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Are you looking for an easy BBQ project for the weekend? Why not smoke a whole chicken? It’s a project that’s inexpensive and quick-cooking even with the low cooking temperatures of smoking. Temperature is a critical component to the perfect cook for tender, succulent BBQ chicken. We have the precision tools along with chicken cooking and doneness temps to set you up for smoky success! BBQ chicken pull temp: 157°F in the breast Why BBQ a Whole Chicken Rather Than Roast It?Chicken is a leaner meat than pork shoulder or brisket and may seem like an unlikely candidate for a low-temperature cook. Whole chickens are more commonly oven-roasted, so what is the benefit of smoking a whole chicken over roasting it in the oven? There are two benefits: 1) smoke flavor, and 2) a tender, silky texture. 1.Smoke The complex flavors that smoke imparts to meat only happen with BBQ’s low cooking temperature. Higher cooking temperatures can cause the wood to combust, or produce smoke that can cause bitter or off-flavors to develop. 2. Texture: It’s All About Time and Temperature Low-temperature cooking allows for slower heat transfer, giving collagen in the meat’s connective tissues the time needed to dissolve into silky gelatin (see our post on Smoked Pulled Pork for more information on the topic of breaking down connective tissues). The gelatin absorbs moisture, helping the meat retain moisture. Q: Won’t the breast meat become dry with a long cook time? A: The factor that determines the final texture of the meat is its internal temperature. Pulling the chicken from the smoker at the right temperature (allowing for carryover cooking to reach the final doneness temperature) will yield juicy results. Without temperature tracking, overcooking poultry beyond its pull and doneness temperatures is quite likely, and that’s when meat becomes dry. Q: Will the skin be rubbery? A: Brushing the chicken with melted butter and a mop sauce during the cook keeps the skin moist, and assists in keeping its texture at bite-through consistency. The key cooking and doneness temperatures for this BBQ chicken project are the secret to its success. A Quick Low and Slow CookThe cooking temperature range for barbecue is about 200-300°F (93-149°C). Normally, that means a long slow cooking process, but a whole chicken is a tender, leaner cut of meat than traditional BBQ cuts. This cook will take approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the chicken and the maintained temperature of your cooker. Remember that the best way to determine the doneness of chicken is with temperature, not cooking time. Trust the accuracy of your temperature readings.
Recommended ThermometersThermaQ Thermapen ThermaQ® is the perfect tool for any BBQ project! It’s a dual-channel thermometer with high and low alarms, and max and min recorded temps for each channel. You can keep your cooker’s temp in check while monitoring the meat’s cooking progress at the same time. Since the doneness of any meat is best measured through temperature than any other method, the ThermaQ along with an instant-read digital thermometer like the Thermapen® Mk4 are the best tools to get the job done. Why Spot-Check?Why use a Thermapen in addition to the ThermaQ? When the alarm for the chicken’s high alarm sounds, it’s important to quickly spot-check the chicken’s internal temperature to verify that the reading is really the lowest temperature in the bird. The meat’s thermal center may be slightly off from the ThermaQ probe’s initial placement. If you find a lower temperature just let the chicken cook a few minutes longer. Hooray for temperature! There’s no other way to achieve perfect, reliable results time after time. Also, with the Thermapen’s super-fast® readings, you’ll only need to keep the cooker’s lid open for mere seconds to get an accurate reading. You won’t have worry about losing all your ambient heat and smoke. BBQ Chicken RecipeIngredientsThe components for the project are simple and few. No need to make a special trip to the grocery store to round up odd ingredients.
InstructionsThe Chicken Splitting the chicken in half allows the meat to cook more uniformly than if it was left whole. To break down the chicken:
The Rub
The Cooker
☼ Thermal Tip: If you don’t have a smoker, set up your gas or charcoal grill for a two-zone fire, and use a wood chip packet to produce smoke. To learn more about how to set up a two-zone fire and cooking with indirect heat, read our post Indirect Heat: Grill-Roasted Sweet Stuffed Pork Loin.
Probe Placement
Get Cooking!
☼ Thermal Tip: The smoke point of real butter is about 350°F (177°C)—the temperatures of smoking are well below this landmark. Don’t worry about the butter scorching during the cook.
☼ Thermal Tip: To learn more about safe pasteurization temperatures for cooked chicken, read our post, Thermal Tips: Simple Roasted Chicken. To Recap:The key temps you need to know are:
Using a ThermaQ and Thermapen together really takes the guesswork out of any smoking project. Give this dynamic duo a try! Products Used: Resources: Project Smoke, Steven Raichlen Smoked Chicken, NibbleMeThis.com How long do you cook chicken on the grill and at what temperature?Chicken breast, boneless, skinless — 6 to 8 ounces will take between 8 and 12 minutes over direct medium heat (350 °F) Chicken breast, bone-in — 10 to 12 ounces — 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat (350 °F) Leg or thigh, bone-in — 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat (350 °F)
What temperature do you cook chicken on a gas grill?Heat your grill to between 425 and 450°F for chicken breasts.
How long do you cook chicken on the grill at 400?Grill chicken breasts over direct heat at 400ºF for around 7-8 minutes. Then, flip chicken breasts and continue cooking for 8-10 more minutes. You know the chicken breast is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 160ºF – 165ºF. Remove from the grill and let rest* for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.
How long does it take to grill chicken at 350?At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, boneless 4-ounce chicken breasts should cook for 20 to 30 minutes, says FoodSafety.gov.
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