Smoked Chicken and Baby Back Ribs for Fathers Day
I asked my father what he wanted for father’s day he said the same thing he said last year. I want your smoked chicken and your baby back ribs! I put the video on, a year ago on how to do the ribs. This time I am going to talk about smoked chicken. I have done them on the Traeger bbq smoker grill and they turn out great. This year, I am going to use the Big Green Egg for the chickens, and the ribs go on the Traeger.
First the Brine, which my dad calls every month for the directions on how to do it.
Simple Brine
- Boil 3 cups of water, when it is boiling add
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup of salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoons of peppercorns (not necessary, I just like to add things to change it up for dad so he gets confused)
Once the sugar and salt is dissolved, remove and add 3 cups of cold water and some ice to cool it down. Once cooled add your chicken to the pot and make sure the liquid covers your chicken. I do two chickens for this shin dig. I brine for 12-14 hours, make sure to keep cool. If you have no fridge space put a block of ice on it and go to bed. Before you barbecue, wash off chickens and let air dry.
I have to season my ribs and my youngest daughter loves to season meat with her father.
We are almost done, but she knows we have to season both sides.
While My ribs are smoking away, I bring my green egg to 325 degrees. Here is the little trick to keep the chicken meat moist.
- 1/2 stick butter
- 1 teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of New Mexico or Adobo seasoning
I melt the butter and mix all the ingredients and put into the freezer. I take my fingers and loosen the chicken skin from the top of the bird’s breast if I have them standing up in their chicken stands. I try to get my fingers working the skin from the breast all the way down to the legs. I take the firm butter from the freezer and insert it into the skin all over the bird. Mostly leaving most of it at the top of the bird because it will melt down. I use only 2/3 rds of the butter mixture because I will baste with the rest later. I need to check my ribs.
I sprinkle garlic salt and pepper on the outside of the birds and take them to the BGE BBQ. I put a little foil down to keep any flame up from burning my birds. I control my smoke vents and get the birds smoking at 325 degrees for about an hour. Your temperature gauge that I inserted into the leg of the birds should read around 130-140 degrees. I increase the heat to 350 degrees and once the birds start to hit 150 degrees internally I baste the birds with the left over butter mixture. Pull the birds when they get to 170 degrees and bring them to the butcher block.
I pull my ribs and cut them on the butcher block as I wait for my chicken to cool down.
I cut the chicken up and plate it yelling for dad to come to the table, Mady is still yelling for a Rib.
My daughter is finally happy.
Here is a photo of my father ready to eat his annual Fathers day meal.
My father is 77 years of age, raised 6 kids, was an educator and a psychologist, has written two books, and has eaten 450 ribs, and 321 pieces of chicken. He keeps coming back every year. I fear that when he is old and bed ridden he will make me puree the chicken and rib meat in a food processor and put it into his IV.
Love you dad.
Hunting Chef
huntingchef.com 
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