About
A little planning ahead results in big bang for your buck flavor. Brining a whole chicken in a delicious mixture of salt, mustard seed, garlic, onion, cumin, and celery seed yields delicious results that are well worth the wait (12-24 hours in the brine solution). The result is the most tender, juicy bird with a delicious smoked flavor.
What other spices can I add to the brine?
You can get creative and add various herbs and spices to suit your preferences and tastes. Get creative! Are you looking to go French-style? Add black peppercorns, fresh tarragon, thyme, and omit the cumin and celery seed.
What if I don’t have a smoker? What special equipment do I need?
If you do not have a smoker, you can roast the chicken in an oven at 425 F until it reaches 165 F. You will need a meat thermometer with a long probe so you can carefully watch the internal temperature of the chicken. Cooking at a low temperature and using a meat probe will result in the juiciest, perfectly cooked bird (no more overcooking!)
What can I serve with smoked chicken?
What can’t you serve with smoked chicken? A delicious side of mashed cauliflower or broccoli salad is a great choice. As are any dark green vegetables sauteed in butter and garlic. Feel free to top a crispy salad with smoked chicken as well.
Ingredients
- 6 pound chicken whole meat and skin raw
- 6 pint water
- 10 tablespoon coarse kosher salt by morton
- 1 tablespoon mustard seed
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin, seed
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken for the brine, by combining the water and all the seasonings. Be sure to stir the brine mixture well to ensure all the salt is dissolved. Add the chicken into a tall stockpot with the brine and allow it to sit 12-24 hours is ideal.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and tap dry with paper towels.
- Preheat a smoker to 400 F. If using an electric cooker, simply set the temperature. If using a wood-burning smoker, use a mixture of coals and applewood to stroke the fire. Once the temperature is set and the smoker is hot, place chicken breast side down for the first 15 minutes. Allow the smoker to come down to 250 F or turn down the smoker if using an electric version.
- Flip chicken breast side up after the 15 minutes have elapsed and allow to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 F and the skin is nicely browned.
- Place a tray of water underneath the chicken as well for extra steam.
- Remove chicken from the smoker and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Carve the bird removing the breasts from the carcass, slicing each into thin pieces. Remove the quarters and separate the leg from the thighs and also remove the wings. Serve hot with a nice vegetable side dish.
Nutrition Facts
- Servings: 10
- Calories: 594.3kcal/2486.6kJ (per serving)
- Fat: 41.3g (per serving)
- Carbs: 1.5g (per serving)
- Protein: 51.0g (per serving)
