How Long Do You Smoke Your Chicken?


 
J

James Harvey

TVWBB Pro
I picked up the 3 pack from Costco and am going to smoke 2 today. I can usually get the WSM up to 350-400F on a nice day (it's a nice day) so I figure 2 hours. Question is, how much smoke do you give a small bird? I'm thinking 2 chunks of hickory will do.
 
About 2 hours for me also. But I start checking internal temp at 1.5 hour mark. I would do apple it cherry wood.
 
Right now im smoking tow birds at 330 ish! I guess 1,5 hour cause they are small round 2 lbs. Im smoking w/cherry just an handfull of chips in pouch
 
I did one yesterday at about 225 - 250-ish and left it in for about 5 hours !
Just kept an eye on the color and then I broke off a drumstick.....yum !
No smokewood, just mesquite briquettes and Montreal Chicken Seasoning.


I usually cook 'em hotter and shorter.
 
Just a couple of fryers? Spatchcocked for about an hour on my Performer. Only takes one chunk or two of wood on the cooking grate over a chimney's worth of hot charcoal.
 
Prolly a little late, but Hickory to me is fine for poultry. We do love using Alder from the east coast also, and is our favorite.
I like doing a 3 pack on vertical roasters or beer can, usually done in 2 hrs at whatever the WSM can top out on that particular day.
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Tim
 
timothy said:
Prolly a little late, but Hickory to me is fine for poultry. We do love using Alder from the east coast also, and is our favorite.
I like doing a 3 pack on vertical roasters or beer can, usually done in 2 hrs at whatever the WSM can top out on that particular day.
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Tim
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Nice looking triplets there Tim !
Alder is our predominate native hardwood here in the PNW and is used for everything, especially salmon.
 
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Usually about 4 to 5 hours at 225/250* depending on size of whole chicken, or internal temp hits 165*.

Apple or cherry for me also.

Keep on smoking...
 
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Andre A said:
When you cook it that long, how is the skin of the chicken, is it chewy?
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If you notice in my post this is a beer can chicken (some believe in it some do not) and the skin is very tasty as is the whole chicken.

= >>>>Not Chewy<<<<:wsm:
 
Andre A said:
When you cook it that long, how is the skin of the chicken, is it chewy?
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All I can speak for is my own experience when it comes to smoking chicken. Low and slow, most of the skin will be fairly tender, but rubbery in a lot of places, while if I cook at moderate temps around 300*, it might look great, but can easily be dry and tough in a lot of areas. Not cool if the skin comes off in one bite...no matter what temp.....but while I'm happy if I jacquard, buttermilk brine, etc, to get my chicken skin mostly bite through tender, it's still not NEARLY as good as when cooked up crisp hot and fast on the kettle.
 
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I've been cooking my rotisserie chickens as hot and fast as I've been able to for the last few years. I used to cook it L&S but switched to high heat. Every once in a while I get some nice slow smoked chicken and it makes me re-think my ways......and know that I can do it better than what I was served :))))

I'll be doing some low/slow chicken soon.
 
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