Smoking Chicken and Ribs

**JHayesLS1** · 08-28-2008, 12:54 PM

Alright guys I just bought a smoker for football season and I'm going to buy a few half chickens and ribs to smoke. I've never done this before so does anyone have any advice and tips on how to do it? I'm going to use Sonny's Bar-b-que sauce to boot, unless you know of something better. Any help would be nice. Thanks

**rbob93** · 08-28-2008, 09:24 PM

Low heat & slow is the way to smoke.
Use a dry rub. ( many good recipes on the net )
Forget BBQ sauce because it burns. Instead keep the meat moist by basting.
(I use a mix of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 beer, 1tbs Paprika, tsp salt, tsp ground black pepper)
Keep it stirred & apply before it goes on the grill & everytime you turn the meat.
If you really need sauce then apply only the last 15-20 minutes of cooking & watch so it doesn't char too much.
Make sure to peel the thin tough membrane off the bone side of the ribs before the rub & cooking.
I use a paring knife to get it started & grab it with a washcloth or paper towel & pull it loose.
Ribs get more flavor & are more tender too.
Pork loins are nice to smoke too. I smoke them to 160 degrees internal temp. The temp will rise to 165 after you remove it so let it sit for about 5 mins.before slicing.
They get a nice smoke ring in them. Yum!
Makes great sandwiches!

**0rion** · 08-28-2008, 09:30 PM

what type of smoker did you get?

rbob was pretty accurate on his tips. I use dry rubs from strawsbbq.com. I'll put yellow mustard on the meat and then hit it with a good dose of rub and work that in. On ribs I go ~4 hours @225. I then sauce 'em real good with Sweet Baby Ray's for the last 15 minutes or so. Good stuff.

**JHayesLS1** · 08-29-2008, 05:33 AM

i got a very small cheap smoker just because thats all I can afford right now being a poor college student haha. I bought this stuff called Everglades Seasoning for the chicken because I've tasted it before and its amazing. I'm gonna use that recipe there you got Rbob.

**Spaz** · 08-29-2008, 05:39 AM

if you use BBQ put it inside the chicken and rottiserie smoke it...

**JHayesLS1** · 08-29-2008, 05:42 AM

I went to the meat market and bought 3 whole ones, got them cut in half and cleaned for me. I just want to make sure they are nice and juicy

**Hurley711** · 08-29-2008, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by JHayesLS1

I went to the meat market and bought 3 whole ones, got them cut in half and cleaned for me. I just want to make sure they are nice and juicy

Like the inside of my mothers pink

**JHayesLS1** · 08-29-2008, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by Hurley711

Like the inside of my mothers pink

Yes just like that

**Spaz** · 08-29-2008, 06:18 AM

smoked corn is bad ass to... put a little olive oil on them fuckers and put the husk back on... let them smoke away...

**GULLETT17** · 08-29-2008, 07:02 AM

ah this thread is makin me so hungry . . . im stoppin and gettin ribs at the grocery on the way home today

i've never used a smoker either. . . how much is a good cheap one?

**0rion** · 08-29-2008, 07:05 AM

I've been eating everglades for years.....good stuff. I would've left those chickens whole and sat them down on a can of beer or coke. Is your smoker gas, electric, or charcoal?

**JHayesLS1** · 08-29-2008, 07:13 AM

Charcol. I almost went gas but I figured charcol would be fine.

**0rion** · 08-29-2008, 07:14 AM

does it have a side box on it or is it direct heat?

**rbob93** · 08-29-2008, 07:31 AM

It would be a good idea to do an initial "Burn In" to rid the smoker of all the manufacturing nastyness.

Put that Everglades on your chicken & let it sit in the fridge for awhile before cooking too.

**JHayesLS1** · 08-29-2008, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

does it have a side box on it or is it direct heat?

It's direct heat.

**JHayesLS1** · 08-29-2008, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by rbob93

It would be a good idea to do an initial "Burn In" to rid the smoker of all the manufacturing nastyness.

Put that Everglades on your chicken & let it sit in the fridge for awhile before cooking too.

Yep I was going to fire it up Sunday night to get it cleaned up and see how well it performs

**0rion** · 08-29-2008, 08:36 AM

that's grilling...not smoking.

If you want to use that as a smoker move all the coals over to the far edge of the smoker and put you chicken on the opposite side from your coals. Go to youtube and search for grilled or smoked stuff. It's surprising how much stuff is on there.

**JHayesLS1** · 08-29-2008, 08:51 AM

It has 1 rack where you put the coals and wood, another for the water, and then 2 racks for meat

**0rion** · 08-29-2008, 09:37 AM

ahhh, I get ya now. I had one of those years ago......work great. I thought you got just a regular weber style grill but it's more of a bullet type smoker? I had great luck with mine.

**JHayesLS1** · 08-29-2008, 10:05 AM

Yeah a guy I was talking to in Home Depot was like oh man I had one of these it sucked but one of our neighbors in the complex has it and says it works magic for him.