3 Smoked Chicken Tips Everyone Should Know
Columbus, OH: There is a simple way to make some of the world’s best-smoked chicken but not many people know about it. Here is how you do it.
Ben makes some of the best brisket in Columbus. Everybody loves it. Everyone except for his wife. Ben’s wife wanted him to smoke food for her 60th birthday. When he asked her if he could make brisket, she responded by saying, “I guess….if you want”. After 30+ years of marriage, Ben learned the hard way that his wife’s response really meant “hell no!”
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Ben’s wife loves chicken. Ben knew how to smoke chicken, but it wasn’t his strong suit. He wanted the chicken to be great for his wife’s birthday, so he researched how all his favorite pitmasters smoke their chicken. He made a note of all the tips they had in common.
Here Are The 3 Most Important Tips He Learned From The Pitmasters
- The most popular cut of chicken used was the thigh (skinless or boneless). After that, it was the drumstick and then the leg quarter.
- Smoke the chicken at 225 for an hour.
- Use a mild wood (hickory, apple, cherry, etc.).
- After an hour, remove the chicken from the smoker.
- Heat your grill to medium-high, place the chicken on the top rack and cook the chicken until it reaches 175 (this is a little-known, fast way to get the fat under the chicken skin to render so that your chicken skin is crispy.) Be sure to turn the chicken from time to time to that the skin get a chance to crisp up evenly. Chicken is done at 165 but again, cook it to 175. It will still be juicy plus the fat will have a little more time to render which is what makes the skin crispy.
- The rub is important. While researching a YouTube pitmaster named T-Roy, Ben came across a video using a rub he heard a couple of other YouTube pitmasters talk about. The rub was called Bald Buck and it was supposed to be excellent on chicken. After doing more research he found the perfect recipe for using the rub:
- Put enough olive oil on the chicken to coat each piece.
- Use a tablespoon to a tablespoon and a half of Bald Buck per pound of chicken.
- Mix in the olive oil and Bald Buck on your chicken.
- Let the chicken marinate for 24 hours.
- Smoke the chicken using the suggestions you read about in tip number 2.
Ben used these 3 tips to make his wife and family chicken for her birthday. He used thighs and drumsticks. His wife said it was the best chicken she’d ever tasted. Ben hit the mark and couldn’t have been happier.
I tried Ben’s tips and he is right on the money. If you’re looking to make world-class thighs, legs, or quarters, I highly recommend you try his suggestions. If you are not familiar with Bald Buck rub, the link is below. Enjoy!