Drunken Chicken

Bud · August 24, 2004, 01:08:43 AM

I have been cooking the beer can chickens for some time now and have always had good results. Usually oil them up with veggie oil and then rub em down.My wife and I both love the crispy spicy skin. Cook them over indirect heat on the grill @ 350 for about 1 1/2 hours. I usually put a pie pan under the bird and the can to save all the body fluids and beer steam. Makes for a great dippin sauce. I was thnking about fixing one in the BS. Maybe just smoke it for a while then finish it on the grill to get the bird up to temp and the skin crispy. I don't think that I would need the beer can in the BS since the beer is ment to keep the bird moist while it grills. It should stay plenty moist in the BS.I've never smoked a whole bird yet. Anybody got any suggestions. Should I forget the grill and keep it in the Bradley until done? How long would that take and at what temp? If I use the Bradley should I drink the beer instead?

Chez Bubba · August 24, 2004, 04:38:38 AM

Dear Mr. Weiser,

I don't think you'll need to "waste" that beer shovin' it up the chicken's posterior. It would be better served in your gullet.

One whole dry-rubbed chicken (4#), marinated overnight, Bradley about 200F for 3 hours until IT is about 180F, rest for 10 minutes. It'll be devoured in less than 5.

Don't know how "crispy" you like the skin. Maybe punch up the temp for the last 30 minutes or resort to the grill. Personally, I don't like cracklins, unless they're pork.[;)] Q done right, shouldn't need a dippin' sauce in my mind.

The beauty of the Bradley is, once you've used it a couple times, you can dial in your favorite tastes & repeat them time after time.

Happy Smokin'[8D],

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

whitetailfan · August 24, 2004, 04:41:38 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I don't think that I would need the beer can in the BS since the beer is ment to keep the bird moist while it grills. It should stay plenty moist in the BS.I've never smoked a whole bird yet. Anybody got any suggestions. Should I forget the grill and keep it in the Bradley until done? How long would that take and at what temp?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Check out the meat threads, there are some excellent posts on chicken there, you can definitely smoke your bird to completion without using a grill. Did one a couple weeks ago - best bird I ever ate, no exagerating.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> If I use the Bradley should I drink the beer instead?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I'm sorry, was that a real question....

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

Fuzzybear · August 24, 2004, 03:52:01 PM

While it is true you don't need the beer, I've used beer and apple juice while in the smoker...I don't worry about time so much anymore as getting to 165 in the breast meat...it was delicious but no "cracklin" skin...

"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!

Bud · August 24, 2004, 06:53:25 PM

Thanks for all the info.It sounds like everyone gets similar results with or without the beer.So I guess I'll find a better use for it. I read the chicken threads (thanks whitetailfan).Splitting the bird looked interesting.Wonder if that would reduce the cooking time? I may give that a try. The pictures sure looked good.

Smokin Joe · August 24, 2004, 07:26:57 PM

I always like to add some stuff to the beer: I drink half and put a wedge or two of lemon, and some rosemary and sage in whats left...

The lemon and herbs add a nice something-something when the beer steams...

Just thought I would throw my two cents worth in...

Smokin' Joe Johnson
Caroline's Rub - Fine Spice Creations
//www.carolinesrub.com

MallardWacker · August 24, 2004, 08:04:12 PM

I'm with White on splitting the birds. Yeilds a great product, cleaner-looks great. I usually cram softened butter mixed with crushed galic and other spices undernieth the skin before I put them in.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

David6340 · August 25, 2004, 03:52:46 AM

Whitetailfan,
I have not tried a whole chicken yet on the BS. Could you possibly post your recipe? Thanks very much[:)]

I Love The Smell Of BBQ In The Morning!

BigSmoker · August 25, 2004, 01:35:10 PM

Here is a short video to help anyone that wants to do split birds on the BS. Split birds are also called spatchcocked. They are good with just salt and pepper and some apple or pecan or maple smoke.
http://home.comcast.net/~ask-the-butcher/sp.wmv
The man in the video is a retired butcher. He also has a web site where he will answer any and all questions about beef/pork/chicken.
//www.ask-a-butcher.com
I also have found a great product to put on chicken. Its a white sauce from Big Bob Gibson Restaurants in Alabama. The rest. procedure is to submerge the whole hot chicken in sauce, straight to a plate with more sauce on the side. I just serve with sauce on the side as you would use a lot extra to submerge. I also usually add a little apple schnapps to my sauce.

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

whitetailfan · August 25, 2004, 03:55:12 PM

David,
Sorry to let you down if you were expecting a safely guarded family recipe, my answer is pretty basic. I bought a Hi-Mtn product called game bird and poultry brine. You get two packages that each make a gallon of brine per box, the box cost like $4 CAD.

With the one gal brine mix, I soaked two chickens (can't remember the weight) they were average broiler sized birds. In a super duty extra large ziplock freezer bag, I put in one bird and half brine, it worked out very well. My wife thought you could get away with doing three, but I was content to know that the birds were properly covered. I simply rotated them every couple hours when I remembered. The birds brined overnight, possibly up to 24 hrs, but most likely less - can't recall but there are instructions in the package.

Smoked them with Maple, three and half to four hours, total cook time I think was 4 to 5 hours to reach IT of 160 in breast. I wasn't smart enough to write down the times, but Mallard and Bassman have some really detailed posts in the meat area, check those out for cook times etc.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

Bud · August 29, 2004, 03:00:37 PM

Smoked the bird and it turned out nice. Mallard took your suggestion and split the bird and stuffed butter,garlic and spices under the skin. I also put a little rub on the skin. Smoked it for 3 1/2 hours at 210 pulled it out of the BS when the breast temp got to 180. It had a real good flavor. I really liked the mix of the spices/garlic taste with smoke flavor. The breast was a little dry though.Have to think about some ways to solve that problem for next time.Big Smoker that was a good video about the spacthcock. Watched it after I cut up the bird and was glad to see that I had done it right.