chicken

CLAREGO · January 11, 2005, 01:30:58 PM

Took my bs out of the box a week ago havent even broken in yet. thinking
about doing a turkey this sat but i think ill try a chicken to see how it turns out. how does a pecan/hickory mix sound?

GO STEELERS

BigSmoker · January 11, 2005, 03:20:52 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by CLAREGO
thinking about doing a turkey this sat but i think ill try a chicken to see how it turns out. how does a pecan/hickory mix sound?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Me personally I like the pecan(or hickory) apple mix. 2 apple 1Pecan or hickory.

Jeff
//www.bbqshopping.com

[/url]
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · January 11, 2005, 03:59:49 PM

also if you can let your chicken or turkey air dry in the fridge overnight to give you a crispy skin.

birdboy · January 11, 2005, 04:00:00 PM

I've been mostly trying strictly one type of wood, see if I can get a feel for the flavor before I start mixing them and see if i can really tell a difference when I start mixing them. I've done Chicken with straight Pecan.... very good

MallardWacker · January 11, 2005, 05:23:02 PM

CG,

Glad to see you got your rig. Just a sugestion, try a couple of chickens first, man trying a turkey the first time around sounds a little daughting. Also put a few bakers in the rack under the chicken, it will add a nice touch to the meal. Plus they are great even warmed up. As far as wood, BigSmoker always has great ideas and you probably can't go wrong with his sugestions. I'm a Pecan, Maple and Apple type guy. I think Apple would be great with fowl. Hay got some Cherry coming, looking forward in trying that, I don't know on what but I have some Beef Ribs crusing close to the BS, I might try it then.

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...

BigSmoker · January 12, 2005, 01:31:44 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by MallardWacker
Hay got some Cherry coming, looking forward in trying that, I don't know on what but I have some Beef Ribs crusing close to the BS, I might try it then.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

MW,
If you are using the marinade I talked about the cherry would be great IMHO. As far as turkey goes I'm done with them. Not enough flavor. Like Olds says try a capon or just go with the yard bird.

Jeff
//www.bbqshopping.com

[/url]
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

CLAREGO · January 12, 2005, 03:24:12 AM

mallard whacker.......
i must be reading the post wrong or something what do you mean by bakers? whats the best temp to keep her on? if i half it will it cut the cooking time down.... how many chickens have you ever done at one time.. and one last thing where supposed to get down in the 20s(with wind) this weekend will i be affected by that any??

Habanero Smoker · January 12, 2005, 04:36:09 AM

I've done 4 chickens at one time, and during another smoke did 2 chickens and a 12 pound turkey. The BS was struggling between 190 - 200 for most of the time; I prefer to smoke my chickens at 210 anyway. I cook them until 165 degrees, thigh temperature. I have butterflied (spatchcock {sp?}) birds; it will cut down the cooking time by a small amount, but you will only get one bird per tray. If you are going to halve them, then I would suggest that you quarter them, and place the white meat and dark meat in seperate trays. You only have to smoke the white meat to 155 degrees F., and there are some that will go as low as 150; cook the dark meat to 165 degrees F. That way you will have less chance in over cooking the white meat.

I'm in New York, so far the wether has been mild, for winter. So I haven't done any smoking with the temperature less than 28 degrees F. I've been smoking during times when the ambient temperature has been in the high 20's to low 30's with out to much difficulty. Just don't open the door unless you absolutely have to. The wind will play a greater factor than the ambient temperature. Try to keep you BS out of the wind or shield it as much as possible.

Bakers??? MW is that baked potatoes?

MallardWacker · January 12, 2005, 02:08:28 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by CLAREGO
 mallard whacker.......
...... what do you mean by bakers?

.......whats the best temp to keep her on?

......if i half it will it cut the cooking time down....

......how many chickens have you ever done at one time...

........down in the 20s(with wind) this weekend will i be affected by that any??
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

First off , BAKED POTATOES, rub'em with a little EVOO first.

I always do chickens at 200-210 give or take.

If you cut the chickens in half, cook the same way until a internal temp of 165 in the breast.

You can easily do four full birds on two racks, I think you could also do six halfs with no problem on 3 racks.(use the top slots)BUT you may want to rotate the racks (bottom for top)about 2 hours into it. I prefere to cut my chickens in half. Put the bakers on the bottom rack and leave them there.

If you going to get into the 20's AND wind, the BEST thing you can do is to keep the wind off it. I have had no problem with my BS in the 20s. Preheat for at least an hour at full heat.

I may be reading you wrong but let me quess, you may be the type that will want to look, take a peak, or what ever while the yard birds are cooking. Let me warn you, don"t do that. Let the smoker do it's thing, like I said you may want ot check about halfway through and maybe towards the end but keep the heat in the BS. It will have a tendency to loose alot of heat if you keep opening the door and your cooking time will greatly be extended. You bought a great smoker, the birds will come out fine.

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...

CLAREGO · January 12, 2005, 06:06:51 PM

THANKS ALL
yeah i think ill keep my paws away from opening the door. its going to be my first try. i have a thermometer that will go in with the chicken and again i apperciate all the advise

GO STEELERS

JJC · January 13, 2005, 05:46:58 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
I'm in New York
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Habanero,

Where in NY? BTW, I'm enjoying the McGee book immensely!

John
Newton MA

JJC · January 13, 2005, 05:50:21 AM

Clarence,

I have done two 7 lb turkey breasts in my BS with no problem--of course, they're not much bigger than most chickens. It was 30F outside, but no wind. I cooked the breasts at 210, and used 4 hr of apple/cherry (2:1) which is my favorite mix for fowl. Haven't tried pecan, though. Hickory was too strong for my taste, but as the smaller part of a mix it might be fine. Use the T-shirt method if you possibly can. I did one breast with and one without the T-shirt and the T-shirt made a big difference.

Listen to Duck-Man, too--anyone with the handle Mallard Whacker really knows his birds. [:D]

John
Newton MA

Habanero Smoker · January 13, 2005, 10:09:08 AM

[/quote]
Habanero,

Where in NY? BTW, I'm enjoying the McGee book immensely!

John
Newton MA
[/quote]

A small town just east of the CT/MA/NY border line.

Most importantly 20-25 miles northeast of the Culinary Institute of America [:)]

CLAREGO · January 13, 2005, 01:16:50 PM

you know what guys i heard the t shirt mentioned numerous times but have know clue about ?

tsquared · January 13, 2005, 05:00:08 PM

Clarego: Here is the link for the tshirt method--Olds is talking about using it with a ham, but you'll get the idea.
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=702&SearchTerms=t-shirt+method