Brined Smoked Chicken

Soak your birds in this brine for yummy smoked chicken. Well wrapped and refrigerated leftovers will keep for 3 to 5 days.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr
• Total Time: 4 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 425 Calories

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 gallon water
• 1 ¼ pounds salt
• 2 (3 1/2) pound whole chickens
• kitchen twine

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Pour water into a large, non-aluminum container; add salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add soy sauce, tarragon, thyme, and pepper. Place chickens in the brine and weigh them down with a heavy plate so they stay submerged. Brine at room temperature for 2 hours, or in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 2

Remove chickens from brine, wash, and pat dry. Reserve brine. Tie the legs together of each chicken using kitchen twine.

Step 3

Prepare a water smoker for cooking by preheating to 200 to 250 degrees F (93 to 120 degrees C). Fill the water pan with hot water and half of the reserved brine. Place chickens, breast side up, on the grill racks. Add wood chips according to manufacturer's directions. Cover.

Step 4

Smoke chickens until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 4 hours, brushing chickens with olive oil every 2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the smoker and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve.