Smoking a chicken

[sirfunkeybut]

I'm borrowing a smoker that has a rotisserie on it and was wondering to spin or or not?

[Cap.Silver]

I would spin if I were you ........

[h20hunter]

Spin and presoak that bird in brine.

[sirfunkeybut]

Any other tips? I really don't know what I'm doing, do I just load it with chips and smoke for the roughly 3hrs? Or? Any advise would be awesome. I had it in brine for 7 hrs. This is kind of my test run prior to the turkey I want to smoke for Christmas   
Im taking pictures as I go

Before


In progress


Finished

[Cap.Silver]

It would be helpful if you said what kind of smoker it is. Is it a propane smoker ?electric element (hotplate) ?
or I have 3 kinds of smokers (nat.gas;propane;and electric) and always try to put some water in the smoker to evaporate along with the smoke . As far as temperature goes - what is your plan ? I think you might ask KC -Kracker for advice , he is the GURU for this . I'm sure he would be able to help you more than I can .

[sirfunkeybut]

Sorry, it's a propane smoker, a brinkmann smoke n' griller I believe. I read that I'm smoke it at about 275 for up to 3 1/2 hours. Its been in for about an hour and smells awesome. I'm using apple which smells way less strong compared to misquote and hickory. My thermomemter only goes to 190* so I'm guessing on temp judging by the marking the thermometer is going I'm some where around 250 or so

[Kioti]

Nice looking bird....good job...
I usually smoke mine until the internal temperature is 168F.  My temperature on my smoker is 225 - 250 for my chicken smoking...I kind of 'rule of thumb' by 1 hour per pound...basically.

When the chicken reaches 168F, I pull it out of the smoker and let it set for 15 - 30 min.  That way it lets all the juices flow back into the meat.  I usually cover it with some tin foil; loosely.   The chicken will continue to cook for a bit  when you pull it out.
Depending on the size of the chicken I will smoke mine for about 3-4 hours.  Basting it every 30 minutes after the first hour or so. 

I like smoking mine with maple and use maple syrup as my bast.  I like hickory/apple as well.
This time of the year I really don't use any water in my water tray for smoking my chicken. 

There is so much moisture in the air from all this wonderfull rain... that I find my chicken is moist with out the water. 
That goes for when smoke parts of the chicken or do a beer can chicken....this time of the year.

[jackmaster]

inject that birdy with some garlic butter every once in a while, and also you can inject him with chicken broth as well about every 20 to 40 minutes

[Kc_Kracker]

Spin and presoak that bird in brine.

 

if its store bought, then its already brined, its pumped up full of salt water it should say on the package 8%-15% , brine it anymore and it will be like eating pure salt.

ok its poultry. you need to get that smoker crackin at around 280 as soon as possible and get the internal temp up to 160, then keep it there, otherwise you will not break down the tendons and ligaments and it wont be tender, it will have stringy tough meat. plus you gotta get outta the danger zone within 4 hrs

[sirmissalot]

I've brined chicken, cornish game hen and turkey, all store bought and never have had a problem with brining them.

[hrd2fnd]

That looks yummy

[Kc_Kracker]

I've brined chicken, cornish game hen and turkey, all store bought and never have had a problem with brining them.

i didnt say its a problem , its just not needed

[MuleySniper]

I smoke em for 20 minutes in my weber then transfer them to the oven. Plenty of color, smokey flavor and perfectly tender juicy chicken.
MS

[Blacklab]

I've brined chicken, cornish game hen and turkey, all store bought and never have had a problem with brining them.

 I brined a bird once and I haven't looked back  Now I do it all the time. Smoked game hens are freakin dilicious

[sirmissalot]

I smoke em for 20 minutes in my weber then transfer them to the oven. Plenty of color, smokey flavor and perfectly tender juicy chicken.
MS

That's basically what my dad and i did to the turkey this year. Brined it for a day, smoked it for a short while and finished it in the oven. Best of both worlds... It was delicious.

[sirfunkeybut]

So come Christmas I'm panning on smoking a turkey, so I should brine for a day, smoke for maybe 30-60 min. And finish in the oven around?? Itll be about a 15lbs turkey.

[Kc_Kracker]

-No. turkeys are pre-brined there is no need to brine it. and if you DO brine out of pointless stubbornness then its only like 6 hours, not a day
-do not smoke first. you only got 4 hrs to get that bird out of the germ zone first and get the meat temp up to 160 by baking around 280/300
-then you need to keep it there for about 3 hours so to break down the tendons and ligaments or it will NOT be tender it will be nasty tough
-then smoke it for a FEW hours, 30-60 minutes isnt going to do squat , when i cook & smoke one it was around 6-7 hrs

[sirmissalot]

So come Christmas I'm panning on smoking a turkey, so I should brine for a day, smoke for maybe 30-60 min. And finish in the oven around?? Itll be about a 15lbs turkey.

It's kind of up to you, but that's my favorite way to do it so far. Never had a problem with brining, or with smoking before finishing in the oven. To each their own I guess. A smoked turkey turns out quite a bit different as far as flavor and texture of the meat, than one cooked the way described above. Try it out and see which one you like best.

[Kc_Kracker]

 

i give up.

[Alchase]

I done tons of turkey in my Bradley smoker.
I have used many different rubs to good luck.
I heat the smoker to 225 deg, put the bird in and smoke for 4 hrs, combinations apple for three hours and mesquite the last hour. Continue to 160 Deg. internal temp. then remove from smoker, wrap in moist towel and place in an old cooler for about an hour. The temp will continue to climb for about 40 minutes. Take out cut and serve.
If you like a crispy skin, just smoke it then finish in the oven at a higher temp of 350 Deg.

The same works great for chicken as well, just watch your internal temp.

[PlateauNDN]

My opinion, your first problem is it's propane.  I only use stick and sometimes charcoal.     Just me so don't get offensive or anything and start a war of what to use.  I just prefer stick and charcoal.

[Kc_Kracker]

second issue i see is the temp, and only cooking to a internal temp of 160. that shoudl always be your first goal, then hang there til the tendons etc break down, not stop there. it may taste the same but its not a safe practice hitting that internal temp that late, nor will it be as tender "as it could be"