Whole chicken brined

[pahkong]

This is my first attempt at making chicken with my smokin tex 1400. I've done it before with a propane smoker. I believe it came out better for several reasons. With the propane smoker i had to keep track of the water pan. With the smokin tex i put the chicken in the smoker and took the chicken out when its ready. If you look at photos i posted you can see how golden brown my chicken got, i never got this with a propane smoker. It just shows how even the smoker cooks the meat. The last photo shows how moist the meat is.

I brine my chicken for 24 hrs in 1 gallon of water with 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of salt. I rinse and pat dry the chicken and i put it in the smoker for about 4 1/2 hours when the internal temp of the chicken reached 168. I wanted 170 but i couldn't wait. And thats basically it, enjoy.

[luke clayton]

Luke Clayton here. Sure looks like some great tasting chicken. I've cooked enought whole chickens on my Smokin Tex to fill the bed of my truck, but never brined them. I assume you're not actually CURING the chicken in 24 hours. Does the soak in salt and sugar give them added flavor? I am interested in trying this.

[pahkong]

Yes, it does add flavor. I also find that the left over chicken is more moist then if it wasn't brined.

[luke clayton]

While we're talking about chicken... I like to take cornish hens, rub them with some coarse black pepper, a little garlic powder, salt and a dash of sweet basil, then... cover then with a light coating of blackberry jelly (add a tablespoon of jelly inside the cavity), wrap with a slice of good bacon, pin with a toothpick and somke for 3 hours at 225. I like to place the heavy duty foil under the chickens, then wrap them after they have smoked 1.5 hours.

[admin]

Pahkong,
What temperature did you set your SmokinTex smoker on to smoke those great looking chickens? Thanks for your wonderful pictures.
Admin

[smokinten]

Killer recipe! My daughter and I ate some of it tonight. I got a great thought. Peel the skin off and batter and fry it. Sounds pretty decadent. I have been eating it by pulling it and eating it as sandwiches. Very good. Thanks for the recipe.

Smokingly,
smokinten

[coach]

Great recipe---cooked two chickens this weekend---thought my family would kill themselves on the bones--brined 24 hours and followed the recipe--perfect--thanks

[BillyBob]

Those birds look outstanding!!! What kind of wood did you use?

BillyBob

[Yukon]

A few weeks ago I put a 4 lb chicken in the 1400. I stuffed it with a Safeway boxed stuffing mix and I seasoned the outside with salt and Old Bay. I cooked it four hours at 225 and I basted it with olive oil a couple of times. The bottom line is that it was amazing and so easy to do.

[sk00kum]

This is my first attempt at making chicken with my smokin tex 1400. I've done it before with a propane smoker. I believe it came out better for several reasons. With the propane smoker i had to keep track of the water pan. With the smokin tex i put the chicken in the smoker and took the chicken out when its ready. If you look at photos i posted you can see how golden brown my chicken got, i never got this with a propane smoker. It just shows how even the smoker cooks the meat. The last photo shows how moist the meat is.

I brine my chicken for 24 hrs in 1 gallon of water with 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of salt. I rinse and pat dry the chicken and i put it in the smoker for about 4 1/2 hours when the internal temp of the chicken reached 168. I wanted 170 but i couldn't wait. And thats basically it, enjoy.

Wonderful! Simple!
I cooked these with the breast-side-down. Four and 1/2 hours @ 225; cherry + a bit of pecan chips. I've used a salt brine soak before but never with sugar, and not for this long.