I've got a cheap starter smoker... side box and what not... done plenty of meat with it... favorite is bacon wrapped pork tenderloin stuffed with cheese...

Wow. I think a whole chicken is just about the best thing to come out of a smoker.

 

To each his own, I guess.

I must be doing it wrong. I’ve tried a few times and while I can smoke beef and pork like a fiend, chicken just never seems quite right to me.

 

Any suggestions?

I'm wondering about pork......is it really better to smoke than to just use a slow cooker or pressure cooker? It's not like you get a TON of smoke into all the meat.....when you do a 5-8 pound shoulder/butt.

I must be doing it wrong. I’ve tried a few times and while I can smoke beef and pork like a fiend, chicken just never seems quite right to me.

 

Any suggestions?

Brine it first. I've loved chicken in the smoker. Even when I do regular grilled chicken I let it smoke for an hour or so (Traegers are awesome).

 

I'm doing another brisket today. WinCo had brisket section for sale, couldn't pass it up. For me, the traeger is great because I can set it and forget it. Pork butt is amazing on the smoker. No need for BBQ sauce because the flavor is so good.

 

I must be doing it wrong. I’ve tried a few times and while I can smoke beef and pork like a fiend, chicken just never seems quite right to me.

Any suggestions?

I take a whole chicken, rinse and drain, add crushed garlic under the skin all around, put some "Suzie Q's Original" on the skin (I think it's just a salt/pepper/garlic/parsley mix), throw some chopped onion and celery in the cavity, tie it up, and smoke (apple wood) until the thigh registers 170. Let it sit covered for 15-20 minutes. Cut it up and enjoy. A 5 lb chicken takes around 3 hrs or so at 250 degrees.

 

Mrs Chief adds some of her juiced up mashed potatoes, and some candied carrots.

 

It's just about Mrs Chief and I's favorite meal. And a whole chicken can usually be found (here at least) for around $5. Makes great chicken salad and/or chicken sandwiches with leftovers, too.

it's hard to top left over smoked poultry... I've done some turkey from time to time... I prerfer the old fashioned way for the initial meal, but left over smoked turkey destroys left over baked turkey...

No one has mentioned duck. In the old days duck was my favorite thing to smoke, using an old school smokey mountain smoker. Duck has a lot of fat and the smoker keeps it tender.

 

I must be doing it wrong. I’ve tried a few times and while I can smoke beef and pork like a fiend, chicken just never seems quite right to me.

Any suggestions?

 

I haven't done chicken, but I've done turkey a couple times... I'll say this, left over smoked turkey is significantly better than baked turkey... Still probably prefer regular turkey and stuffing on thanksgiving, but if you want leftovers, the smoker is a requirement. 

Smoked spare and baby back ribs today. Yummy.