Smoked Chicken

Submitted by: Leon and Mary Brock

Attributed to: Leon

Category: Poultry

Description: A classic from the smokemiester himself.

Prep time: Overnight

Total time: 3 hours the next day

Servings: 4

Difficulty rating: 2

Ingredients:

3 pound whole chicken 

4 cups chicken broth

1 2 ounce package of dried onion soup mix

2 cups Jack Daniels Poultry Rub or comparable

2 cups apple juice

Special tools/utensils needed:

2 large, deep aluminum roasting pans

smoker

meat thermometer

Directions: 

1. Rinse chicken inside and out and pat it dry thoroughly. Place the chicken in a deep pan, add the broth and soup mix. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. 

2. When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat a smoker to 250F. 

3. Remove the pan from the refrigerator and discard the marinade. 

4. Apply the rub liberally to the chicken. 

5. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a meat rack with the handles down so the bird will be raised above the surface of the pans. Set the rack inside a deep aluminum pan. Pour the apple juice into the pan underneath the meat rack. 

6. Place the pan in the smoker and cook for 3 hours or until the breast meat reaches an internal spot temperature of 165F. 

7. Remove the chicken from the smoker and tent it in the pan for 15 minutes. Carve and serve immediately.