What internal temp do you cook too and where do you check the temp?

165 thigh

Agree on thigh at 165, smoked 2 birds tonight. Ate one, enchiladas with pulled meat tomorrow.

Spatchcock it

depends but normally cook the breast to about 155. I place the dark meat side toward the heat source on my offset so it's a little higher closer to 160. 165 is the temp that chicken is instantly pasteurized but that also happens at lower temps if the temp is held for a certain length. 165 is over cooked and dry imho.

https://blog.thermoworks.com/chicken/thermal-tips-simple-roasted-chicken/

Here's an article that explains the temp and time. Fully cooked if held at 150 for 2.7 minutes which is pretty easy when smoking a whole bird.

I've likely cooked 200 birds on my egg to 165 thighs. They are as tender and juicy as possible. Never had a single dry bite unless I put too many birds in any one time and they brushed up against the side of the grill. The 3 mins at 150-155 works, but in my opinion they taste better ( texture wise) when I cook to 165. Maybe it's because I brine them. As always many way to do it. Just make sure you kill the nasties one way or another.

Stubbs used to make a Chipotle Butter injectable marinade that was the tits on a BGE chicken. Wish they would bring it back

Beer can chicken on the smoker at 225-250 for 3-4 hours should get you there

Just did two myself on BGE and used some hickory lump charcoal and some chunks of raw hickory for extra smoke and they came out good but I always seem to lack as much smoke flavor as I'd like on the breasts. Does the skin on the breasts prevent smoke penetration? I put them on cold after taking out of the brine so I thought I'd get a better smoke profile on the breasts but I seem to always have this issue. Any ideas?

Serious response - Do I really want to crank up the smoker for 2-3 hours to cook some chickens when I can pick up rotisserie chickens at Sam's for $4.99? Just doesn't seem like a good use of my time. Or my wood and charcoal.

Ok, flame away...

Go on. I'm listening.

malenurse said:

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Serious response - Do I really want to crank up the smoker for 2-3 hours to cook some chickens when I can pick up rotisserie chickens at Sam's for $4.99? Just doesn't seem like a good use of my time. Or my wood and charcoal.

Ok, flame away...

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Agree actually. I only cook chickens if there is other stuff on. Its too easy, cheap, and not terrible tasting.

+1 on spatchcock

malenurse said:

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Serious response - Do I really want to crank up the smoker for 2-3 hours to cook some chickens when I can pick up rotisserie chickens at Sam's for $4.99? Just doesn't seem like a good use of my time. Or my wood and charcoal.

Ok, flame away...

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I like rotisserie chickens. We get them from Kroger & Costco on a regular basis. I like smoked chicken too but rotisserie chicken does not taste like smoked chicken. I'm ok with firing up the smoker for just 1 chicken if that is what is on the menu for the family.

Generally when I've got my big smoker going, I'll cook a couple of briskets, 4-6 racks of spare ribs, 3-4 whole chickens, and a couple of pork butts just to take up the room on the cooker.

Generally I cook like this for events (I'll be doing my Brother in laws wedding reception this summer). He has ordered meat from the local butcher in Amarillo and I'm not sure what all he has in mind.

If it's just my wife and kids, I'll just do a spatchcock chicken on my Weber. Simple and easy and always turns out good. Heat source on one side, bird to the other. Vent on the top over the bird to pull some smoke over it.

Fishin Texas Aggie 05 said:

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+1 on spatchcock

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+2. Cook at 350 degrees with fruit wood until the breast is 165 degrees F. I will usually brush on melted butter as a binder for the rub. This also helps with bite through skin and color.

I use a water smoker (Brinkman but there are others). I do not use a thermometer. I smoke three to four birds at a time because my wife likes to make chicken salad and enchiladas with the leftover birds. I smoke them for three and a half to three hours forty five minutes. Any longer and they will dry out. I have never had them be raw or under cooked. The legs always pull off easily.

Quote:

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Serious response - Do I really want to crank up the smoker for 2-3 hours to cook some chickens when I can pick up rotisserie chickens at Sam's for $4.99? Just doesn't seem like a good use of my time. Or my wood and charcoal.

Ok, flame away...

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I generally agree, but every now and then I like to fire up the smoker and sit outside and watch the game and relax. Chicken and sausage usually fit the bill. It's easy and cheap and still tastes great. During the week, rotisserie chicken every time and I even had a few of those vacuum sealed bags of de-boned chicken from Costco in the freezer just in case.

malenurse said:

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Serious response - Do I really want to crank up the smoker for 2-3 hours to cook some chickens when I can pick up rotisserie chickens at Sam's for $4.99? Just doesn't seem like a good use of my time. Or my wood and charcoal.

Ok, flame away...

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This is the only reason I have a gas grill. Smoked or grilled both taste good to me. I got tired of having to deal with wood/coal to cook one bird, a couple of pork chops, or a few hamburgers. If I'm making a fire, it better be for more than 2 pounds of meat.

malenurse said:

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Serious response - Do I really want to crank up the smoker for 2-3 hours to cook some chickens when I can pick up rotisserie chickens at Sam's for $4.99? Just doesn't seem like a good use of my time. Or my wood and charcoal.

Ok, flame away...

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Serious Answer:

If a chicken you cook at home does not taste better than a bird from Sam's then you are correct. Sam's is your Huckleberry.


No offense intended. A brined and smoked/BBQ'd Bird is money.

rack04 said:

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Fishin Texas Aggie 05 said:

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+1 on spatchcock

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+2. Cook at 350 degrees with fruit wood until the breast is 165 degrees F. I will usually brush on melted butter as a binder for the rub. This also helps with bite through skin and color.

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165 is too hot for breast meat. 155 is much better.

I always thought measure temp in thigh.