The secret to smoking a whole chicken in an electric smoker is simple: season your bird well and use the right temperature. If you’re a newbie, then you probably don’t have any experience with smoking meat. So let me share with you some tips that will help you master smoking meat like a pro.
Most electric smokers are set at 250°F to 300°F, which is the ideal temperature for cooking poultry or beef. You can also cook pork or fish at this temperature, but poultry is the best choice of meat for beginners because it’s easier to control and needs less time (and therefore less fuel) to cook.
For chicken, we recommend using a digital thermometer so you can accurately monitor the internal temperature at all times. The best thermometers are those that have an LCD screen and offer both Fahrenheit and Celsius readings (preferably both).
Temperature & Time – Electric Smoker
The key to smoking a chicken in an electric smoker is to heat the smoker to 250°F.
Once the smoker reaches 250°F, set your timer for 90 minutes.
After 90 minutes, turn off your smoker and let it cool down to room temperature.
At this point, you can either pull the chicken out of the smoker and let it sit at room temperature or you can wrap it in foil and place it back into the smoker for another hour at 250°F.
Pulling out a fully cooked chicken from an electric smoker is always easier than pulling one that’s been sitting in a hot environment for hours.
You can also pull your chicken after one hour if you just want to do a quick smoke with no resting time at all.
Equipment
To smoke a whole chicken in an electric smoker, you’ll need your usual barbecue equipment.
You’ll also want to make sure that you have an electric smoker with a temperature gauge, and that it can heat up to 250°F.
You’ll also want to make sure that you have a smoker thermometer so that you can monitor the temperature of your smoker.
And, of course, you’ll want to make sure that you have a smoker box or smoker pouch for your chicken.
Lastly, you’ll need several smoke chips.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- BBQ rub
- Wet brine
- Smoke chips
BBQ Dry Rub – Electric Smoker
- 1/2 cup paprika
- Half cup kosher salt
- Half cup onion powder
- 1/4 cup black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl until well blended. You can adjust the amount of spice you want depending on your personal taste. If you don’t want it too spicy, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper used. If you don’t like spicy food, then feel free to leave out the cayenne pepper completely.
Instruction
- Pat the chicken dry, and then coat it with your favorite rub.
- Cover the chicken in your wet brine mix, brush the entire bird with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken into your smoker pouch or smoker box.
- After 90 minutes, turn off the heat and let it cool for one hour before pulling out or wrapping it in foil and returning to the smoker for another hour at 250°F.
- Pull the chicken out of the smoker, and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce.
Use Good Common Sense When Smoking Chicken- Electric Smoker
“Chicken is a very delicate, soft meat that can be easily overcooked. To ensure that your chicken is not ruined by the wrong heat setting or inappropriate method of smoking, you will want to follow a few basic rules.
Use a digital thermometer to monitor the temperature inside your smoker.
Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how much time and temperature to smoke at.
Make sure there are plenty of smoke chips in your smoker pouch or smoker box before you place the bird in it.
FAQs
Q: How long should I smoke my chicken?
A: It depends on the size of your smoker. If you have a large smoker, you will want to smoke for about 4 hours. If you have a small smoker, you will probably want to double that time.
Q: How long does chicken last in the refrigerator?
A: Chicken can last for up to a week in the refrigerator if it is wrapped very well in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. If it is wrapped tightly and well enough, it can last for 5 days or more. But once opened, it should be eaten within two days or frozen for later use.