★ Issue CMSC·18–012 · Published 20 Nov 2018
BBQ/SmokedchickenFree-Range

Savory Smoked Chicken.

Low-smoke a whole bird, then sear it hard to shatter the skin and seal in every bit of smoke and spice

PREP 15 min
COOK 120 min
TOTAL 2:25h h
SERVES 4-6 people
HEAT medium
BLEND RATING 4.9 53 reviews · Pecking Order®
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You'll need
SmokerInstant-read thermometerGrill or cast iron skilletMeat injector

Low-smoke a whole bird, then sear it hard to shatter the skin and seal in every bit of smoke and spice

Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKEN

  • Casa M Spice Co Pecking Order — or Free Range/Uncontrolled Free Range
  • ~1/4 teaspoon/pound Pink Himalayan Salt
  • 1 whole chicken

Method

  1. 01

    Thaw and plan your chicken

    Decide now whether you're cooking it whole or quartered—whole birds need a vertical setup on the grill to cook evenly, so plan your equipment accordingly. Thaw completely before you start.

  2. 02

    Clean the bird

    5 min

    Remove giblets, neck, and excess fat from the cavity and skin. You want clean surfaces so your rub and smoke can do their job.

  3. 03

    Separate the skin

    5 min

    Use your hands to gently lift the skin away from the meat—breasts, thighs, legs, everywhere you can reach. This lets you season both sides of the skin and trap flavor right against the meat.

  4. 04

    Salt the chicken

    2 min

    Apply Pink Himalayan Salt between the skin and meat and on top of the skin, using about 1/4 teaspoon per pound. Salt draws moisture to the surface and seasons deep into the meat.

  5. 05

    Apply the rub

    3 min

    Work Casa M Spice Co Pecking Order under and over the skin just like you did with the salt. The rub builds a flavorful bark that smoke will lock in.

  6. 06

    Preheat the smoker

    15 min

    Get your smoker dialed in at 160F—low and slow is the name of the game. You want steady, gentle heat that renders the fat and pulls smoke flavor into every layer.

  7. 07

    Smoke the chicken

    90 min

    Put the chicken in the smoker and leave it alone until the internal temperature hits 150F in the thickest part of the thigh. This usually takes about 90 minutes on our rig, but your time may vary.

  8. 08

    Fire up the grill

    15 min

    During the last 30 minutes of smoking, get your grill hot to medium heat around 400–450F. You're about to sear that bird hard and lock in everything the smoke just gave you.

  9. 09

    Finish on the grill

    12 min

    Move the chicken to the hot grill and cook until the breast hits 160F internal temp. The high heat cracks the skin and builds a crust while the meat stays juicy underneath.

  10. 10

    Rest and carve

    10 min

    Pull the chicken off heat and let it sit for 10 minutes—this lets the juices redistribute so every bite stays tender. Then carve it up and serve hot.

From Mike's Notebook

01

Inject salt water under the skin before smoking — it seasons deeper than rub alone.

02

Let the chicken rest 10 minutes after smoking before the hot sear, or moisture escapes.

03

Pat completely dry before the sear — wet skin steams instead of shatters.

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