Spatchcock chicken on the smoker question...

T

tsmoke

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I'm smoking chicken tomorrow.....I smoke with the a smaller horizon w/firebox. Firebox on the right and thermo on the left near the stack. Thermo reads 225ish and on the grate near box is up above 300. Should I cook the chicken @ 300-350 grate temp or 300-350 thermo temp? I'm thinkn grate temp. thanks

and brine question.....3 4lb chickens simple brine from what I read is 1 hour per lb......should I do 12 hours or 4 hours......thanks for any help....Tony:confused:
 
I'm not the expert some people here are but I've brined a few yard birds and I would not brine them much more than 4 hours. When first starting any new hobby especially cooking start slowly and adjust as you learn.

I've only smoked on my UDS and I'd say go with the grate temp.
 
First off has the chicken been "ENHANCED"? If so then brining is not necessary as it has basically already been done.

Second use the grate temperature.
 
Also how do you have a 75 degree variation in temps, Is that normal? Also are you sure your thermometers are accurate? Can you calibrate them? Just a few suggestions :thumb:
 
On my WSM I cook Chicken at 350 Dome temp. I like to marinate the chicken first.
 
Not enhanced....The thermo is on top near the stack and I was reading temp closer to the firebox on grate hence the difference I think.....
 
4 hours in the brine, and cook at 350F where ever the chicken is going to be located, that would normally be on the grates.
 
That sounds pretty hot - I'd rather cook it just a bit lower, takes longer, but prolly better flavor. Spatchcocked will cook faster than beercan method.

Brine s/b at least four hours - but don't think longer would hurt.
 
I would go with grate temp. I've learned that the dome on my egg can read 250* but at the grate level sometimes it reads 25-50* higher sometimes.
 
if the grate temp is 350 when you put the meat on, it will drop several degrees...325 or so, maybe. These are both good for chicken. If you put them on when the grate is 325, the temps may drop to 300 or so - if your smoker doesn't recover temp fast, I'd go with 350 grate, let it drop, them come back up to 350. Just my thinking.
 
4-8 hours in the brine depending on how salty the brine is and whether or not the birds have been pre-injected or "enhanced". Rinse well with fresh water, pat and air dry VERY well in the fridge for at least an hour to two before putting on the smoker.

I have done both 250* and 350* cooks on my smoker for chicken and prefer the texture I get with the higher temps.

Always measure your cook by the grate temp. The only reason for a lid thermo is tell you what the temp is at the point the food is sitting. So knowing the variance between the lid thermo and any particular part of your cooker is what separates ok cooks from good cooks.
 
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