Question on smoking times for whole chicken

Suwanee J

I'm a relatively new egger...got mine back in May of this year. I want to try smoking an entire chicken this weekend, but I'm curious as to the time/temp to cook based on the size of the chicken. I've seen a few things that say around 325-350 degrees for 2 hours for a 6lb bird

Does anyone have any suggestions to help? I appreciate any advice....

kolbdriver

350 indirect 1- 1 1/2 hr works for me. I check internal temp of breast about 180 is where we like um...hope this helps

Cory430

I do 500 indirect for about an hour or so. I cook mine to an internal breast temp of 160 and a thigh temp of about 180 or so. The high temp really crisps up the skin.

Cory430

...or :laugh: I slow smoke it at 250 until the same temps are reached and don't eat the skin. The meat is amazing!

Suwanee J

Thanks for the quick replies. This gives me something to work with.

I'm a new egger but so far everything has come out fantastic on this thing.

I can't wait for Eggtoberfest this year to meet and greet other eggers for more ideas....

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

I realize everybody has an opinion on serving temps, but I am truly a “serve safe” kind of guy and have to chime in with what I like and also with what the USDA has to say about serving temps.
I’ve done both whole turkey and whole chicken, smoked on the Egg. Slow and low (around 300 F. indirect) seems to be best for a good smoke flavor and also for a moist meat. Braining may help with the latter also, if you seem to be drying out the bird before it’s done.
I like my poultry “falling apart” tender, not pink or dark and / or hard to pull off the bone. I’ve done 160 – 165 F. and was NOT a happy camper! Sorry, but that totally turns me off! Falling apart, tender and juicy…Turns me ON!
With that said, I go with the USDA recommendations of 180 F. in the thickest part of the breast.
All though I haven’t had this problem with the Egg (I did with my Webber), if the bird seems to be drying out before it temps. try a lower fire and even a foil tent over the bird….Hey, it worked for whole, large turkeys on the Webber for better than twenty years!
The biggest birds I’ve done on my Egg are an about; 12lbs. for a turk and about 6 (pushing 7 lbs. maybe even better) on a “roaster” chicken. I didn’t tent, used a low fire with some smoke wood in the mix (remember to smoke early on) and didn’t baste until the “final” of the cook. Don’t forget a drip-pan with some liquid (a little white wine, water, a sprig or two of Thyme, maybe a clove or two of crushed garlic and some sage….) in it too!!
I’ve got a great method / recipe for an Egg Roasted Chicken that we (my family) feel is the absolute BEST! If you want it, e-mail me….Or if a number of you want it, chime in here, and I’ll post it here.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

OOOPPPSSS...
Forgot to give a "rule of thumb" for roasting times.
Sorry, as that really was the question.
With regard to chicken:
Fryers 3 to 5 lbs. about 18 to 20 at 300 F. 15 to 17 minutes at 350 F. This is minutes per lb.BTW.
Roasters 6 to 8 lbs. need a bit longer: 22 to 25 at 300 F. and 18 to 20 at 350 F.
The KEY really...Is to check the temp. to be sure! Don't just rely on cook times!

Mainegg

OK you know we want the recipie so just post it! LOL

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Well… :unsure: I hate to presumptuous and just post a recipe when it wasn’t really asked for.
But now, I’ve gotten emails and your request, so here it is.

EGG SMOKED - ROAST CHICKEN
North Portage Smoke-Shack
From JB with inspiration from "Bouchon" Keller and Cerciello (Artisan) but twisted a bit for smoking in the "Egg"
Serves 4 (mostly dependent upon the side dishes).

Start with a Lg. roasting chicken 5 to 7 lbs. (the organic, free range are the best, but not always easy to find)
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 t. minced fresh thyme (about 1/2 t. dry)
1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed (or Garlic powder)
1 Lemon
Pinch or two of Poultry Seasoning
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter
About 1 pt. water

1)) Fire and stabilize the Egg at about 300 degrees F. Set up for indirect cooking with a plate setter (legs up) for a drip pan and the grill.

2)) Rinse chicken, inside and out, and then pat dry with paper towels, again both inside and out.

2)) Lightly salt and pepper, and add a touch of garlic (powder or a crushed clove or two) the cavity. Insert the lemon (punched full of holes with a fork or halved), truss the bird keeping the wings and legs close to the body (the ends of the drumsticks should mostly cover the top of the breast).

3)) Salt the chicken by "raining" about 1 t. of Kosher or sea salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating. Also season, raining with fresh ground pepper (to taste) and a pinch or two of poultry seasoning.

4)) Place 4 to 5 chunks, or a hand full of chips, of apple wood about the lump. Add the water to the pan. Place bird, breast up, in the Egg.

5)) Leave it alone! Don't baste it, butter it...DO NOTHING until it's done, except for raising the temp. to 375 - 400 F. after an hour into the cook.
(A six pound bird will take about 2 hrs. to cook, but the key is; 180 degrees F. with a thermometer inserted at the thickest portion of the breast.

6)) Lift grill and bird, remove the drip pan and replace the grill. Maintain the temp. if the skin still needs to be browned a bit....Otherwise, shut down the Egg to VERY low.

7)) Place the drip pan over high heat and add the thyme, garlic, oil, butter and lemon juice to the pan juices (or resulting glaze), mixing with a small whisk.

8)) Now, place the bird into the drip pan basting well with the juices. Return to the Egg for about 10 to 15 minutes, basting one additional time. A foil tent will help retain moisture (but may not be necessary) and can serve as the cover while resting. Remove and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

Slice and serve with the pan juices. It's great with a baked potato, a garden salad and a nice white wine.

JB's TIPS
I've moved to the use of a 9"x13" cake pan as my drip pan. It is sturdy and I use it over and over again.
Finding a good chicken can be hard. One of the best I have found, available in our local market, is from Gerber's Poultry Inc. Kidron, Ohio 44636
No, it's not organic, nor is it a free range chicken, but it is clamed as:
"This Chicken was feed a vegetarian diet with NO Sub-Therapeutic Antibiotics, Animal By-Products, Growth Stimulants or Hormones".
It's a pretty good chicken!

obstructionist

New egger here too.

I just roasted a chicken as normal at 450F, and threw on some hardwood chunks (I used maple). Took about an hour and was super yummy.