And The Practice Begins!!!!!

Sunday was a hot day....with lots to do including practice for the upcoming BBQ competition. So this Sunday I started with chicken. I will definitely have to smoke the chicken again since the only thing I accomplished was that I learning that I need more practice.

The smoked chicken recipe is a brand new one for me. I am scrapping the old Raspberry Glazed Smoked Chicken for a more traditional BBQ flavored smoked chicken. Here is how I did it:

1. Washed the chicken thighs in cold water
2. Removed the skin from the chicken (do not discard)
3. Remove the thigh bone from the thigh
4. Trim all the chicken into uniformed sizes
5. Placed chicken in a zip-lock bag with a Zesty Italian Marinade (I used a different marinade for this smoking but I have to save that secret - oh and store in the fridge)
6. Scrape the chicken skins (this part is NASTY! But a must.)
1. Place skin flat on the cutting board, the outside facing down
2. With a sharp knife start dragging the blade across the skin, sideways. 
3. Little by little apply more pressure until the "stuff" starts coming off the inside of the skin...it will look like a white nasty hunk of pure fat....the skin should be thin enough to see a lime through
1. Reserve the skins to apply back onto the chicken (store in fridge)
7. After you are done marinading, (I like to marinade for 24 hours) remove the chicken from the marinade and skins from the fridge.
8. Apply the rub to all sides of the chicken (recipe below)
9. Roll the chicken up so that it looks like a thigh again, cover with the skin
1. You may have to stretch the skin over the chicken to get it all around the thigh.
10. Take the chicken to the smoker - smoke at about 220 for 2 hours.

Now I like to use apple wood for chicken. It smells wonderful and it is a mild smoke flavor. I only use 2 chunks, right at the beginning and that is it. I do not use anymore smoke after that first burn is done. I like to start the thighs in a pool of melted butter for about 30 minutes. Then I move them to the smoker rack. I also like to glaze 30 minutes before they are done and then again 10 minutes before they are done. Your favorite BBQ Sauce mixed with a little honey will make a nice glaze that will shine. Normally 3 parts BBQ sauce / 1 part honey will do it. The finished product is a beautiful mahogany color. The flavor is sweet, tangy and a little spicy.

Sorry for the picture...it is a little blurry but here is the finished product followed by the recipe for the chicken:

Smoked Chicken

Rub: Mix together thoroughly the following:

• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed). We prefer "turbinado sugar" for ease of use, but either one works fine.
• 1/4 cup sweet paprika (Hungarian, if you can get it)
• 3 tblsp kosher salt
• 1 tblsp ground pepper (fresh peppercorns recently ground!)
• 1 tblsp garlic powder or 2 tblsp granulated (not garlic salt)
• 1 tblsp onion powder
• 1 tblsp cayenne powder

Directions:

Apply rub to the chicken at least a couple hours before cooking and preferably a couple days before cooking.

Soak 2 chunks of Apple wood and 2 chunks of Hickory wood for at least 1 hour before cooking

Set up smoker to reach a temperature of 220 - 225o F

Place chicken in a disposable pan with melted butter for the first ½ hour.

Remove from pan and place on smoker rack

Hit with a finishing sauce in the last 30 minutes

Total time is about 2 – 3  hours at 220F

Now just enjoy!!!!