Chicken

Supplies

3.5# whole chicken
Italian dressing
Buckshot BBQ Rub
Sharp game shears
vinyl gloves (for handling raw chicken)
Aluminum pan
Aluminum foil

Smoking chicken halves

Split the bird

Use the game shears to remove the tail of the bird

Put out the neck as far as possible and remove i

Using the edge of the backbone as a guide, cut through the ribs as close to the spine as possible. Use one hand to support the bird from the inside.

Repeat on the other side of the backbone.

Voila! The bird will now flop open. Take this opportunity to pick out any remaining innards/gizzards/fat from inside the bird.

Carefully flip the bird over and separate the breast muscles, cutting as close as possible to the breastbone. Be careful to avoid tearing the skin.

Dress and rub

Give the chicken halves a good coating of Italian dressing. Be sure to coat both sides. The dressing helps the rub adhere to the chicken. Food contamination is a real concern, so either have an assistant handle the bottle or discard it after use. Do not reuse any marinades after they have come in contact with raw food.

Give the birds a light coat or rub. Too much will overpower the flavor of the bird. Be sure to work some of the rub and dressing under the skin of the bird.

Flip the halves over and coat the inside with rub and dressing.

Smoke at 250 degrees

Put the birds on the smoker and cook for 3 hours at 250 degrees. I used oak for this cook because I was cooking several different meats at the same time. I prefer apple or cherry for chicken. Any fruit or nut bearing wood is good for smoking.

Check the thigh temperature

Chicken cooking 11 — When the teperature in the thigh reaches 170 degrees, the birds are done. The juices should run clear when the meat is cut. Carefully remove the bird from the pit and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. If you are cooking for a competition, carefully remove any bits of char, grease, etc. Your turn-in bird should have an even color, with tight unbroken skin, and should fit in the turn-in box with a little room to spare. Be sure to remove any stray marks of grease or juice from the turn-in box.