By no means made a Smoked Complete Hen on a Traeger? Don’t fret, it’s straightforward! On this publish, we give step-by-step directions on easy methods to smoke a complete hen. It’s juicy, tender and filled with taste. You may even prefer it greater than our Traeger Hen Breast, smoked hen thighs, or our smoked hen wings.
Traeger Smoked Complete Hen Recipe
Complete hen recipes are actually tough to type by means of. I’ve made sufficient of them, all of which claimed to be the most effective of the most effective however all have been simply cooked hen. I imply, simply because it’s a complete chook doesn’t imply it needs to be tough, time consuming and particularly not bland.
So I obtained all obsessed. We love our gradual cooker complete hen, our complete roasted hen and our spatchcock hen, however we wanted a smoked model! I made a decision to make a complete hen that you simply’d order in a restaurant over the steak. I do know, I do know, however actually, this smoked complete hen goes to knock your dang socks clear off of you.
Why, why is {that a} saying? Knock your socks off? What about your sneakers? Why didn’t we knock these off first? Who’re all of those individuals strolling round in socks?
Really, it’s me.
If you understand me, if you happen to’re a pal or a neighbor you understand that I’m ALWAYS in socks as a result of my toes are ALWAYS chilly.
Smoked Complete Hen Components
Imagine it or not, you solely want a handful of substances to make a Traeger smoked hen. This Traeger complete hen recipe has three predominant parts: the dry rub used to taste the smoked hen, the few additional substances wanted to really smoke the hen, and the substances wanted to make a gravy from the pan drippings.
Right here’s what you’ll have to make a smoked complete hen on a Traeger:
- Recent Thyme Leaves
- Salt and Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Cumin
- Smoked Paprika
- Floor Mustard
- Cayenne
- Darkish Brown Sugar
- Garlic
- Chili Powder
- Butter
- Apple Juice
- Cornstarch
Be aware that including a pan of apple juice to the smoker creates a scrumptious steam that retains the meat moist and provides taste as effectively.
Learn how to Smoke a Complete Hen
Smoked complete hen doesn’t want a lot time or consideration in any respect. An important step begins out the morning of, and even the night time earlier than is ok.
An important step is to rinse, dry and set the chook within the fridge to dry out the pores and skin. For those who completely don’t have time otherwise you overlook, no biggie, it should nonetheless prove superior, however it does make for a greater pores and skin on the entire hen.
Listed below are the fundamental steps to creating a Traeger smoked hen:
- Place a rinsed and dried hen within the fridge all day to dry out the pores and skin.
- Warmth the smoker.
- Combine the hen dry rub collectively.
- Sprinkle a little bit dry rub within the cavity of the chook. Utilizing kitchen twine, tie collectively the legs if wanted.
- Combine the remaining spice combination with softened butter.
- Pull the hen pores and skin up and loosen it from the meat. Unfold the butter beneath the pores and skin and all around the meat after which the remainder all around the exterior of the chook.
- Fill a pan with the juice and in case your smoker permits, place it on the underside rack and the hen on the rack proper above it.
- Smoke the chook breast facet up for about an hour to an hour and half till the inner temperature reaches 165 levels F. Take away to relaxation whilst you whisk up the drippings.
How Lengthy to Smoke a Complete Hen
Relying on the scale of your chook, it’ll have to smoke for roughly 60 to 80 minutes at 375 levels F. You’ll know your smoked complete hen is finished when it reaches an inner temperature of 165 levels F on a meat thermometer.
What are the Greatest Wooden Pellets for Smoking Hen?
We love to make use of cherry or apple wooden chips once we smoke hen. Hickory, mesquite, pecan and oak are all nice choices too.
Learn how to Make Gravy from Pan Drippings
I’ll always remember roasting my first hen, calling my mother and saying, “Now, how do I make a gravy? Is there a packet I purchase?”
Silence, adopted by “that’s what the pan drippings are for.” Extra silence, this time from me. 😬
Right here’s easy methods to make gravy from pan drippings:
- Pressure out any bits that you simply don’t need from the drippings within the apple juice, reserving all liquids.
- For those who couldn’t collect drippings, add 1 cup of hen broth.
- Carry the liquids to a simmer in a skillet with raised sides.
- Whisk cornstarch and water collectively in a dish and whisk into the gravy till desired thickness.
- Brush over the hen or use to dip items of hen in.
NOTE: For those who’re not a giant gravy fan, whip up a batch of our home made bbq sauce to dip this hen in.
How Lengthy Will Smoked Hen Maintain?
A smoked hen will hold for 7 days within the fridge in an hermetic container.
Can You Freeze Smoked Hen?
Smoked hen may be frozen for 1 month. A FoodSaver will aid you to have the ability to get the most effective outcomes because it sucks out the air and vacuum seals the meat.
What to Serve with a Complete Hen
Congrats! You’ve simply smoked a complete hen. Now the query is, what do you have to serve along with your scrumptious Traeger complete hen?
Listed below are just a few of our favourite hen facet dishes to present you some concepts:
Ideas for the Greatest Smoked Complete Hen
The dry rub is crucial a part of flavoring a complete hen. Dry rub goes each beneath and over the pores and skin, however I’ve discovered that throwing a little bit within the cavity makes the spices bloom out and improve taste from inside out too.
We use recent thyme leaves within the spice rub because it brings on a little bit completely different taste than dried thyme. It transforms the hen into one thing much more scrumptious and fantastic. For those who should used dried thyme, use half the quantity of recent because it’s a condensed model and stronger.
As for the smoked paprika within the dry rub — discover it. The top. It’s not the identical to make use of common paprika. Actually, smoked paprika is unbelievable. You could find it at most shops, however it’s bought on Amazon as effectively if you happen to want it.
Learn to prepare dinner a scrumptious and juicy smoked complete hen in your Traeger grill with this step-by-step information. Impress your family and friends with this flavorful dish that’s good for any event.
Extra Traeger Recipes:
Description
By no means made a Smoked Complete Hen on a Traeger? Do not fret, it is simple! On this publish, we give step-by-step directions on easy methods to smoke a complete hen.
Forestall your display from going darkish
Smoke the Complete Hen:
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When you have time, put the hen on a plate, uncovered within the fridge for at the least 2 hours or as much as a complete day to dry out the pores and skin.
1 Complete Hen
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Warmth a smoker to 375 levels F.
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Place the spices in a bowl and blend to mix.
2 teaspoons Recent Thyme Leaves, 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, 2 Cloves Garlic, 1 Tablespoon Darkish Brown Sugar, 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika, 1 Crack Black Pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Floor Mustard, 1 Pinch Cayenne, 1 Pinch Chili Powder, 1/4 teaspoon Cumin
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Take away the hen from the fridge and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the spices into the cavity of the hen.
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Add the butter to the remaining spices and blend till it types a easy paste.
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
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Carry the pores and skin of the hen and rub 1/2 the butter on the meat beneath the pores and skin and the remaining butter/spice combination all around the chook.
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Fill a foil pan with the apple juice and place it on the bottom rack and the hen, breast facet up on the rack above it. For those who can’t do that, the hen must go subsequent to the pan and you’ll have to add 1 cup hen broth to the juice after for the gravy.
16 oz Apple Juice, Foil Pan
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Prepare dinner for 60-80 minutes, or till an prompt learn thermometer registers 165 levels F. Ours took 70 minutes as a result of it was an even bigger chook.
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Take away to a tray and permit to relaxation for 15-20 minutes. Don’t minimize earlier than that.
Make the Gravy:
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In the meantime, deliver the collected juices and the drippings to a simmer in a skillet over medium warmth.
Pan of apple juice and drippings from the Traeger
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Mix the cornstarch and water and slowly, whereas whisking add to the gravy. Proceed whisking till thickened.
1 teaspoon Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Water
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Slice the hen and brush with the gravy. Serve!
- For those who don’t have drippings leftover, simply use 1 cup of hen broth to make the gravy.
Left over hen may be saved within the fridge for one week.
Energy: 424kcal
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