Hops Smoked Chicken

Hops Smoked Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• Mesquite wood smoking chips
• 1 oz. Cascade hop pellets water
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tbsp. chopped dry rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste

Step-by-step:

1. Cut chicken into halves. Split the chicken at the back bone and breast.
2. Rub meat, both sides, with the mixture of herbs and spices.
3. Prepare charcoal, light and let coals turn grey before placing smoking pan into grill.
4. Place 2 handfuls of mesquite into smoking pan along with hops. Add enough water to wet the bottom of the wood chips, but not covering wood.
5. If smoking pan has holes or you do not have a smoking pan, one can easily be made from tin foil. Tear 2 sheets about 10 inches wide. Turn up sides 2 inches and crease the corners, allowing liquid to be kept inside. After adding wood, hops, and water, place a sheet on top, fully covering lower half. Poke a few holes in the top, allowing smoke to leave pouch.
6. Place smoking pan on side of coals, allowing it to heat to the point of smoking. This may take up to 10 minutes. The hop pellets will expand with the steam from the water.
7. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill. Sear skin side before turning. Allow chicken to cook for about 45 minutes or until thickest part is 160 ºF (71 ºC) or higher.