I smoked 5 chickens Friday night, and I could not get the biggest to read anything over 158. They stayed in over 6 hours with the temp slide as high as it would go. I am in Mississippi, so being too cold is never an issue here. (98 - feels like 105. with 85% humididty)
They were done, after the FTC - What did I do wrong?
By the way, I have decided to call the ABT's Heart Stoppers for my church friends - I can hardly offer them a plate of turds. They all love them though.
Gordon
What a piece of work is man!
gordon,
I assume you are using a probe thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the chicken, as opposed to reporting the temperature on the door thermometer? If so, I don't know that you did anything wrong, except possibly being a litte impatient [:D]. For 1 or 2 chickens, I would tend to agree that 6 hours would usually be enough, but for 5, you will definitely need more time, possbly into the 8-9 hour range depending on temperature. There is another thread posted right now on a similar subject, and the consensus is that the high moisture of the poultry plays into this, and the effect is particularly bad with more and more chickens in the smoker at the same time.
Bear in mind that you typically aim for about 165 degrees for chicken, so a good FTC raising 5+ degree would make up the difference, and as you saw, the birds were properly done.
So, once more, my Bradley motto: "Low and slow - it's not just a suggestion, it's mandatory..."
I agree with bsolomon; you did not leave them in long enough. Also five chickens is a lot to try to smoke in one setting, due to the moisture content. Four 3 - 3.5 pounders is the maximum I will do at a time and that is pushing it.
I would avoid FTCing whole chickens unless you know you are going to discard the skin. FTCing will make the skin more rubbery.
alright, alright...I will wait for the temp next time. I am doing at least three, and maybe more this weekend.
And no FTC...that will make the wife happy, she hates it when I use all the dish towels...
Gordon
What a piece of work is man!
Gordon,
As everyone has said it is the extra moisture from the birds that is controlling your heat.
Moisture is what a water smokers uses to control the heat in a charcoal burn.
Now I would still FTC but just as I was about ready to serve them I would slap them under a hot broiler...[^] Then say good bye to Mr. Rubbery Skin. [:D]
Olds
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/gif/Launch47.gif)
ahhhhhh! Neat trick Olds...I will remember that!
What a piece of work is man!