1st 3 Yardbirds Smoking

[USDA Prime]

Oven temp set at 230 - holding at 221.
1st smoke after seasoning the digital 6-tray.
Smoking for 3 hours with hickory.
Total of 4 hours and 30 minutes cooking time.
55 degrees outside air temp.
No brine this time but will try it maybe next time.
1 bird with just black pepper seasoning.
1 bird with Famous Dave's Country Roast Chicken Seasoning.
1 bird with Emeril's Chicken Rub.
With an hour left to cook, will baste 1 with Apple-Orange Cranberry Relish form Williams-Sonoma, then every 20 minutes.
Will serve with my recipe of white sauce.
About 2 hours 30 minutes to go, any suggestions?  Should I FTC?
This is a GREAT forum - Thanks to everyone for letting me lurk for a while before signing up.

[Smoking Duck]

Hey USDA,

I would not FTC.  Also, if you're planning on having crispy skin, you might want to throw them on a grill or under the broiler for a bit.  Smoking will make the skin extremely rubbery.  FTC will only make it worse.  But, there's no need to FTC yardbirds.  If skin doesn't matter, then no need to do the above.

Good luck.

Marc

[KyNola]

I'm with the Duck on this one.  3 chickens smoking will throw off a lot of moisture.  Make certain your vent is adequately open to let the moisture escape and occasionally check to see if you have any moisture leaking out the door of your unit.  Speaking with the voice of experience of looking down and seeing a puddle on the porch.

Smoke On,
KyNola

[Wildcat]

You may want to slightly raise the front of the BS just in case.

[USDA Prime]

I'm with the Duck on this one.  3 chickens smoking will throw off a lot of moisture.  Make certain your vent is adequately open to let the moisture escape and occasionally check to see if you have any moisture leaking out the door of your unit.  Speaking with the voice of experience of looking down and seeing a puddle on the porch.

Smoke On,
KyNola

Thanks, had the puddle and used the paper towels.  Maybe it was the moisture from 3 yardbirds, but I may want to ramp up from 220 to 250 next time.  They needed just a little more oven time.  Perhaps its an outside temp x number of birds thing.

[KyNola]

My guess is not so much a temp issue causing the moisture as much as it is 3 yardbirds and the vent not being opened enough to allow the moisture to escape out the top.  Slightly raising the front of the tower can prevent it from leaking out the door but you will still have the moisture in the tower.  That can knock the temp down in the tower.  Chalk it up to a learning experience!  Open the vent more next time.

KyNola

[standles]

I did this and had the vent open full out for first hour to get some moisture out.   I then closed it back to 3/4 and left there.   I also split the birds so they would lay flat o nthe racks and provide more surface area to the smoke.


Please try the brining thing next time.  I think you will be pleasently surprised.  I know I was.  I won't smoke or grill now without having brined the irds first.

Steven