Smoking Joe's BBQ In Process - With Pics (1 Viewer)

[TheFanatic]

I think brining a chicken before you cook it is CHEATING. A true grill master must be able to make delicious chicken without juicing the bird artificially. But if you're just a regular guy trying to impress your friends and family then it's okay but don't lie to yourself that you're good.

So should a true grill master skip seasoning the bird entirely? A little salt and pepper to season the bird is cheating. A true pitmaster should let the meat stand on its own. Maybe not skin the membrane off the ribs. That's cheating too. A true pit master shouldn't add smoke wood to the fire to artificially put smoke flavor into the meat either...I gotta say, that I am a lousy cheating griller. Because all I really care about is getting the best flavor in my food. And my friends and family love my cheating ways....

 

[DaBeers]

What about using Joe's recipe for turkey?

Maybe I missed this topic somewhere earlier in the thread, but am considering trying a 12- 13 pounder one weekend. How long would this take to brine ? Smoke? Would the same proportions of ingredients for the brine be the same?

 

[TheFanatic]

What about using Joe's recipe for turkey? Maybe I missed this topic somewhere earlier in the thread, but am considering trying a 12- 13 pounder one weekend. How long would this take to brine ? Smoke? Would the same proportions of ingredients for the brine be the same?

Brine for at least 4 hours. 12 would be better. Proportions would be the same, just make sure it is submerged. As for smoke, stick with lighter fruit woods - Apple, Peach, Apricot. Skip cherry...

 

[bryhamm]

Several folks have asked for more on the smoked chicken I talked about.

It's a very easy way to make smoked chicken BBQ. And I think it tastes great. I've had a lot of BBQ and I'd put it up there on the list. Partly because it's a lot easier to make your own great BBQ when you can control everything than it is to eat in a BBQ joint.

Here's how I do it.

The Prep. Here is the secret to great chicken or turkey: Brining. Many of you already do this. If you don't, you have to start. It's that big a deal. All it really amounts to is soaking the meat for 4-12 hours in a salt water solution. I'm sure the science guys can explain why it works but it's something about osmotic balance and salt ions but the net result is the meat is WAY more juicy and flavorful. I'd be willing to bet the best chicken or turkey you've ever eaten had been brined. Trust me. This works.

Basic rule of thumb is 1 CUP (yes cup) of regular table salt per 1 gallon of water. You can add other spices and sugars if you like. But the salt is the main thing.

Here is how I make mine when I'm going to be smoking 6 chickens. Obviously cut this down or make more based upon how much meat you're brining and what container you're using.

I use a Coleman 48 qt cooler.

Fill it with:

2 1/2 Gallons water

2 1/2 cups table salt

2 cans cheap lemon lime soft drink

3 lemons cut in half and squeezed

1 tbl garlic powder

1/2 tbl black pepper

1 jug (16 oz) cheap pancake syrup

Stir all this together and mix well. You have to really stir it up because that's a lot of salt. Some people like Alton Brown advocate heating the brine but that's another step. I skip it and mix mine directly in the cooler and it works great.

Wash chickens well under water and then place in cooler into brine.

Then pour a bag of ice over the top and close cooler lid.

I let this sit usually for 12 hours. I don't freak out if it's 14 hours or so but any more than that and it can be too salty.

An hour before you're ready to put the chicken on the grill, remove from brine. Set out and let start coming up to room temperature. You don't want to throw ice cold meat on a hot grill.

With me so far?

J

bump for CletiusMaximus

I should add - for the last few months I've not been adding the lemons and pancake syrup and I can't tell any difference at all. So now, it's just 2.5 gallons water, 2.5 cups salt, 2 liters of mountain dew, 1 TBS garlic powder, 1 TBS onion powder and 1 TBS ground black pepper. Works for me.

J

Why the switch to Mountain Dew? How noticeable was the change?

 

[Joe Bryant]

What about using Joe's recipe for turkey? Maybe I missed this topic somewhere earlier in the thread, but am considering trying a 12- 13 pounder one weekend. How long would this take to brine ? Smoke? Would the same proportions of ingredients for the brine be the same?

Hi Dabeers.Yes, works great for turkey. Use the exact same proportions for everything.The key ratio is one cup of salt to one gallon of water. That's the key. Everything else is sort of extra.J

 

[Joe Bryant]

Several folks have asked for more on the smoked chicken I talked about.

It's a very easy way to make smoked chicken BBQ. And I think it tastes great. I've had a lot of BBQ and I'd put it up there on the list. Partly because it's a lot easier to make your own great BBQ when you can control everything than it is to eat in a BBQ joint.

Here's how I do it.

The Prep. Here is the secret to great chicken or turkey: Brining. Many of you already do this. If you don't, you have to start. It's that big a deal. All it really amounts to is soaking the meat for 4-12 hours in a salt water solution. I'm sure the science guys can explain why it works but it's something about osmotic balance and salt ions but the net result is the meat is WAY more juicy and flavorful. I'd be willing to bet the best chicken or turkey you've ever eaten had been brined. Trust me. This works.

Basic rule of thumb is 1 CUP (yes cup) of regular table salt per 1 gallon of water. You can add other spices and sugars if you like. But the salt is the main thing.

Here is how I make mine when I'm going to be smoking 6 chickens. Obviously cut this down or make more based upon how much meat you're brining and what container you're using.

I use a Coleman 48 qt cooler.

Fill it with:

2 1/2 Gallons water

2 1/2 cups table salt

2 cans cheap lemon lime soft drink

3 lemons cut in half and squeezed

1 tbl garlic powder

1/2 tbl black pepper

1 jug (16 oz) cheap pancake syrup

Stir all this together and mix well. You have to really stir it up because that's a lot of salt. Some people like Alton Brown advocate heating the brine but that's another step. I skip it and mix mine directly in the cooler and it works great.

Wash chickens well under water and then place in cooler into brine.

Then pour a bag of ice over the top and close cooler lid.

I let this sit usually for 12 hours. I don't freak out if it's 14 hours or so but any more than that and it can be too salty.

An hour before you're ready to put the chicken on the grill, remove from brine. Set out and let start coming up to room temperature. You don't want to throw ice cold meat on a hot grill.

With me so far?

J

bump for CletiusMaximus

I should add - for the last few months I've not been adding the lemons and pancake syrup and I can't tell any difference at all. So now, it's just 2.5 gallons water, 2.5 cups salt, 2 liters of mountain dew, 1 TBS garlic powder, 1 TBS onion powder and 1 TBS ground black pepper. Works for me.

J

Why the switch to Mountain Dew? How noticeable was the change?

Just trying to simplify. I couldn't tell any difference at all. I really do think it's all about the salt. I think that does 95% of the work for the brine allowing moisture to get into the cell walls more.

J

 

[shuke]

O.k. - I'm trying Joe's chicken and have some questions on the lenght of time to brine:Is it better to brine for a full 12 hours, or can this be cut short to 6-8 hours? Due to bad planning, if I brine the full 12 hours, I would not begin smoking until late tonight. My other option would be to brine 12 hours and then refridgerate the birds until tomorrow - would that be a detriment to the end result? Or is it better to smoke as soona s possible after brining?Advise from the pro's would be appreciated.

You can brine for only 6 hours. I brined ribs a couple weeks ago for only 4 hours... You'll be fine...

I didn't think pork needed brining.

 

[Finless]

O.k. - I'm trying Joe's chicken and have some questions on the lenght of time to brine:

Is it better to brine for a full 12 hours, or can this be cut short to 6-8 hours? Due to bad planning, if I brine the full 12 hours, I would not begin smoking until late tonight.

My other option would be to brine 12 hours and then refridgerate the birds until tomorrow - would that be a detriment to the end result? Or is it better to smoke as soona s possible after brining?

Advise from the pro's would be appreciated.

You can brine for only 6 hours. I brined ribs a couple weeks ago for only 4 hours... You'll be fine...

I didn't think pork needed brining.

...Think again

 

[Finless]

Joe, If I make it out your way I'm going to challenge you to a smoke off. You can come rolling in with that big rig of a smoker and I'll show up with a 2x2 Weber.

My skills are legendary. Might even turn you on to some of my brines and marinades. Then you'll be in the inner-circle.

 

[Briman]

 

[Joe Bryant]

Joe, If I make it out your way I'm going to challenge you to a smoke off. You can come rolling in with that big rig of a smoker and I'll show up with a 2x2 Weber. My skills are legendary. Might even turn you on to some of my brines and marinades. Then you'll be in the inner-circle.

Thanks. Would love to try some of your bbq and you're welcome to come cook with us sometime. Try to make it the last Wednesday of the month.J

 

[The_Hunchback]

Then you'll be in the inner-circle.

You might have been better off leaving this information out

 

[TheFanatic]

O.k. - I'm trying Joe's chicken and have some questions on the lenght of time to brine:Is it better to brine for a full 12 hours, or can this be cut short to 6-8 hours? Due to bad planning, if I brine the full 12 hours, I would not begin smoking until late tonight. My other option would be to brine 12 hours and then refridgerate the birds until tomorrow - would that be a detriment to the end result? Or is it better to smoke as soona s possible after brining?Advise from the pro's would be appreciated.

You can brine for only 6 hours. I brined ribs a couple weeks ago for only 4 hours... You'll be fine...

I didn't think pork needed brining.

As Finless said, think again. Particularly pork chops and pork loins. Both can dry out very quickly. Brining allows for a much larger margin of error on them.

 

[shuke]

Joe, If I make it out your way I'm going to challenge you to a smoke off. You can come rolling in with that big rig of a smoker and I'll show up with a 2x2 Weber. My skills are legendary. Might even turn you on to some of my brines and marinades. Then you'll be in the inner-circle.

Thanks. Would love to try some of your bbq and you're welcome to come cook with us sometime. Try to make it the last Wednesday of the month.J

Looks like he's calling your bluff, Fins.

 

[Zasada]

Bump for Thanksgiving. I'm strongly considering doing this for TG this year, but with a turkey.

Is it possible to basically just follow this whole process but instead of a couple chickens, use one turkey? Any changes required?

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Bump for Thanksgiving. I'm strongly considering doing this for TG this year, but with a turkey.Is it possible to basically just follow this whole process but instead of a couple chickens, use one turkey? Any changes required?

The brine is the same. I use a large heavy duty ziplock freezer bag (or two) and put it in a bucket. In Wisconsin this time of year I can leave it in the garage overnight. I like to brine it for a good 24 hours, and also leave a half-day or so for it to dry out before grilling, so I'm starting the brine several days before the cook.The actual cooking is basically the same idea, but I've found over the years that it works better to go with a higher temp for turkey. The danger with turkey is always that the white meat will dry out before the dark gets cooked. I've gotten good results by roasting it at about 325 or so, spreading some butter under the skin on the breast, and covering it with bacon to protect it during the cook. One method I've seen is to cover the breast with an ice pack for an hour or so before you put it on the grill, to slow the cooking of the white meat. I've done that when I have the time, not sure if it helps much. Many people also baste the breast during the cook, but I don't typically do any basting. I don't use much wood - two large chunks of apple gives enough smoke flavor. A 20 lb. turkey takes about 7-8 hours. You want to take it off ideally with the breast at 160 and the thigh at 180. Let it rest for 30-60 min and carve.

 

[[icon]]

Joe, If I make it out your way I'm going to challenge you to a smoke off. You can come rolling in with that big rig of a smoker and I'll show up with a 2x2 Weber. My skills are legendary. Might even turn you on to some of my brines and marinades. Then you'll be in the inner-circle.

Thanks. Would love to try some of your bbq and you're welcome to come cook with us sometime. Try to make it the last Wednesday of the month.J

Looks like he's calling your bluff, Fins.

 

[Megla]

Bump for Thanksgiving. I'm strongly considering doing this for TG this year, but with a turkey.Is it possible to basically just follow this whole process but instead of a couple chickens, use one turkey? Any changes required?

The brine is the same. I use a large heavy duty ziplock freezer bag (or two) and put it in a bucket. In Wisconsin this time of year I can leave it in the garage overnight. I like to brine it for a good 24 hours, and also leave a half-day or so for it to dry out before grilling, so I'm starting the brine several days before the cook.The actual cooking is basically the same idea, but I've found over the years that it works better to go with a higher temp for turkey. The danger with turkey is always that the white meat will dry out before the dark gets cooked. I've gotten good results by roasting it at about 325 or so, spreading some butter under the skin on the breast, and covering it with bacon to protect it during the cook. One method I've seen is to cover the breast with an ice pack for an hour or so before you put it on the grill, to slow the cooking of the white meat. I've done that when I have the time, not sure if it helps much. Many people also baste the breast during the cook, but I don't typically do any basting. I don't use much wood - two large chunks of apple gives enough smoke flavor. A 20 lb. turkey takes about 7-8 hours. You want to take it off ideally with the breast at 160 and the thigh at 180. Let it rest for 30-60 min and carve.

I wouldn't suggest cooking a turkey over 15 LBs on your smoker. The optimal range is 10-15 LBs.

 

[FatMax]

Bump for Thanksgiving. I'm strongly considering doing this for TG this year, but with a turkey.Is it possible to basically just follow this whole process but instead of a couple chickens, use one turkey? Any changes required?

The brine is the same. I use a large heavy duty ziplock freezer bag (or two) and put it in a bucket. In Wisconsin this time of year I can leave it in the garage overnight. I like to brine it for a good 24 hours, and also leave a half-day or so for it to dry out before grilling, so I'm starting the brine several days before the cook.The actual cooking is basically the same idea, but I've found over the years that it works better to go with a higher temp for turkey. The danger with turkey is always that the white meat will dry out before the dark gets cooked. I've gotten good results by roasting it at about 325 or so, spreading some butter under the skin on the breast, and covering it with bacon to protect it during the cook. One method I've seen is to cover the breast with an ice pack for an hour or so before you put it on the grill, to slow the cooking of the white meat. I've done that when I have the time, not sure if it helps much. Many people also baste the breast during the cook, but I don't typically do any basting. I don't use much wood - two large chunks of apple gives enough smoke flavor. A 20 lb. turkey takes about 7-8 hours. You want to take it off ideally with the breast at 160 and the thigh at 180. Let it rest for 30-60 min and carve.

I wouldn't suggest cooking a turkey over 15 LBs on your smoker. The optimal range is 10-15 LBs.

I did a 14 pounder on a Weber Kettle last year for Christmas Eve dinner using a method very similar to Joe's chicken. Brined it overnight, started it at about 1pm, and that turkey was done a little after 4pm. I was targeting about 5:30pm to pull it off, but the Webber Kettles tend to run a little hotter than a smoker. Still turned out great though.Since then, I've got a WSM. I plan to do another one on it at a lower temp. My only complaint with the first one was that the skin crisped up to the point where is was almost a shell. I'm sure the heat in the Kettle is to blame. The WSM shouldn't have that problem, especially if I fill the water bowl.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Bump for Thanksgiving. I'm strongly considering doing this for TG this year, but with a turkey.Is it possible to basically just follow this whole process but instead of a couple chickens, use one turkey? Any changes required?

The brine is the same. I use a large heavy duty ziplock freezer bag (or two) and put it in a bucket. In Wisconsin this time of year I can leave it in the garage overnight. I like to brine it for a good 24 hours, and also leave a half-day or so for it to dry out before grilling, so I'm starting the brine several days before the cook.The actual cooking is basically the same idea, but I've found over the years that it works better to go with a higher temp for turkey. The danger with turkey is always that the white meat will dry out before the dark gets cooked. I've gotten good results by roasting it at about 325 or so, spreading some butter under the skin on the breast, and covering it with bacon to protect it during the cook. One method I've seen is to cover the breast with an ice pack for an hour or so before you put it on the grill, to slow the cooking of the white meat. I've done that when I have the time, not sure if it helps much. Many people also baste the breast during the cook, but I don't typically do any basting. I don't use much wood - two large chunks of apple gives enough smoke flavor. A 20 lb. turkey takes about 7-8 hours. You want to take it off ideally with the breast at 160 and the thigh at 180. Let it rest for 30-60 min and carve.

I wouldn't suggest cooking a turkey over 15 LBs on your smoker. The optimal range is 10-15 LBs.

I have a ceramic smoker/grill, and haven't had any problems with large turkeys. What is the concern? If things go as planned, I don't have to open the lid once during a 7-8 hour cook at 325-350 (although I usually do check on it just out of curiosity after 4-5 hours or so).

 

[shuke]

Joe, If I make it out your way I'm going to challenge you to a smoke off. You can come rolling in with that big rig of a smoker and I'll show up with a 2x2 Weber. My skills are legendary. Might even turn you on to some of my brines and marinades. Then you'll be in the inner-circle.

Thanks. Would love to try some of your bbq and you're welcome to come cook with us sometime. Try to make it the last Wednesday of the month.J

Looks like he's calling your bluff, Fins.

Anything ever happen with this?

 

[[icon]]

Since then, I've got a WSM. I plan to do another one on it at a lower temp. My only complaint with the first one was that the skin crisped up to the point where is was almost a shell. I'm sure the heat in the Kettle is to blame. The WSM shouldn't have that problem, especially if I fill the water bowl.

Poultry skin crisps as a result of it poaching in the subcutaneous fat layer. This usually requires temps in the mid 300s IIRC. Smoking int the typical range of 250-300 will result in a thick, rubbery skin that's not very desireable either. I know I almost always throw away the skin from my smoked birds as it's just not very tasty.

 

[Zasada]

Bump for Thanksgiving. I'm strongly considering doing this for TG this year, but with a turkey.Is it possible to basically just follow this whole process but instead of a couple chickens, use one turkey? Any changes required?

The brine is the same. I use a large heavy duty ziplock freezer bag (or two) and put it in a bucket. In Wisconsin this time of year I can leave it in the garage overnight. I like to brine it for a good 24 hours, and also leave a half-day or so for it to dry out before grilling, so I'm starting the brine several days before the cook.The actual cooking is basically the same idea, but I've found over the years that it works better to go with a higher temp for turkey. The danger with turkey is always that the white meat will dry out before the dark gets cooked. I've gotten good results by roasting it at about 325 or so, spreading some butter under the skin on the breast, and covering it with bacon to protect it during the cook. One method I've seen is to cover the breast with an ice pack for an hour or so before you put it on the grill, to slow the cooking of the white meat. I've done that when I have the time, not sure if it helps much. Many people also baste the breast during the cook, but I don't typically do any basting. I don't use much wood - two large chunks of apple gives enough smoke flavor. A 20 lb. turkey takes about 7-8 hours. You want to take it off ideally with the breast at 160 and the thigh at 180. Let it rest for 30-60 min and carve.

I wouldn't suggest cooking a turkey over 15 LBs on your smoker. The optimal range is 10-15 LBs.

I did a 14 pounder on a Weber Kettle last year for Christmas Eve dinner using a method very similar to Joe's chicken. Brined it overnight, started it at about 1pm, and that turkey was done a little after 4pm. I was targeting about 5:30pm to pull it off, but the Webber Kettles tend to run a little hotter than a smoker. Still turned out great though.Since then, I've got a WSM. I plan to do another one on it at a lower temp. My only complaint with the first one was that the skin crisped up to the point where is was almost a shell. I'm sure the heat in the Kettle is to blame. The WSM shouldn't have that problem, especially if I fill the water bowl.

OK, thanks guys -- gonna give this a try. I'm worried about brining it too long though (ref Joe's "too salty" warning).Also, would smoking it breast side down keep the breast from drying out before the dark is cooked?

 

[pizzatyme]

I use a Coleman 48 qt cooler.Fill it with:2 1/2 Gallons water2 1/2 cups table salt2 cans cheap lemon lime soft drink3 lemons cut in half and squeezed1 tbl garlic powder1/2 tbl black pepper1 jug (16 oz) cheap pancake syrup

This is amazing to me.

 

[crush304]

[No message]

 

[abird701]

Hey Joe.This is great stuff. I have a 22.5" Weber Platinum and love it. I use the chimney with hard wood lump charcoal. Swore off gas grills a long time ago. I've done alot of grilling, but not much smoking as of yet. I think I will take the plunge next weekend following the instructions in this post. Tally Ho!One poster asked about heat and setting the vents. I might have missed it, but I didn't see a response. Can you tell me how you adjust your vents for the duration? Do you use a meat thermometer to check before you pull them off or is the four hour duration full proof? The little details will kill you. Thanks!

Hi El,My standard rule for all smoking is all the vents wide open all the time. You want as much air flowing through there as you can.I learned this the hard way when I first started smoking. I learned that you could choke the vents down and it would let the wood smolder and smoke but not go out. That meant I could go longer in between putting wood on the fire. What I learned though was that smoke from a smoldering fire is way different than smoke from a burning fire. The science guys can explain but smoke from a fire is much "cleaner" than smoke from a smolder. The smoldering smoke leaves a nasty tar like creosote on the lid of the grill and the food.I learned that you want your fire burning as hot and as "clean" as you can. If you need less heat, make a smaller fire. But keep it burning cleanly.So bottom line is I keep the vents wide open, both on the bottom under the coals and on top of the lid.For doneness, definitely use a meat thermometer. After you do a bunch, you "know" when it's done but I always am paranoid about undercooked meats. A chicken that is done is easiest to tell as the leg will pretty much just break off if you lift it. But still use a thermometer to be safe.I love my big offset smoker burning straight hickory but if I had to be honest, you can do just about as well with a Weber kettle grill with the coals off to the sides and a chunk of hickory burning on top. Especially for chicken.Good luck.J

Quick question. So on a Weber Kettle with the all vents wide open and using a full chimney of charcoal, the temp is going to be pretty high. Do you monitor grill temp at all or just add charcoal every 30 minutes and cook for 4 - 4.5 hours?

 

[bryhamm]

Hey Joe.This is great stuff. I have a 22.5" Weber Platinum and love it. I use the chimney with hard wood lump charcoal. Swore off gas grills a long time ago. I've done alot of grilling, but not much smoking as of yet. I think I will take the plunge next weekend following the instructions in this post. Tally Ho!One poster asked about heat and setting the vents. I might have missed it, but I didn't see a response. Can you tell me how you adjust your vents for the duration? Do you use a meat thermometer to check before you pull them off or is the four hour duration full proof? The little details will kill you. Thanks!

Hi El,My standard rule for all smoking is all the vents wide open all the time. You want as much air flowing through there as you can.I learned this the hard way when I first started smoking. I learned that you could choke the vents down and it would let the wood smolder and smoke but not go out. That meant I could go longer in between putting wood on the fire. What I learned though was that smoke from a smoldering fire is way different than smoke from a burning fire. The science guys can explain but smoke from a fire is much "cleaner" than smoke from a smolder. The smoldering smoke leaves a nasty tar like creosote on the lid of the grill and the food.I learned that you want your fire burning as hot and as "clean" as you can. If you need less heat, make a smaller fire. But keep it burning cleanly.So bottom line is I keep the vents wide open, both on the bottom under the coals and on top of the lid.For doneness, definitely use a meat thermometer. After you do a bunch, you "know" when it's done but I always am paranoid about undercooked meats. A chicken that is done is easiest to tell as the leg will pretty much just break off if you lift it. But still use a thermometer to be safe.I love my big offset smoker burning straight hickory but if I had to be honest, you can do just about as well with a Weber kettle grill with the coals off to the sides and a chunk of hickory burning on top. Especially for chicken.Good luck.J

Quick question. So on a Weber Kettle with the all vents wide open and using a full chimney of charcoal, the temp is going to be pretty high. Do you monitor grill temp at all or just add charcoal every 30 minutes and cook for 4 - 4.5 hours?

If you are using a Weber Kettle to smoke with, you should not be using a full chimney. You should be using something like 1/4 chimney. You will need to add charcoal periodically.

 

[abird701]

Hey Joe.This is great stuff. I have a 22.5" Weber Platinum and love it. I use the chimney with hard wood lump charcoal. Swore off gas grills a long time ago. I've done alot of grilling, but not much smoking as of yet. I think I will take the plunge next weekend following the instructions in this post. Tally Ho!One poster asked about heat and setting the vents. I might have missed it, but I didn't see a response. Can you tell me how you adjust your vents for the duration? Do you use a meat thermometer to check before you pull them off or is the four hour duration full proof? The little details will kill you. Thanks!

Hi El,My standard rule for all smoking is all the vents wide open all the time. You want as much air flowing through there as you can.I learned this the hard way when I first started smoking. I learned that you could choke the vents down and it would let the wood smolder and smoke but not go out. That meant I could go longer in between putting wood on the fire. What I learned though was that smoke from a smoldering fire is way different than smoke from a burning fire. The science guys can explain but smoke from a fire is much "cleaner" than smoke from a smolder. The smoldering smoke leaves a nasty tar like creosote on the lid of the grill and the food.I learned that you want your fire burning as hot and as "clean" as you can. If you need less heat, make a smaller fire. But keep it burning cleanly.So bottom line is I keep the vents wide open, both on the bottom under the coals and on top of the lid.For doneness, definitely use a meat thermometer. After you do a bunch, you "know" when it's done but I always am paranoid about undercooked meats. A chicken that is done is easiest to tell as the leg will pretty much just break off if you lift it. But still use a thermometer to be safe.I love my big offset smoker burning straight hickory but if I had to be honest, you can do just about as well with a Weber kettle grill with the coals off to the sides and a chunk of hickory burning on top. Especially for chicken.Good luck.J

Quick question. So on a Weber Kettle with the all vents wide open and using a full chimney of charcoal, the temp is going to be pretty high. Do you monitor grill temp at all or just add charcoal every 30 minutes and cook for 4 - 4.5 hours?

If you are using a Weber Kettle to smoke with, you should not be using a full chimney. You should be using something like 1/4 chimney. You will need to add charcoal periodically.

Thanks! At the end of post 10 Joe talks about filling the chimeny top with briqueets and needing one chimeny for each grill. I guess I will try with 1/4 or 1/3 chimeny and see what kind of temp that creates with all the vents wide open.

 

[bryhamm]

I forgot that this was about chicken. I was thinking of something a bit lower and slower (brisket, ribs, etc). You can go a little hotter with chicken, as long as it is still indirect.

Maybe even 1/2 chimney. Just play with it and see what you like.