228 verified meals · exact temps · no life storiesManifesto
Back to the Top 20PRINT PACK // 1 SPECIMEN
YOUR SELECTION // PRINTABLE PDF // NO SIGNUP

Your Recipe Pack

One recipe on one sheet — no cover, just the card. Print it, save it as a PDF, or share this link — it rebuilds the same pack. Change the selection below and rebuild.

1 page // Letter or A4

Build your own pack

Tick up to 40 of the 228 recipes. Each one prints as a page; the cover index rebuilds itself.

Presets
1 selected // 1 page
1 page // one recipe, no cover
Meal Instructions
Specimen #0228·SMOKER·Easy

Smoked Whole Chicken

A 5-lb bird dry-brined 24 hours, smoked at 275°F over apple wood for 2.5 hours to a bronze skin and 165°F breast internal — juicy, smoky, no dry white meat.

Cook temp
275°F
Total time
3.3h
REST
20m
Serves
6
PULL AT
165°F
Ingredients
5 lbs Whole Chicken — giblets removed
1 1/2 tbsp Kosher Salt — for dry brine
2 tbsp Neutral Oil — avocado or grapeseed
1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Dried Thyme
2 chunks Apple or Cherry Wood — or 1 cup pellets
Equipment
Charcoal Smoker or Pellet Grill
Leave-In Probe Thermometer
Instant-Read Thermometer
Apple or Cherry Wood
Butcher's Twine
DirectionsGet to the point
1Dry-brine 5 lb whole chicken with 1.5 tbsp salt for 24 hrs uncovered in fridge.
2Rub with oil-paprika-garlic; truss legs, tuck wings, insert probe in thigh.
3Smoke at 275°F over apple wood until breast reads 160°F, thigh 175°F (2.5 hrs).
4Rest tented 20 min — carries to 165°F breast. Carve after rest, not before.
Dad pro tip

Apple and cherry are the two woods to use for chicken — both are mild fruit woods that add sweet smoke without overpowering the meat. Hickory and mesquite are too aggressive and give you a bitter, over-smoked bird.

Kid adjustment

Pull drumsticks first for kids — the drum meat is dark, juicy, and easy to handle. Serve with barbecue sauce for dipping instead of trying to convince a kid to appreciate smoke flavor.

Reheat

Reheat carved pieces on a wire rack in a 325°F oven for 12 minutes. Cover with foil for the first 8 minutes, then uncover to re-crisp the skin. Microwave turns smoky skin to rubber immediately.

BASIS: Tested on a 5-lb whole chicken, dry-brined with 1.5 tbsp salt for 24 hours, smoked at 275°F on a pellet grill with apple wood pellets until breast reads 160°F and thigh 175°F.415 kcal · 44g protein · 1g carbs · 26g fat
USDA FoodData Central #171466 (chicken meat and skin, cooked)
mealinstructions.com/recipes/smoked-whole-chickenPage 1 of 1
Your Printable Recipe Pack | Meal Instructions