Lucas Delgado
Smoking a whole chicken on a Weber kettle is a great way to cook outdoors. The Weber kettle grill can be adapted to most types of outdoor cooking, and the charcoal with hardwood fire smokes the chicken like any smoker. The Weber kettle is a charcoal grill that can be used to smoke and grill chicken. To smoke a chicken in a Weber kettle, you need to prepare the fire for smoking/grilling by dumping the charcoal chimney onto one side of the kettle and banking the coals up the side. You can also add hardwood chunks or foil-wrapped packs of wood chips on top of the coals for extra flavour. The Weber kettle is a great option for smoking chicken, as it allows for gentle heat and indirect smoking, resulting in juicy and flavourful chicken.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Grill Type | Weber Kettle |
| Grill Fuel | Charcoal |
| Smoking Fuel | Hardwood Chunks (Oak, Applewood) or Wood Chips |
| Chicken Preparation | Spatchcock, Brine, Dry Rub, Oil, Salt |
| Grill Setup | Bottom Vents 1/4 Open, Top Vents 1/2 Open, Heat Deflector |
| Grill Temperature | 250-275°F, 350-450°F, 120°C |
| Cooking Time | 1-3.5 Hours |
| Internal Temperature | 160-165°F |
| Resting Time | 5-10 Minutes |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the chicken
Firstly, decide on the type of wood you want to use. You can choose between wood chips and hardwood chunks. If you opt for wood chips, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before draining and adding them to the smoker box or charcoal. For hardwood chunks, applewood or oak are popular choices.
Next, prepare the chicken by rinsing it with cold water, inside and out, to remove any impurities. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. At this stage, you can choose to spatchcock the chicken by removing its backbone with kitchen shears or a sharp knife. This will allow the chicken to lie flat, cooking more quickly and evenly.
Now, it's time to season the chicken. Sprinkle salt evenly over the meaty parts of the chicken and inside the cavity, ensuring a visible layer of salt. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours. After chilling, rinse the chicken again to remove the salt and pat it dry once more.
Then, prepare your seasoning paste. In a small bowl, mix melted butter, olive oil, and some of your chosen dry rub—this could be a blend of spices like sea salt, pepper, or any other spices of your choice. Brush the chicken with this paste, ensuring it's coated all over, including inside the cavity.
Finally, if you're using a beer can to support the chicken during cooking, prepare it by opening a can of beer and pouring out about one-third of the liquid. Using a can opener, make two more holes in the top of the can. Place the can on a solid surface and carefully lower the chicken cavity over it, balancing it like a tripod.
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Preparing the grill
To prepare the grill for smoking a chicken in a Weber kettle, you will first need to decide on your fuel source. You can use charcoal briquettes, charcoal with hardwood, or wood chunks such as applewood or oak. If using charcoal, you will need to light it and allow it to burn down to coals.
Once you have your fuel source ready, it's time to set up the grill. Place a heat deflector in your kettle grill, beneath the pegs that hold the cooking grate in place. If using charcoal, dump it onto one side of the kettle using a charcoal management tool. Bank the coals up the side, ensuring that half of the grill grate cooking space will have no burning coals directly beneath it. If using wood chunks, place them in various spots on top of the coals. If using a gas grill, add two handfuls of drained wood chips to the smoker box, following the manufacturer's instructions.
Next, adjust the vents to control the airflow and temperature. For charcoal grills, open the bottom vents about a quarter of an inch. For Weber Kettle grills, the vent settings for smoking temperatures are about a quarter of the way open on the bottom damper and about halfway open on the top damper. Always use the Weber Kettle with the cover vent fully open to prevent trapped smoke.
Now, it's time to preheat the grill. Place the cooking grate inside the grill and shut the lid to begin preheating. Preheat for about 10 minutes, aiming for a temperature between 250-275°F for smoking. If using a Smokey Mountain Cooker, fill the bowl with cold water, place the lid, and preheat for a few minutes. The ideal smoking temperature is 120°C.
Finally, prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat (350ºF to 450°F). Keep the temperature as close to 400ºF as possible throughout the cooking time. Place a large foil pan on top of the Flavorizer bars, below the cooking grate, and fill it halfway with room-temperature water.
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Cooking the chicken
Firstly, prep the fire for smoking/grilling. Dump the charcoal chimney onto one side of the kettle and bank the coals up the side. Make sure half of the grill grate cooking space will have no burning coals directly beneath it. Add hardwood chunks or foil-wrapped packs of soaked wood chips on top of the coals. Open the bottom vents about a quarter of an inch. Set the grate in place.
Place the chicken on the grate opposite the direct heat. If you are using a beer can, lower the chicken cavity over the can and balance it on its two legs and the can, like a tripod. If not, place the chicken on the centre of the upper cooking grate. Close the lid, making sure the vent is above the chicken.
For smoking temperatures, the bottom damper should be about a quarter of the way open, and the top damper should be about halfway open. Allow the grill to preheat for 10 minutes. Aim for a temperature between 250-275°F.
Stick a temperature probe in the thickest part of the breast to monitor its progress and the ambient temperature of the grill. Close the lid, being sure to position its vent above the chicken so heat and smoke draft over it before exiting the grill.
The ideal smoking temperature is 120°C. If it is too hot, close the bottom vents a little. If it is not hot enough, check you are sheltered from the wind and that your coals are glowing nicely. More briquettes can always be added.
After the first 15 minutes of cooking time, drain and add the remaining wood chips to the charcoal or to the smoker box.
Cook the chicken over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast (not touching the bone), registers 165°F, 1¼ to 1½ hours. The juices should run clear.
Once cooked, remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before carving. The internal temperature will rise a few degrees during this time.
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Using a beer can
Smoking a chicken in a Weber kettle using a beer can is a fun and easy way to prepare chicken with a "wow factor". It is also known as "Beer Butt Chicken", "Beer In The Rear Chicken", and the noble-sounding "Chicken On A Throne".
First, prepare the chicken by removing the neck, giblets, and any excess fat. Sprinkle salt over the entire surface and inside the cavity of the chicken, covering it like a light blanket of snow. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Next, open a 12-ounce can of beer at room temperature and pour out about half of it. Using a church key-style can opener, make two more holes in the top of the can. Place the beer can on a solid, flat surface and lower the chicken cavity over the can, ensuring it is firmly seated inside the cavity. Position the legs forward to form a tripod, keeping the chicken balanced.
Now, prepare your Weber kettle for indirect cooking over medium heat (350ºF to 450°F). Keep the temperature as close to 400ºF as possible. Place a large foil pan on top of the Flavorizer bars, below the cooking grate, and fill it halfway with room temperature water.
Drain and add two handfuls of wood chips to the smoker box of a gas grill, following the manufacturer’s instructions, and close the lid. When the wood begins to smoke, transfer the chicken-on-a-can to the grill, balancing it on its legs and the can like a tripod. Cook the chicken over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed, for 1¼ to 1½ hours.
After the first 15 minutes of cooking time, drain and add the remaining wood chips to the charcoal. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast (not touching the bone) registers 165°F.
Using tongs, carefully transfer the chicken in an upright position to a platter and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Using tongs to hold the chicken and paper towels to hold the can, give the chicken a little twist to loosen the can. Then, carefully lift the chicken off the beer can, keeping the can upright to prevent the hot beer from spilling. Finally, cut the chicken into serving pieces as desired.
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Carving and serving
Once your chicken has been smoked, remove it from the grill and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. The internal temperature will rise a few degrees during this time. To remove the chicken from the beer can, hold it with tongs and the can with paper towels, then give it a little twist to loosen before lifting it off. Be careful to keep the can upright to prevent the hot beer from spilling.
After discarding the beer, you can begin carving the chicken. Cut it into serving pieces as desired. You can also choose to separate the meat from the bones and shred it. Serve the chicken warm.
If you are using a temperature probe to monitor the cooking, you should remove the chicken from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 160° to 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh or breast, not touching the bone. Inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the meat and checking that the juices run clear is another way to test for doneness.
For an apple-smoked chicken, the ideal smoking temperature is 120°C, and the chicken should take 3-3.5 hours to cook. Once cooked, remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
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Frequently asked questions
The ideal smoking temperature is 120°C, but for a Weber Kettle, you should aim for between 250-275°F.
A whole chicken should take 3-3.5 hours to cook at 120°C. If you are cooking at a higher temperature, it will take less time, but you will lose the benefits of slow cooking.
You can brine your chicken or rub it with oil and season with salt and pepper or a dry rub. You can also spatchcock the chicken to allow it to cook quicker and more evenly.
