First chicken smoke

[dannyboy]

Decided at the last minute last Sat. to smoke a whole chicken.  Did not have time to brine it. Just stuffed with carrots, celery, and onion and in it goes. Turned out good, however, neither myself or my wife cared for the cherry wood taste. Just didn't like it at all. What wood are others using?

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[Grampy]

Dannyboy, I am in the minority but I do not like the flavor of cherry wood either. My favorites for chicken are:
Pecan, Hickory, and Sugar Maple

[DivotMaker]

Danny, that's exactly why I always talk about wood smoke being as subjective as any other spice we use, in our prep!  People rave about apple, but I hate it.  I LOVE cherry, but you don't!  I hate mayo, but most folks don't!

I said all that to say that you have to find your wood; not what everyone else likes.  Jimmy's choices are all great, and I've even used mesquite on chicken!  Try a few, and find your favorites!  The upside to this is it takes a LOT of experimentation, which means more BBQ!

[dannyboy]

Well Tony we agree on one thing. I hate mayo as well, and chocolate.  That really puts you in the minority. You are right, more chicken, different wood. Hickory will be my next chicken smoke. Gotta get this figured out before its the big turkey day.   

[DivotMaker]

Well Tony we agree on one thing. I hate mayo as well, and chocolate.  That really puts you in the minority. You are right, more chicken, different wood. Hickory will be my next chicken smoke. Gotta get this figured out before its the big turkey day.

Y'all hear that!!  Ha!  I knew there was another one out there that hates that stuff!  I do like chocolate, though.

Good luck in the experimentation, Danny!  I love hickory....If there was only one wood left that I could smoke with, that would be it!  I grew up around BBQ joints that only used hickory, so it's the smell and taste of BBQ, to me!  Love the stuff on anything.

[Dead👁Daniel]

HICKORY I agree with tony! HICKORY

[DivotMaker]

HICKORY I agree with tony! HICKORY

  Like I've said before, if there was only one smoking wood left in the world for us, hickory would be my choice!

[Sum1]

Danny, I wonder how many folks here would be able to distinguish, in a blindfold test, the various wood flavors. If one were to prepare several chickens in the exact same manner, only that one would be smoked with cherry, the other apple, and the third pecan, I'm not so sure anyone would really notice, or, even if they noticed a difference, would be able to tell you which is which.

What I'm getting at is this: since this is your first time smoking a whole chicken, it's possible that you don't like the result not because of the particular wood you used, but because of the method you used. You might want to find a better method, and only then conclude whether or not you like the taste cherry wood imparts.

[NDKoze]

Danny, I wonder how many folks here would be able to distinguish, in a blindfold test, the various wood flavors. If one were to prepare several chickens in the exact same manner, only that one would be smoked with cherry, the other apple, and the third pecan, I'm not so sure anyone would really notice, or, even if they noticed a difference, would be able to tell you which is which.

What I'm getting at is this: since this is your first time smoking a whole chicken, it's possible that you don't like the result not because of the particular wood you used, but because of the method you used. You might want to find a better method, and only then conclude whether or not you like the taste cherry wood imparts.

I can definitely tell the difference in the product with different woods. But, I would agree that there isn't a huge difference. But, the wood flavor is definitely part of the flavor profile. Prior to purchasing my Smokin-It smoker, I would have agreed with you. But, the Smokin-It smoker has taken my smokes to new levels where I actually use a variety of woods and combinations of woods that actually become part of my recipes and seen as ingredients. My 2 cents anyway.

[Sum1]

I can definitely tell the difference in the product with different woods. But, I would agree that there isn't a huge difference. But, the wood flavor is definitely part of the flavor profile. Prior to purchasing my Smokin-It smoker, I would have agreed with you. But, the Smokin-It smoker has taken my smokes to new levels where I actually use a variety of woods and combinations of woods that actually become part of my recipes and seen as ingredients. My 2 cents anyway.

I'd be curious to see (actually, taste), a side by side comparison, of the same item prepared in the exact same manner, but with different types of woods. Without a blind comparison, I just can never be sure. I tend to believe that I discern a difference between woods with a strong flavor and a mild one, but I'm not sure about woods of similar strength. I really need to run this kind of experiment. I might do it one day....

[SmokinSusie-Q]

Well Tony we agree on one thing. I hate mayo as well, and chocolate.  That really puts you in the minority. You are right, more chicken, different wood. Hickory will be my next chicken smoke. Gotta get this figured out before its the big turkey day.

I'm allergic to chocolate so you won't find any in my home.  I will eat mayo if it's part of a recipe ingredient in something I like but not otherwise.  I haven't experimented enough with different woods to form lasting opinions.  So far, I've liked hickory on everything.

[ibbones]

[/quote]

I'd be curious to see (actually, taste), a side by side comparison, of the same item prepared in the exact same manner, but with different types of woods. Without a blind comparison, I just can never be sure. I tend to believe that I discern a difference between woods with a strong flavor and a mild one, but I'm not sure about woods of similar strength. I really need to run this kind of experiment. I might do it one day....
[/quote]
  I hope to be doing this sometime next week.  I have four chickens in the freezer and each one is going to be thawed, no brine, rubbed, and smoked with a different type of wood.I am really curious if I can taste the difference in the wood also.

[Sum1]

I hope to be doing this sometime next week.  I have four chickens in the freezer and each one is going to be thawed, no brine, rubbed, and smoked with a different type of wood.I am really curious if I can taste the difference in the wood also.

That would be awesome! If you can report back, with photos, perhaps in a topic of its own, that would be great.

Curious to know how would you run the experiment. Assuming you have only one smoker, you would need to prepare each bird at a separate time, and when you taste them they will each have a different temperature (unless you'll test them all cold, but cold chicken isn't all that..).

To get around this problem, I would smoke them all, let them all cool to room temperature or in the fridge, and then heat them all at the same time in the oven for the final finish.

By the way, why not brine them?

[SmokinSusie-Q]

I'd be curious to see (actually, taste), a side by side comparison, of the same item prepared in the exact same manner, but with different types of woods. Without a blind comparison, I just can never be sure. I tend to believe that I discern a difference between woods with a strong flavor and a mild one, but I'm not sure about woods of similar strength. I really need to run this kind of experiment. I might do it one day....
[/quote]
  I hope to be doing this sometime next week.  I have four chickens in the freezer and each one is going to be thawed, no brine, rubbed, and smoked with a different type of wood.I am really curious if I can taste the difference in the wood also.
[/quote]

Please provide pictures and details of your experiment! 

[DivotMaker]

... (unless you'll test them all cold, but cold chicken isn't all that..).

By the way, why not brine them?

Point 1 - - I dissent!  Loves me some cold chicken!    You can really taste the smoke flavor, after it mellows in the fridge.

Question 1 - - I agree!  Why not brine?