Soak your wood chips in water for an hour or more - then layer then with lump charcoal. Always start with a layer of charcoal in the firebox, then layer with a handful of wood chips on top - repeat until you've reach the top of the firebox.
The Brine - If you skip the step, don't even bother with the rest of the recipe.
1 gallon warm water
3/4 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar Market Pantry Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup olive oil
Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then pour in ice to cool it down. Place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking. One gallon of brine is enough for 6 pounds of whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces, and up to 10 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
Smoking the Chicken on the BGE
Bucher's string
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 t. minced fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed - NEVER garlic powder
A single lemon
poultry seasoning of your choice
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter
1 pint of water
Set up for indirect cooking with a plate setter with the plate setter legs facing upward and place the drip pan on the setter.
Rinse chicken, inside and out, and then pat dry with paper towels, again both inside and out if you haven't already after the brine soak.
Lightly salt and pepper, and add a crushed garlic in the cavity with the lemon after poking holes in it or halved. Using the butchers string, truss the chicken keeping wings and legs close together - the ends of the drumsticks should mostly cover the top of the breast.
Salt the chicken by sprinkling 1 t. of Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and poultry seasoning over the chicken so that it has a nice even coating.
Place in smoker and wait about two hours - keep temp at 300 for one hour then raise temp between 375 and 400 degrees. After two total hours, check with meat thermometer for a 180 cook temp.
If you wish to use the drip pan juices to baste, go ahead. I don't.
:0008
The Brine - If you skip the step, don't even bother with the rest of the recipe.
1 gallon warm water
3/4 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar Market Pantry Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup olive oil
Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then pour in ice to cool it down. Place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking. One gallon of brine is enough for 6 pounds of whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces, and up to 10 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
Smoking the Chicken on the BGE
Bucher's string
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 t. minced fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed - NEVER garlic powder
A single lemon
poultry seasoning of your choice
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter
1 pint of water
Set up for indirect cooking with a plate setter with the plate setter legs facing upward and place the drip pan on the setter.
Rinse chicken, inside and out, and then pat dry with paper towels, again both inside and out if you haven't already after the brine soak.
Lightly salt and pepper, and add a crushed garlic in the cavity with the lemon after poking holes in it or halved. Using the butchers string, truss the chicken keeping wings and legs close together - the ends of the drumsticks should mostly cover the top of the breast.
Salt the chicken by sprinkling 1 t. of Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and poultry seasoning over the chicken so that it has a nice even coating.
Place in smoker and wait about two hours - keep temp at 300 for one hour then raise temp between 375 and 400 degrees. After two total hours, check with meat thermometer for a 180 cook temp.
If you wish to use the drip pan juices to baste, go ahead. I don't.
:0008
