Smoked Chicken

Today, when I was coming home from work, my car thermometer read 101* F.  Man, it is HOT, HOT, HOT!  That old saying, “if you can’t stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen” could not be applicable than it is right now.  Thank goodness for grills and smokers, where you can do the bulk of the cooking, if not all of it, depending on what you are making, outside, while keeping your kitchen a bit cooler and more tolerable during these dog days of summer.  As much as I love to cook and to bake, I am going to be honest with you, I don’t enjoy it nearly as much when I am standing over a hot stove or by a hot oven, melting into a giant puddle as the mercury is rising to the boiling point.   So we got some whole chickens, put a spicy Cajun rub over them, put them in the smoker and walked away as they cooked.  We had them in the smoker for about 1 1/2 hours.  When they came out, they were so flavorful and tender.  Delicious!

Before putting the spicy rub on the chickens, I patted them dry with a paper towel to absorb all the excess liquid and extra moisture.  I removed the gizzards and neck, which I will add to “the kids” food, later.  (They love them.  I hate them).  Then I rubbed olive oil all over the chickens and applied my spicy Cajun run.  I made my rub with cayenne pepper, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, salt, black pepper, and a little paprika.  Just mix everything together and generously apply to your meat.  You can use this same rub for any type of meat.  It is rich, bold and full of spice.  The more pepper you put in, the spicier it gets, so kick it up as many notches as you like.  This makes a delicious dinner with minimal effort and your kitchen is still cool.  It’s a great way to cook when the temperature starts to soar.

Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

I have worked in the restaurant and catering industry for over 35 years. I attended 2 culinary schools in Southern California, and have a degree in culinary arts from the Southern California School of Culinary Arts, as well as a few other degrees in other areas. I love to cook and I love to feed people. View all posts by ajeanneinthekitchen