Smoked BBQ Chicken

Summer is coming to an end, so we're trying to squeeze as much grilling as we can into the season. BBQ chicken is one of those things that is just SO SO good on the grill. Sure, you can make a good BBQ chicken in the oven, but it's really not the same. 

We recently bought the PartyQ temperature controller for our grill, which helps keep a low constant temperature for smoking. If you don't have this, or a smoker, do not attempt this recipe since the chicken will be at an unsafe temp. However, the original recipe that we adapted this from was actually for smokerless smoked chicken, so check that out for an alternative.

BBQ sauce is the perfect accompaniment for this chicken, Tucker makes a killer sweet and spicy one that we are still attempting to document exactly what goes in it. We'll have to post that one another time.

Smoked Chicken (adapted from Chef Steps)
Ingredients
  • 25 g salt (approx)
  • 100 g molasses 
  • 25 g soy sauce 
  • 1 whole Chicken, ours was about 5 pounds
Instructions
  1. Halve the chicken, remove the back (Chef Steps has good pictures of this if you haven't done it before). Generously salt and refrigerate overnight
  2. Mix together soy sauce and molasses, keep it ready with a pastry brush
  3. Light a chimney full of coals, set up a two zone fire. Place a foil packet with soaked cherry wood chips over the coals. Put the chicken on the cool side of grill, glaze 3 times with the molasses and soy mixture, close up the grill and set the PartyQ to 195F.
  4. Cook for about 2.5 hours or until the until a thermometer inserted into the breast reads 145F.
  5. Take the lid off the grill, leaving the PartyQ fan running, and crisp the skin over the hot side of the coals until it's the perfect charred toastiness. Remove chicken and serve with BBQ sauce.