# Over Smoking Chickens.



## Getursmokeon (Jan 18, 2010)

Looking for the best method to avoid over smoking chickens. My problem has been that the outside of the chicken smokes to dark before the rest of chicken is done. I have tried wrapping them in foil but many times they steam and just fall apart. I am looking to get the best method to get a fully cooked chicken with a light colored smoke on the outside. Suggestions would be appreciated.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

The skin is going to get dark if you smoke them... hard to get around that. You might be wrapping them in foil to soon or cooking them too long wrapped if they are falling completely apart.


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## Team S.A. Blue (Sep 8, 2004)

*chicken*

Try burning the wood down to coals before adding the chicken. If you have to many logs in there they are going to produce to much smoke. I never have the problem of dark chicken. also leave the smoke stack wide open never shut it down. control your heat with the intake. Hope it helps im sure there are other tricks you'll get. good luck.


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## jdot7749 (Dec 1, 2008)

Too much wood at one time, not enough air flow and too much heat. Chicken gots a lot of fat and browns real easy so the fire need to be clean and low or real hot early and no more wood added to create smoke. If you can barely see the smoke it's plenty for chicken which is mild meat and can't stand heavy smoke.

I think that's what Team S.A Blue said in half the words. Help! I'm talkin' and can't shut up.


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## Getursmokeon (Jan 18, 2010)

It all sounds like really good advice.

Thanks,


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## kempker1409 (Feb 26, 2006)

When the chicken get to the color i like, i simply cover the chicken with foil leaving the bottom exposed kinda like a tent. Has worked good for me.

Brian


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## Getursmokeon (Jan 18, 2010)

Very cleaver Brian, I like the idea.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

good tip for the lurkers brian. thanks


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## bigbob (Jul 5, 2009)

Team S.A. Blue said:


> Try burning the wood down to coals before adding the chicken. If you have to many logs in there they are going to produce to much smoke. I never have the problem of dark chicken. also leave the smoke stack wide open never shut it down. control your heat with the intake. Hope it helps im sure there are other tricks you'll get. good luck.


X2


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## CopanoCruisin (May 28, 2006)

*flattened out chicken*

For a whole bird, cut out the backbone, flip over and make a small cut doun the breast bone, the pull out the small bone in the middle. Flatten out on the gril, skin side down first, if need to set a glass cake pan on it to keep flattened out. Also when you flip it. The bird will cook evenly much faster this way. good luck and tight lines.


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## fender bender (Mar 31, 2006)

You may try puting your bird in two paper bags and put them on to smoke.The bags will let in smoke and filter it. Stays moist and good smoke tast.


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## Getursmokeon (Jan 18, 2010)

Wow!! Another great technique. How to do bags hold up to the drippings etc..?

Thanks,
David


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## kempker1409 (Feb 26, 2006)

CopanoCruisin said:


> For a whole bird, cut out the backbone, flip over and make a small cut doun the breast bone, the pull out the small bone in the middle. Flatten out on the gril, skin side down first, if need to set a glass cake pan on it to keep flattened out. Also when you flip it. The bird will cook evenly much faster this way. good luck and tight lines.


That is how i do mine. How to Spatchcock a chicken video

Brian


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## rcortinas (Oct 10, 2009)

Sometimes we wrap the chickens first for an hour and then take out and the skin will darken up some.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

i'm a big fan of vertical beer can style cooking 

knock all the bark off the wood first, you want a clear smoke out of the stack

go easy on the mesquite , if you are going for a long slow smoked bird

wrap the birds when the legs barely start to loosen and only cook another hr at the very most or you will end up with chicken and separate bones when you open up the foil

don't be afraid to pull the birds early and let them rest if you have other stuff on the pit, just cover and hold in a cold oven , they will stay hot for an hr.


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## sea ray (Mar 15, 2006)

Getursmokeon said:


> Wow!! Another great technique. How to do bags hold up to the drippings etc..?
> 
> Thanks,
> David


 drippings soak into bag and make it moisture proof kinda like wax paper,
keeps meat from drying out. works good


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## capt.sandbar (Aug 31, 2007)

You may want to choke your chicken a little before you smoke it??? Just a thought...:bounce::bounce::bounce:


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## Mountaineer Mark (Jul 15, 2009)

The easy way to do this without changing a lot of this or that is to use a method called Tee shirting.

Go to the local cheepie store and buy the cheepest white tee shirt they have. wrap the chicken in the shirt.
This lets all the flavor in and doesn't allow a dark bark to form. Been there and done it, this works wonderfull








:rybka::rybka:


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

I put the chicken closer to the fire box, let it cook faster and hotter. It does not need to smoke as low as brisket or ribs to be tender. Of course they may still get darker than you like, but I never really had bark form. Another bonus is that the skin will be crispier if you use higher heat.


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## donkeyman (Jan 8, 2007)

beer can chickens always cook pretty good leave you about a quater can of beer ,trick to that is pulling the skin over the neck hole and using three tooth pick to keep the skin streatched over the hole keeps the steam inside the bird making it moist and cooking from both directions and ad stated let your coals burn down some


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## donkeyman (Jan 8, 2007)

*beer can chicken*


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## donkeyman (Jan 8, 2007)

*cont*


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## GillGuerra (Jan 24, 2005)

You can put an onion on top of the beer can chicken to keep moisture in


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## Whiskey Girl (Jan 13, 2010)

bigbob said:


> X2


x3


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## Rusty S (Apr 6, 2006)

The wings are all pointing down, but those those sausages look tasty, gotta get me some. This is my Alta Loma Outdoor's special entry to the cookoff, you boy's are playing for 3'rd place, cause Meat in The Hole Cookers are taking 1st--good luck losers. rs


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## 32redman (Apr 20, 2005)

HERE'S A FEW ON THE GREEN EGG


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