaking, but I'm so happy I could jump to the roof!

Yesterday I smoked two chickens - fryer size - and had my best ever success with the WSM and poultry.

My first decision was to leave the chickens intact. Just cut off the excess fat, oil the skin, and spinkle liberally with Adobo seasining.

Second was to take my original WSM water pan, wrap it with extra wide foil, and place it inside my Brinkman pan, then into the smoker. Other times I've had nasty smoke from fat burning when it hit one pan. This time I just ended with a great pan full of juice and fat that I could use for gravy.

Other than that it was pretty straightforward. Two chimnies of charcoal. Two (yes, just two) chunks of cherry wood. 1 3/4 hours with all vents open. Internal temp in the thigh was 170. When I cut it open after 20 minutes rest I got the juciest, most flavorful chicken I've ever made.

And, miracle of miracles, all three of my kids loved it. That NEVER happens - there's always one who doesn't like something!

Hope this helps someone - especially the tip about using the two pans.

Jeff

Sounds GREAT!

Like you, I just open all the vents and let it rip to get the temp as high as possible!!!

I like lemon chicken, so I stuff a lemon that has been poked all over with a fork and some garlic into the internal cavity of the chicken. Baste with vegetable oil to start and let it rip.

Very tender and succulent.

 

[Neil R.]

Just did two birds this morning, one just finished and the other should be close.

Stuffed, oiled and ready to go.

Bird right off the WSM.

 

[Bill Hays]

Great lookin' bird, Neil!

Jeff, were both chimney's of charcoal lit?

TIA,

Bill

 

[Dave/G]

Ok, pics loud and clear now and looking good

 

[Neil R.]

Originally posted by Dave/G:
Ok, pics loud and clear now and looking good

Sure was hard to get those birds to show themselves. They were bashful.

I would try blaming it on photobucket I don't think anyone would believe me anyway.

 

[Jeff Wildrick]

Originally posted by Bill Hays:
Great lookin' bird, Neil!

Jeff, were both chimney's of charcoal lit?

TIA,

Bill

I lit one chimney and emptied it into the smoker. Poured another unlit chimney on top, then waited about 10 minutes before adding the cherry and assembling the WSM. Heat shot right up at that point. My chicken came out a bit darker than the pictures from Neil.