Infused Smoked Chicken

Smoke the chicken!

@DaGarlicQueen 

dagarlicqueen@gmail.com

Ingredients

For the brine:

• Large pot with lid

• A gallon of water

• ½ cup kosher salt

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 sprig fresh thyme

• 2 sprig fresh rosemary

• ½ head of garlic, smashed

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorn

• 2 lemons, sliced

• A whole chicken, 3-5lbs

For the chicken:

• Chicken rub of choice 

• ½ cup minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon mushroom powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered

• 1 lemon, halved

• 8 garlic cloves

• 2 sprig fresh thyme

• 2 sprig fresh rosemary

• butchers twine

For the sauce to serve:

• ⅓ cup soy sauce

• ¼  cup fish sauce

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 cup of warm water

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1-3 Thai chilis, chopped

Plating & garnish:

• Steamed rice

• Cucumber, sliced

• Tomato, sliced

• Cilantro

Smoking:

• Smoker

• Wood Pellets

• Apple Juice

• Thermometer

Brining:

1. Make the brine: in a large pot, add 2 cups of water with the ingredients and bring to a boil, whisk until it has dissolved and remove from heat

2. Pour the rest of the water in and allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature

3. After the water has cooled, submerge the chicken into the brine and let it sit for a minimum of 4 hours, up to 24 hours, in the refrigerator

The chicken:

1. Preheat the smoker to 225 with the lid closed for 15 minutes

2. Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse, pat dry with paper towels

3. Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, mushroom seasoning and black pepper together in a bowl

4. Rub the chicken with the mixed seasonings, minced garlic and chicken rub

5. Stuff the chicken with the lemon, yellow onion, whole garlic cloves, thyme and rosemary

6. Tie the chicken legs together with the twine

7. Place the chicken directly on the grill, breast side up and close the lid

8. Set a timer for 30 mins at a time to spray down the chicken with apple juice to keep it moist, repeat every 30 minutes

9. Prepare the dipping sauce and garnish for the plating while your chicken is in the smoker

10. Check the temperature of the chicken using the thermometer, 160 in breast and 170 in thighs

11. Once the chicken reaches that temperature, remove it from the smoker and brush on your canna butter 

12. Put your chicken in the oven and bake at 350 for 10 minutes and broil it at the end for 5 minutes on low

13. Take your chicken out and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving so the juice will redistribute

Plating:

1. Get a cup of warm water

2. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl together

3. Add chilis to taste, this can be left out if you don’t eat spicy

4. Cut the cucumbers and tomatoes into slices 

5. Plate the rice, cucumbers and tomatoes

6. Carve the chicken and plate it

7. Drizzle the sauce over the rice and chicken 

8. Enjoy!

Tips:

• use a generous amount of seasoning - until your ancestors say stop

• brine at least 4 hours or overnight with salt, sugar & herbs

• don't brine for more than 24 hours or it will be too salty

• tuck wing tips under bird

• place a water pan in the smoker to keep moisture in there

• spray with apple juice every 30 mins

• rest after smoking

• check often to make sure internal hits 160-165 in breast and 170-175 in thighs (it will rise to 165 & 175 while it rests)

• 2-3 hours cook time

• store the dipping sauce in an airtight container in the fridge

Video:

https://youtu.be/xGY70jYmXeU?si=eUUtROeJeUyrMlFl