Prime Rib Smoked Whole Chickens
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Category
Dinner Entree
Cuisine
American BBQ
Servings
16
Cook Time
48 hours
A simple lemon-and-herb brine keeps these chickens juicy through a long, low smoke, while Prime Rib Rub builds a deep, savory crust on the skin. Serve the smoked leg-thigh quarters over rice and beans for an easy, crowd-ready dinner.
Reserve both breasts for Strawberry Smoked Chicken Salad, and pull the remaining meat for Smoked Chicken Verde Enchiladas.
Ingredients
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2 Whole 5-6 lb roaster chickens
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1 Gallon water
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1 cup Kosher salt
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2-3 Whole lemons, quartered
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½ cup Prime Rib Rub
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2 Rosemary sprigs
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3 Thyme sprigs
Directions
Combine the water, lemons, herbs, kosher salt, and Prime Rib Rub in a large 2-gallon container big enough to hold both chickens.
Whisk until the salt dissolves. The Prime Rib Rub won't fully dissolve, and that's fine.
Unwrap the chickens and remove the gizzards from the cavities. Submerge both chickens in the brine, weighting them with a plate if needed to keep them fully submerged. (If the chickens aren't fully covered, add more water in a 1-cup-salt-per-gallon ratio.)
Refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
Once brining is complete, preheat the smoker to 240-250°F.
Remove the chickens from the brine and pat dry.
Hang the chickens or set them on racks in the smoker. Smoke until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F, about 3-4 hours.
Remove from the smoker, place on a sheet pan, and rest uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
While the chickens smoke, prepare your favorite rice and beans, with avocado and condiments if you like.
Remove the leg-thigh quarters from the rested chickens and serve over the rice and beans. Add lime crema and avocado as condiments.