Vinnie’s Slow-Smoked Chicken

This recipe requires a slow smoker. Traeger Pro 22 smoker was used to cook this dish.
American
Main Dishes
Poultry
Summer Picnic
PREP TIME:
30

SERVES:

6

TOTAL COOKING TIME:

90 minutes
Image
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 x 3-3.5 lbs whole chickens
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
  • Tuckaway House Marinade (Raymond, NH)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Pam cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

  1. 1.
    To split a chicken in half: Place the chicken on a large cutting board. Pat down the outside with a paper towel to dry excess moisture. Rotate the chicken so the backbone is facing up. Start at the tail end and work upwards, snipping through the rib bones as you go using a kitchen shear. Remove the backbone and flip the chicken over so the inside is facing down. Spread the chicken out carefully and push firmly in the middle of the breast – you should hear a snap, which is the breastbone. Take a cleaver and cut the chicken in half, pushing the blade down the center of the chicken where the breastbone is. You should now have two halves.
  2. 2.
    Brine chicken halves overnight according to instruction below.
  3. 3.
    When ready to smoke chicken, rinse chicken under cold water to remove any excess salt. Place chicken halves on a wire rack or in a large baking sheet. Pat dry on both sides with papertowels.
  4. 4.
    Mix the seasonings together (garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, chicken bouillon powder. Sprinkle the seasoning evenly coating all sides of chicken.
  5. 5.
    Brush chicken all over with 1/2 cup olive oil. Sprinkle dry-rub (Tuckaway House Marinade or rub of choice) all over the chicken.
  6. 6.
    Set smoker to cook at 375 degrees F with apple wood pellets. Preheat smoker for 10 minutes.
  7. 7.
    Place chicken halves with skin side up inside smoker. Cook with cover on for 1 hour undisturbed.
  8. 8.
    After 1 hour, spray chicken halves with Pam cooking spray over the skin. Flip chicken and cook with skin side down for another 15 minutes or when chicken breasts register 165 degrees F.
  9. 9.
    Optional: for additional saucing, lightly brush chicken skin to glaze with your favorite BBQ sauce or apple cider vinegar sauce (see below) . Slice and serve.
Brining Chicken
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 tbsp Kosher salt
  • 1 gallon (16 cups) of cold water
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (dark or light)

DIRECTIONS

  1. 1.
    Using a large pot with cover, dissolve salt and brown sugar in water.
  2. 2.
    Place chicken halves submerge in brine mixture. Cover pot and store it in refrigerator overnight.
Apple Cider Vinegar Sauce
INGREDIENTS
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar (dark or light)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

  1. 1.
    Baste chicken generously with apple cider vinegar sauce prior to serving.