Smoked Chicken

Submitted by: admin on April 2, 2020

Serves 6 To 8

Ingredients

1 cup salt
1 cup sugar
6 pounds bone-in chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and/or drumsticks), trimmed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pepper
3 cups wood chips, 1-1⁄2 cups soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained, plus 1-1⁄2 cups wood chips unsoaked
1 (16 by 12-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan (if using charcoal) or disposable aluminum pie plate (if using gas)

Instructions

  1. Dissolve salt and sugar in 4 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken pieces in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Brush chicken evenly with oil and season with pepper.
  2. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top. Repeat with another sheet of foil and unsoaked wood chips.
    3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Arrange 2 quarts unlit charcoal banked against 1 side of grill and disposable pan filled with 2 cups water on empty side of grill. Light large chimney starter half filled with charcoal briquettes (3 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour on top of unlit charcoal, to cover one-third of grill with coals steeply banked against side of grill. Place wood chip packets on top of coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips begin to smoke, about 5 minutes.
    3B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Place wood chip packets directly on primary burner. Place disposable pie plate filled with 2 cups water on other burner(s). Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips begin to smoke, about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature around 325 degrees.)
  3. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken on cool side of grill, skin side up, as far away from heat as possible with thighs closest to heat and breasts furthest away. Cover (positioning lid vents over chicken if using charcoal) and cook until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs/drumsticks register 175 degrees, 1-1⁄4 to 1-1⁄2 hours.
  4. Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

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