This past weekend, I decided to smoke a chicken on a gas grill. Yea, I decided to put my BBQ Galore Gas Grill to the test. For you nay sayers, not too fast, you got to hear me out.
I placed some wood chips in aluminum foil, wrapped them up and then placed some large holes in the top of the foil. I lit the gas grill and let all the lava rocks heat up. I can't tell you what temp I was cooking at as I neglected to put the thermometer on the grate. I then turned off two of the three burners and left one on low to cook by indirect heat.
I placed the bundled aluminum foil package of hickory chips on top of the lit burner. In addition I made a couple of aluminum balls to plug up the side opening of the grill top where the rotisserie unit is usually positioned. This was done to keep more smoke inside the grill.
I placed a whole chicken with the breast side cut opened to cook it flattened over the unlit burners. For prep, I seasoned the chicken with some Zatarains Creole Seasoning that T brought me from New Orleans (never told her I could get it at Smart and Final here in Los Angeles- it's the thought that counts). By now the chips start to smoke. I also added some rosemary stems to smolder over the lit burner. The chicken cooked for a little less than 2 hours. I did replenish the foil chip package once during the process.
I sort of tore the skin off the beast side when I turned it over midway through cooking which distracted a little from the overall look. Taste wise, it was very good though admittedly not as good as smoked in the WSM. The skin however was not rubbery or tough as most often occurs when smoked in a smoker. The chicken was moist and descibed by G as a similar texture to beer canned chicken. The rosemary smoke didn't flavor the meat very much but the scent of rosemary was present.
Tah Dah- Sylvie's Lazy Man's Smoked Chicken.
9 comments:
Looks yummy. Did you soak the wood chips in water first? I've not done much smoking but have a similar grill and would like to give your method a try. Never thought to plug up those holes, duh, good tip.
I did not soak these chips but usually I do when I use the smoker. Not sure it made any difference for the grill top process. I'll have to try soaking next time to see.
Long as it tastes good, it works for me!! Good job Sylvie! Glad to see you're still cooking and staying creative!
That really looks delicious!!
Looks wonderful. I don't think creating a smoking pouch is cheating. I say any way you get it .... get it.
Thanks Adam. Visited your site. I am going to have to listen to some of your podcasts.
Looks really good. When I'm time-crunched, I'll do indirect BCCs, but I havent' done a spatchcocked chicken yet. The trade off to me is that you get better skin when you cook indirect, and you get better smokiness when you cook at lower temps. The only problem with the spatchcocked bird is you can't make it sit up and look goofy!
Cheating? Why do you think that? Frankly, that how I got into smoking. I started w/ a gas grill, mad a few modifications and then puchased my first webber. (I'm on my second)
How I first smoked w/ a gas grill is to use just one burner. (Meat was over the second burner) Put some maple chunk off to the side (where they'd catch fire, but not have any flame per say)
I received a number of comments that this wasn't really cheating. My reference to cheating is that I didn't use the WSM. I just got a copy of Steve Raichlin's new cookbook- Ribs, Ribs, Ribs. In it he also suggests what our method as a means of smoking though it isn't the preferred method, it gets the job done.
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