CHICKEN DONE TIME HOW TO

You’ll need enough liquid to fully submerge your chicken. You can use 1/2 cup salt and sugar plus a tablespoon of your favorite BBQ sauce mixed in a gallon of water.'Ī basic brine is ½ cup of salt (or 1 cup of kosher salt) for every gallon of liquid. 'I keep it simple with an old school salt brine. 'I use a brine to impart moisture in my poultry,' says Traeger Pro Matt Pittman. No matter how much salt you use, a dry rub will only penetrate so far into the meat, but submerging your bird in brine pulls salt and flavor into the muscles - and keeps it there throughout the cooking process. Brining increases salt absorption into the meat, according to Traeger Pro Doug Schieding, who cooked the winning chicken at the 2015 Houston Livestock and Rodeo BBQ Contest.īrining your bird is the best way to infuse flavor deep into the meat. In order to ensure your meat is flavorful to the bone, try out a good brine. Read on for the tools and guidelines that will help you smoke a whole chicken like a pro. 'I never cook my chicken under 325 degrees because the skin tends to get a little rubbery,' says Curtis Nations, a grilling instructor and BBQ champion. (Cooking to this temperature) will ensure it stays moist.'Īt the same time, you may want to consider a higher temperature than is traditionally called for in smoking. Chicken can freak people out but a properly cooked chicken is safe to serve once internal temp hits 165. Always go to 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature.

According to a Traeger expert, one of the most common fears people have is “Overcooking. Poultry can be daunting because undercooked chicken isn’t safe to eat, but at the same time, you don’t want to overdo it.

CHICKEN DONE TIME HOW TO

Once you know how to smoke a whole chicken, you’ll want to challenge yourself to experiment with rubs, and brines. There’s no half-assing when it comes to smoking a whole chicken, but with only three essential steps to follow, anyone (even beginner grillers) can get the hang of it.

Chicken done time