Alabama Chicken

4.8 Rating from 33 Ratings

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, split in half
  • 3 cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup pickle juice
  • 2 tablespoons Duce's Wild Poultry Rub (for the brine)
  • Duce's Wild Poultry Rub (to taste, for coating the chicken)
  • Duce's Wild Alabama White Gold BBQ Sauce to taste
  • Cornbread and bread-and-butter pickles for serving

Method:

  1. Brine the chicken:
    In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of buttermilk, 1 cup of pickle juice, and 2 tablespoons of Duce's Wild Poultry Rub. Add the chicken halves, ensuring they're fully submerged. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  2. Preheat the smoker:
    While the chicken is brining, preheat your Gateway Drum Smoker to 325 degrees.
  3. Prepare the chicken:
    After brining, remove the chicken from the mixture and pat it dry. Generously apply Duce's Wild Poultry Rub on both sides of the chicken.
  4. Smoke the chicken:
    Place the chicken halves on the smoker, skin side up. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This usually takes about 1 hour, but the exact time may vary depending on your smoker and the size of the chicken.
  5. Dunk the chicken in the sauce:
    Once the chicken has reached the correct internal temperature, remove it from the smoker and quickly dunk it in Duce's Wild Alabama White Gold BBQ Sauce. Make sure the chicken halves are fully covered in the sauce.
  6. Set the sauce:
    Return the chicken to the smoker for an additional 10 minutes. This will help to set the sauce and give the chicken that final, mouth-watering, glossy finish.
  7. Serve:
    Remove the chicken from the smoker. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve it with warm cornbread and a side of bread-and-butter pickles for the perfect BBQ meal.
  8. Enjoy your BBQ!