Deck Dad BBQ - Favorite Chicken/Turkey Recipes

If you have never tried a smoked turkey you will never taste a juicer or more flavorful bird! A lot of people are nervous to brine and smoke a turkey because they feel like the effort will be too much. The reality is it is very straight forward. Not to mention it makes for a lot more oven real estate on the big day.

Before you do anything you need a turkey. I usually go for a 12-14 lbs bird of course depending on how many people you are cooking for will ultimately determine how big a bird you need. If your turkey is frozen, determine when you need to start thawing it and what method you are going to use. 

It is important that your brine is cold when you add it to the turkey so make sure you either make it the night before and refrigerate it or give yourself enough time to cool it down before you are ready to put your turkey in it. The brine I use is an apple cider based brine. Mix all of the brine ingredients in a large pot less the ice cold water and warm them over medium heat stirring occasionally making sure the salt and sugar are completely absorbed into the liquid. When the mix is almost to a boil remove from the heat and let cool.

When ready to add to the turkey, prepare a clean food-only 5 gallon bucket with a plastic brine bag inserted in the bucket. Place your bird neck side down in the bag/bucket and sprinkle a few tablespoons of seasoning on the bird. Next pour the brine over the bird. Then pour 1 gallon of ice cold water over the bird making sure it is completely submerged. (A dinner plate strategically placed on top of the bird can help keep it weighed down.) Place the whole deal in a fridge and let the brine do its magic. Unlike marinades, the brine because of the high amount of salt in the solution, is able to get into the meat through osmosis not just coat the surface. This makes an extremely juicy and flavorful meal! Your turkey needs to be in the brine for about 24 hours (4 hours is the absolute least amount of time that the brine will have any effect, 48 hours is fine if you are great at planning ahead).

When ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels being sure to remember the inside of the bird too. If you have time, a few hours in the fridge to air dry will help create a nice crispy skin. 

Prepare your smoker for indirect heat and get it fired up to 325-350 degrees. I like to use apple wood with this style turkey to provide a mild smoke flavor. 

Back in the kitchen, place your bird in a tin roasting pan and fill the center cavity with quartered onions, lemons, and oranges. This will help regulate the cooking temp and will provide some additional flavor to the process. Tie the legs with butcher twine to keep the citrus and onions from falling out during the cook, then generously season the turkey on the outside with your favorite poultry seasoning. I like to use the Bird Blend from Spiva Cooking.  

Now it's finally game time. Turn "Eye of The Tiger" on your Bluetooth speaker, and carry that bird in the roasting pan out to the smoker and get it on the pit! I like to use a meat probe thermometer in the thick part of the breast to keep an eye on my temps through the process. The turkey will be on the smoker until it reaches an internal temp in the breast of 160-165 (it will carry over a bit) and in the dark meat areas of 170. Depending on the size of your bird and temp of your smoker this can take a few hours. Not too different than in the oven time wise, but a big difference in flavor! After the first hour I like to drizzle or spray a melted butter and seasoning mix to help keep the skin golden brown and from drying out too much. If the top starts to get to dark a loose tent of tin foil will help as well. 

Once it is at temp, pull the bird and let it rest for 15-20 minutes then sharpen those knives and get to carving before your guests start pulling meat off with their bare hands! 

       FOR THE BRINE:

• 1 Gallon apple cider
• 1 Cup kosher salt
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 4-5 Cloves of garlic
• 6 Bay leaves
• 2 Tbsp poultry seasoning
• 1 Gallon ice cold water

       FOR THE TURKEY:

• 1 12-14 lbs Turkey (Thawed by brining time if not fresh)
• 1 Large Onion
• 2 Oranges
• 2 Lemons
• 3-4 Tbsp poultry seasoning
• 1 Stick of salted butter
• Stretchy Pants!

Most great developments come from human intuition. Some person sees things differently than the rest of us and does something that changes the way we view the world. I’m not sure what dad was sitting around having a beer with his friends getting ready to smoke some whole chickens and thought “I wonder what would happen if I put this beer can up there while we cook this?” Well, whoever that weirdo is we owe him a debt of gratitude because beer can chickens are some of the juiciest smoked chicken you will ever eat!

It starts with a whole roaster chicken. Like most meats to be smoked it will need patted down with paper towels once removed from the packaging. Let the bird acclimate to the temp outside of the fridge for a bit. Next apply your favorite dry rub generously over the bird. Be sure to pull back the skin where possible and apply the seasoning there as well. 

Get your smoker or grill fired up to 275 degrees. As with all cooks the size of bird and cooking temp will depend on how long it takes to completely heat the chicken. For the last 10-15 degrees of your cook increase the temp to 350 to crisp up the skin.

Next, select a canned beer that does not have an outer label or sticker on it (remove if it does). Generally, a lager or other mild beer is recommended for this cook however at times where all I had on hand was an IPA or other beer I have never had to send a chicken back cause I used the wrong beer. Open the beer can and pour out about 3 oz of beer so there is some air at the top of the can (or into your mouth if you are over 21). I recommend  using a beer can chicken stand for extra stability, but if you can balance things ok you can just use the can. Next, well, the can goes up the chicken…insert my daughter’s giggle here.

Place the whole bird on the smoker over indirect heat (either using a deflector or by placing the bird on the opposite side of the grill from the heat source.  Cook the bird till if reaches an internal temp on a probe thermometer of 165 degrees. Remove from the smoker and let rest for 15-20 minutes prior to craving. Obviously, remove the beer can prior to carving (often times it will still be in the stand when you remove the cooked chicken.

From there, carve and enjoy one of the juiciest chickens you will ever eat!

• Whole Roaster Chicken
• 4 Tablespoons Poultry Seasoning Rub
• 1 Can Lager or Other Beer

I know you can relate, you don’t have a lot of time but you are craving that Smokey BBQ flavor…Chicken thighs are a great option to get you there without spending hours like on a big cut of meat. Done right, these bad boys pack a ton of Smokey BBQ flavor in a fraction of the time of most smokes. 

Spread out a pack of bone-in skin on chicken thighs over a baking sheet. Pull out your favorite BBQ rub (Check out my Go To Rub here) and sprinkle liberally over all of the thighs. Pat the rub in and make sure to flip and get all sides covered. 

Next, get your smoker or grill warmed up to 275-300 degrees. I like to use lighter wood flavors for the wood chunks like apple or pecan for these. Place the thighs on the grill grate over indirect heat (using a deflector or offset from the coals or burners). Since these are smaller cuts of meat this whole cook should only take between 45 minutes to an hour. As always, check the temp with a meat thermometer the thighs are done when they hit 170 to 175 degrees. 

Remove from the smoker and let rest for 15-20 minutes then serve with your favorite BBQ sauce. Smoking meat doesn’t get much more straightforward than this!

• Bone in, skin on chicken thighs
• 4-6 Tablespoons BBQ rub (Check out my Go To Rub Here)

Let's just say it, chicken wings are awesome! A little heat that great flavor combined with some blue cheese or ranch. Yep I'm hungry now.

Before you do anything take out your wings and pat them dry with a paper towel. Stick them back in the fridge uncovered and as spread out on a tray or pan so that they can continue to dry out as much as possible prior to smoking. Getting rid of moisture at this stage of the game is only going to help crisp them up at the end of this process.

Next, get your smoker/grill fired up with some sweet wood chunks for smoke, like apple wood or pecan. I like to shoot for 300 - 325 for the smoke, this should put you at around 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours or so cook time, but always remember you are looking for around 170 on chicken wings for an internal temp so time is only a guide, temp is what you are going off of.

Once your smoker is fired up take your wings out of the fridge, let sit for about 5 minutes and sprinkle on some coarse salt and pepper. Place the wings on the grill grate with enough room to flip them during the smoke without losing any over the edge. Flip about twice during your smoke to keep one side from burning too much. Once you get your wings up to 165 internal, open up the dampers and let that temp clime to around 400 for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, but the point here is to try to crisp them up some more.

Remove once temp is confirmed and set aside to rest while you make your wing sauce. Melt 1 stick of butter or margarine and pour into a large metal bowl. Add in 1/4 cup of Frank's Red Hot or other prefered hot sauce and stir. I like to add in a tablespoon of cayenne pepper. Throw in those wings and toss until evenly coated with the sauce then move them to a serving dish or plate. Grab some celery and blue cheese or ranch and you are ready to watch whatever game is on!

• 1 Dozen chicken wings
• 1 Tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 Tablespoon coarse black pepper
• 1 Stick butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot
• 1 Tablespoon ground cayenne pepper  

I often feel like smoked turkey doesn't get enough love in peoples BBQ minds year round. The smokey BBQ flavors that come along with the process make turkey a contender in my book for some of my favorite BBQ. Put away your pilgrim salt and pepper shakers when thinking about this recipe and put it in your summer cookout rotation. Like a lot of poultry, turkey is great for absorbing all of the smoke and spices that go along with BBQ!

I like to start with a brine. Lets get as much juicy flavor out of these bad boys as possible. There are tons of brine recipes out there so find one that works best for you. I prefer an apple cider brine. The important thing is that it has the right balance of salt for how long you are brining.  I think overnight is the right move, but some people say 4 hours is good enough. As with all things BBQ, experimenting is half the fun. 

Once brined, pull your turkey breasts out and pat dry with paper towels. Next sprinkle your favorite poultry dry rub generously over the breasts. Be sure to pull the skin back and get some of that rub underneath to get the most flavor out of it.

Get your smoker fired up with some sweet wood chunks like apple, cherry, or pecan. You want your temp to be between 225 and 250 degrees. As always, depending on weight and cooking temp, this smoke should take around 3 and 1/2 hours. We are shooting for an internal temp between 165 and 170 on your thermometer over the cook to make sure it is all the way cooked through. Be sure to probe the thickest part of the breast when checking temp. 

Once cooked, remove from your smoker and let rest for 10-15 minutes prior to slicing. Then sit back and enjoy!

• 1 4-6 lbs Bone in, skin on turkey breast
• Turkey brine (enough to fully submerge the cut)
• 2 Tablespoons poultry rub

This cut of meat takes me back to many a town BBQ growing up. Fire department fundraisers and church BBQ lunches in the town square seem in my memory like a Norman Rockwell painting, but that was the joy of growing up in small town America. The nice thing about these though are they can also be a weeknight meal without all of the time of many BBQ staples.

Pull out the chicken and let it acclimate to the temp outside of the fridge. Be sure to pat dry, then sprinkle your favorite BBQ rub over the chicken on all sides. I used my Go To Rub for this one. 

 Get your smoker fired up for indirect heat. Shoot for 250 - 275. I used apple wood for this smoke as its calm flavor goes great with poultry. Once settled into the temp get your chicken and place it skin up on the grill. This smoke should take about an hour give or take, but as always internal temp is your guide. 

When your chicken hits around 165 degrees internal, brush on your favorite BBQ sauce to glaze the chicken. Then shut the smoker and let it continue to cook until it reaches an internal temp of 175. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes then serve. 

• 1 Pack of chicken leg quarters (4-6)
• 4 Tablespoons BBQ Rub
• 3/4 Cup BBQ sauce

Again, I know fried chicken is not BBQ in its true sense, but I would argue they are at the very least cousins. So much of the same essence and soul that makes BBQ what it is hits you down deep when you are eating good fried chicken. I would argue the best fried chicken I ever ate was at Gus’s in Memphis, TN. Now I fully admit that I a northern born convert to these things, but I think I have enough of my grandmother’s Missouri blood flowing in my veins to appreciate good fried chicken. 

Much like BBQ, fried chicken recipes and styles evoke a time capsule like memory inducing response for most people. Family recipes and secret ingredients passed down like heirlooms keep these traditions with a tie to an Americana past that we can all appreciate while we bite into these flavorful classics!  When I take on a new genre or recipe I become a bit research obsessed until I feel I have found the best balance of those traditions and how it fits into my style. Here is my take on traditional fried chicken!

I like a variety of chicken pieces for fried chicken so I recommend getting a whole fryer chicken and cutting it up into the wings, legs, thighs, and breasts. If that seems like too much for you (It really isn’t) then you could also by pre-cut bone-in, skin-on individual pieces. 

Once you have your chicken in its individual cuts, pat them dry with a paper towel, and place in a large bowl. Next sprinkle two tablespoons of chicken rub in the bowl and mix up the chicken to get them evenly coated. Place all of the seasoned pieces  on a half sheet pan, cover with plastic and put in the fridge for at least a few hours or overnight, to let the seasoning (especially salt) work its way into the chicken. 

Once you are ready to cook the fried chicken combine buttermilk, eggs, and two tablespoons of the chicken seasoning in one large bowl. In another large bowl combine two heaping cups of flower with two tablespoons of the chicken seasoning for each “whole chicken” or per 8 pieces if you are using pre-cut. 

Carefully get your oil pan hot by filling up a cast iron pan half way with cooking oil ( I used vegetable oil). Turn the heat up to medium high heat and get the oil up to 350 degrees for frying. Carefully use a cooking thermometer to verify temp. 

Place each piece of chicken first in the buttermilk bath, let drip, then dip in the flour mixture until evenly coated. Place on a half sheet pan with a wire tray until all pieces are coated. 

Place a few pieces of chicken in the oil to fry (depending on the size of your cast iron pan) The oil should start bubbling right away if it is hot enough. After two minutes flip the chicken and continue flipping this way until the chicken is an even golden brown color on all sides. Take out and let rest on a pan with a wire rack in it until ready to serve. Repeat with the other pieces of chicken and be prepared for people to start eating them before you are done!

Bonus: For a delicious hot honey to serve with the chicken, heat up a 1/4 cup of honey on the stove and combine with two teaspoons of ground cayenne pepper. I used scotch bonnet also and it comes out great!

• 1 Whole fryer chicken
• 6 Tablespoons chicken rub

            (8 Tablespoons Kosher Salt, 2 Tablespoons Coarse Black Pepper, 2 Tablespoons    Granulated Garlic, 2 Tablespoons Granulated Onion, 1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper, 1 Tablespoon Paprika)  

• 16 oz buttermilk 
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 quart vegetable oil