Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe (Traeger Whole Chicken)

By no means made a Smoked Complete Hen on a Traeger? Don’t fret, it’s straightforward! On this submit, we give step-by-step directions on how you can smoke a complete rooster. It’s juicy, tender and full of taste. You would possibly even prefer it greater than our Traeger Chicken Breast, smoked chicken thighs, or our smoked chicken wings.

Traeger Smoked Complete Hen Recipe

Complete rooster recipes are actually troublesome to type by. I’ve made sufficient of them, all of which claimed to be the most effective of the most effective however all had been simply cooked rooster. I imply, simply because it’s a complete hen doesn’t imply it must be troublesome, time consuming and particularly not bland.

So I obtained all obsessed. We love our slow cooker whole chicken, our whole roasted chicken and our spatchcock chicken, however we wanted a smoked model! I made a decision to make a complete rooster that you simply’d order in a restaurant over the steak. I do know, I do know, however actually, this smoked entire rooster goes to knock your dang socks clear off of you.

Why, why is {that a} saying? Knock your socks off? What about your footwear? Why didn’t we knock these off first? Who’re all of those individuals strolling round in socks?

Really, it’s me.

If you recognize me, in the event you’re a pal or a neighbor you recognize that I’m ALWAYS in socks as a result of my ft are ALWAYS chilly.

Smoked Complete Hen Elements

Imagine it or not, you solely want a handful of substances to make a Traeger smoked rooster. This Traeger entire rooster recipe has three major parts: the dry rub used to taste the smoked rooster, the few additional substances wanted to truly smoke the rooster, and the substances wanted to make a gravy from the pan drippings.

Right here’s what you’ll have to make a smoked entire rooster on a Traeger:

• Recent Thyme Leaves
• Salt and Pepper
• Onion Powder
• Cumin
• Smoked Paprika
• Floor Mustard
• Cayenne
• Darkish Brown Sugar
• Garlic
• Chili Powder
• Butter
• Apple Juice
• Cornstarch

Be aware that including a pan of apple juice to the smoker creates a scrumptious steam that retains the meat moist and provides taste as properly.

How one can Smoke a Complete Hen

Smoked entire rooster doesn’t want a lot time or consideration in any respect. Crucial step begins out the morning of, and even the night time earlier than is ok.

Crucial step is to rinse, dry and set the hen within the fridge to dry out the pores and skin. In case you completely don’t have time otherwise you overlook, no biggie, it should nonetheless prove superior, nevertheless it does make for a greater pores and skin on the entire rooster.

Listed here are the fundamental steps to creating a Traeger smoked rooster:

1. Place a rinsed and dried rooster within the fridge all day to dry out the pores and skin.
2. Warmth the smoker.
3. Combine the rooster dry rub collectively.
4. Sprinkle slightly dry rub within the cavity of the hen. Utilizing kitchen twine, tie collectively the legs if wanted.
5. Combine the remaining spice combination with softened butter.
6. Pull the rooster pores and skin up and loosen it from the meat. Unfold the butter beneath the pores and skin and all around the meat after which the remainder all around the outdoors of the hen.
7. Fill a pan with the juice and in case your smoker permits, place it on the underside rack and the rooster on the rack proper above it.
8. Smoke the hen breast aspect up for about an hour to an hour and half till the interior temperature reaches 165 levels F. Take away to relaxation when you whisk up the drippings.

How Lengthy to Smoke a Complete Hen

Relying on the scale of your hen, it’ll have to smoke for roughly 60 to 80 minutes at 375 levels F. You’ll know your smoked entire rooster is finished when it reaches an inner temperature of 165 levels F on a meat thermometer.

What are the Finest Wooden Pellets for Smoking Hen?

We love to make use of cherry or apple wooden chips after we smoke rooster. Hickory, mesquite, pecan and oak are all nice choices too.

How one can Make Gravy from Pan Drippings

I’ll always remember roasting my first rooster, calling my mother and saying, “Now, how do I make a gravy? Is there a packet I purchase?”

Silence, adopted by “that’s what the pan drippings are for.” Extra silence, this time from me.  😬

Right here’s how you can make gravy from pan drippings:

1. Pressure out any bits that you simply don’t need from the drippings within the apple juice, reserving all liquids.
2. In case you couldn’t collect drippings, add 1 cup of rooster broth.
3. Carry the liquids to a simmer in a skillet with raised sides.
4. Whisk cornstarch and water collectively in a dish and whisk into the gravy till desired thickness.
5. Brush over the rooster or use to dip items of rooster in.

NOTE: In case you’re not a giant gravy fan, whip up a batch of our homemade bbq sauce to dip this rooster in.

How Lengthy Will Smoked Hen Hold?

A smoked rooster will hold for 7 days within the fridge in an hermetic container.

Can You Freeze Smoked Hen?

Smoked rooster may be frozen for 1 month. A FoodSaver will assist you to have the ability to get the most effective outcomes because it sucks out the air and vacuum seals the meat.

What to Serve with a Complete Hen

Congrats! You’ve simply smoked a complete rooster. Now the query is, what do you have to serve along with your scrumptious Traeger entire rooster?

Listed here are a number of of our favourite rooster aspect dishes to provide you some concepts:

Suggestions for the Finest Smoked Complete Hen

The dry rub is an important a part of flavoring a complete rooster. Dry rub goes each beneath and over the pores and skin, however I’ve discovered that throwing slightly within the cavity makes the spices bloom out and enhance taste from inside out too.

We use recent thyme leaves within the spice rub because it brings on slightly totally different taste than dried thyme. It transforms the rooster into one thing much more scrumptious and fantastic. In case you should used dried thyme, use half the quantity of recent because it’s a condensed model and stronger.

As for the smoked paprika within the dry rub — discover it. The top. It’s not the identical to make use of common paprika. Actually, smoked paprika is unimaginable. You’ll find it at most shops, nevertheless it’s bought on Amazon as properly in the event you want it.

Discover ways to cook dinner a scrumptious and juicy smoked entire rooster in your Traeger grill with this step-by-step information. Impress your family and friends with this flavorful dish that’s good for any event.

Extra Traeger Recipes:

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