# Smoking whole chickens Q?



## Clifford (Aug 14, 2004)

Can anyone give me an idea how long I should smoke a whole chicken? I have 2 whole chickens in a pickling brine and will start smoking them this next Saturday.

I will cold smoke them and freeze them for cooking later, so I do not need to cook them in the lower temperature smoker.

Just looking for some ideas.


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## Marshloft (Mar 24, 2008)

I've never heard of cold smoking.
Would be interested in how tho. And the results once cooked.
GH


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Really depends on how much smoke flavor you want...

I'd follow some fish recipes and see how that goes.

Let it Dry some before smoking it!

ML, You got Cold,Hot and Grilling/BBQ. Its all related to Temps.
Certain things do not do well under heat but you still want to smoke it. Cheese,Bacon,Fish are a few to come to mind.
Your not trying to cook it, just add the smoke and remove some moisture.
Under a 100 degrees is Cold smoking.
150 to 200 is hot smoking and you could actually be cooking it at this point.
300 and above is BBQ to me, and you are cooking it.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

I typically smoke about a 4lb chicken at 225 degrees for about 6 hours.


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## opalcab (May 16, 2011)

I smoke my chicken up to 120 degrees and freeze them for cooking later in the oven some times about 1 hour at about 200 degrees with apple wood for a mild flavor
good luck 
Stan


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## crispin (Jun 30, 2010)

CJ said:


> I typically smoke about a 4lb chicken at 225 degrees for about 6 hours.


The OP is looking for cold smoke ideas.

I have never cold smoked but I do hope to build one some day.

Now for normal smoking of whole chickens I use a real hot smoke.

I find if you use the normal 225-250 the skin gets rubbery and unappealing.

So I crank up my smoker to around 350-375 and smoke for 1.5 - 2 hrs.

Gives a nice crisp skin and still has a good wood smoked flavor.

Speaking of smoking I am going to smoke 3 slabs of ribs tomorrow, I am trying to get a few more smoked meals in before it gets too cold.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Oops sorry I missed that.
I don't eat the skin on my smoked birds, I cook it and the bones down into broth and can it, it is fantastic for enchiladas and spicy soups.





crispin said:


> The OP is looking for cold smoke ideas.
> 
> I have never cold smoked but I do hope to build one some day.
> 
> ...


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Since you're going to freeze these anyway, a really cold smoke (120-150) overnight (12-14 hours) would be plenty for a 4lb bird and shouldn't dry out the meat too much... the skins might be a bit icky though. When I do poultry and fowl to smoke all through, I tend to part them up for smoking rather than doing the whole bird. I only hot smoke whole birds or quick smoke those that I want to impart the flavor on but will cooking through in the oven later.


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## imthedude (Jun 7, 2011)

never cold smoked a bird, but in a regular hot smoker at about 225*, my chickens cook for 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs. if it "shakes hands with you", it's done.


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## OH Boy (Dec 22, 2010)

Depends how smoky you are looking to make them, and if you are cold smoking or hot smoking. Cold will take longer I think. I'd say they need at least a coupls of hours in the smoke, maybe longer.


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