Smoked chicken halves are the perfect meat when you have hungry eaters that show up at your house. Everyone gets their own and it is designed to please.
Course Entree
Cuisine Hot Smoking
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 3 hourshours
Total Time 3 hourshours25 minutesminutes
Servings 4
Author Jeff Phillips
Ingredients
2whole chickens
Chicken brinerecipe below
Jeff's original rub
Instructions
Cut Chickens in Half
Remove backbone by cutting along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears
Remove keel bone
Cut through center of chicken to divide into two halves
Watch video at http://youtu.be/PYVaWI3LaG0 for full instructions
Brine Chicken Halves
Place chickens into plastic or glass bowl with a lid
Mix 1 cup of koshers salt, 1 gallon of water and ¾ cup of brown sugar and stir until well dissolved.
Pour brine mixture over chicken until covered and refrigerate for 3 hours
After 3 hours, rinse chicken well under cold water
Smoking the Chicken
Set up smoker for cooking at about 225°F.
Place chicken directly on smoker grate
Smoke chicken for 3 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted in the leg or thigh measures 165°F