First time smoking chickens on the egg...couple questions

manthe10pt

I am going to smoke 2 - 4 1/2 pound chickens on the egg tomorrow.  They are currently brining in the fridge.  I plan on cooking them at about 250 until they reach 180 degrees.  I have a couple of questions.....any help/thoughts/comments/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I have been reading a lot on this forum about bad smoke from wood chips/chunks.  Where should I put the wood chunks?  In the  middle of the fire? the perimeter?  How many wood chunks should I use? )I want a smokey flavor but not overbearing) and how long should I wait to put thefood on the egg after I have put on the wood chunks and stabalized the temperature?

How should I position the chickens?  I don't have a vertical roaster yet (it is on the list of things to get) but i do have a beer butt chicken stand that holds 2 chickens.  I don't plan on using a beer can, but should I stand them up?  or lay them down breast up?  I have a place setter and will be using it legs up with the rack and an aluminum pan underneath to catch the drippings for use later on.

Is it best to cook them the whole time at 250?

Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated.  I have only had the egg for a month and man I love this thing.

Thanks!!!!

J

 

 

boatbum

Let the egg burn for 45 plus minutes, clean smoke then.

I am doing a chicken tomorrow afternoon. Will go closer to 350 indirect. .. Seems to treat the skin better.

At that temp, I am prob 1.5 to 2 hours ... 165 in the breast. 180 in the thighs.

Ragtop99

You can set the bird on the grate with drip pan on the platesetter.  Or use a V rack and set it and the bird in your drip pan all on the grate. 

I use chucks and put the wood throughout so that as the fire spreads it finds new chunks.

I've used 325 - 350* and the bird gets plenty of smoke flavor.  I can't comment about using 250* as I have not tried it. 

SteveWPBFL

250 dome temp might be too low because the grid temp would be lower by 25 or so. You want to eat 'em same day, eh?

tnbarbq

I cook chicken at 300-325.  I put wood chunks on the outer edge of the coal.  I use the plate setterlegs up with a drip pan sitting in it. Chicken goes directly on the grate.  

smokinsooner

Pretty much the same as tnbarbq... plate setter, legs up, drip pan on that.... I normally cook one bird on a sitter (beer can chicken style) and two or three directly on the grid. I cook around 250 until they reach 165 and then I tent them for about 30 minutes.

With a low temp cook, the debate again becomes good crispy bark, or moist chicken. I have not been able to perfect having both yet, but still working on it. And tenting after cooking doesn't help the cause for a good bark....but so far, haven't had any complaints!

Try a light, citrusy rub and put an orange/ lemon in the cavity.