Honestly, I have never eaten one before. I bought it because there was a big sale a couple months ago. The hen is sitting in my freezer. I figured I would smoke it at the same time that I do some beef ribs. I have a bunch of questions. Can I smoke both at the same time? How do I smoke the hen? What kind of seasoning or rub do I use? Would I need to make a brine first? I have hickory to use or I can dig up some oak.
I have made these on a rotisserie a few times but have never smoked them. I would assume turkey rules are in plan-- brine to cure, mild smoke. I think you can do the beef and poultry at the same time, just put the beef on a rack above the poultry.
We did 17 (yes, 17!!) in a smoker at.work several years ago (long story). Cooked them low and slow for around 6 hours, smoking them several times for a half hour a clip throughout the good cooking time. Man, were they ever DELICIOUS! DB, remember, pics or it didn't happen!
I don't especially like low n slow for chicken, as the skin is usually rubbery. I find that chicken likes a fast high indirect heat and then move it over the fire quickly to crisp it up. If you do smoke, use a very mild "flavoured" wood, as the chicken picks up the smoke flavour too easily.
Yes, just cook lika a small chicken. I wouldn't worry about adding any smokewood. IMHO chicken gets easily over smoked and does just fine with whatever the charcoal imparts.
I will be back with pics, good or bad, crispy or rubbery. I've got a date today so I am starting the brine and will smoke the food sometime before the rains come in tomorrow.
Here are my results! The skin turned out a little rubbery like I was told it might. The breast meat though...it was insane! I still have Cubanelles producing red peppers so I threw a couple on afterwards and grilled those up. I was going to make a nice rice mix for on the side but the hen is almost gone. It didn't make it past the taste testing. I see you guys talking about deep frying whole birds. That is on my to-do-list!
I love some deep fried turkey. haven't tried a whole chicken deep fried yet but the turkey is awesome.