This mustard vinegar sauce is a salute to the vinegar-based sauces of the Carolina’s. When you smoke the whole chicken and add the mustard vinegar sauce, you’ll enjoy amazing flavor packed pulled barbecue chicken.
But first things first. We eat a lot of chicken in our house. However, my favorite way to cook chicken is to rub the whole chicken with a dalmatian rub of salt and pepper and then smoke the whole bird low and slow.
Cooking a whole chicken on the grill or smoker is probably one of the easiest chicken recipes to master. The key is not to cook the chicken at to high a temperature so that the breasts dry out before the rest of the chicken is done.
After the chicken is done, let it rest for 30 minutes and pull the meat from the bones. Everyone can make their sandwiches and serve extra sauce on the side.
Ingredients For Whole Smoked Chicken
For the recipe for pulled smoked whole chicken you will need a 3 pound chicken, grapeseed oil, salt and pepper. That’s it. 4 simple ingredients.
To make the mustard vinegar sauce, gather Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, grapeseed oil, olive oil and honey. You’ll need a pinch of salt and pepper while you’ll whisk it all together.
How To Smoke A Whole Chicken
Brush the entire whole chicken (3 pounds) with the grapeseed oil and season it with salt and pepper, inside and out.
Prepare a smoking pack by placing one cup of wood pellets or wood chips on top of aluminum foil and fold the foil to seal the wood inside. Take a skewer or fork and punch a few holes into the top of the pack so that smoke can escape. Place the pack on to the direct heat of the grill (medium high burner) and in 4 to 5 minutes, you will see smoke beginning to escape through the punch holes.
The smoke should last for 45 minutes to an hour. If you want a stronger smoke flavor on the chicken, then add a second smoke pouch after 45 minutes of cooking.
How Long To Smoke A Whole Chicken
Set the temperature of the grill to an even 250-275 degrees. Put the chicken (3 pounds) on a rack, breast side down, into a deep aluminum pan and add 1 cup of water to the pan below the chicken. Place the chicken on the cooler side of the grill (opposite the wood chip pack) and close the lid.
After 1 hour rotate the whole chicken so that the chicken breast side is up and continue cooking another 90 minutes. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, at the thick part of the thigh, it is ready.
Take the chicken out of the pit and let rest, tented with foil, for 15-30 minutes and cool enough to handle. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and drizzle some mustard vinegar sauce over the pulled chicken, just enough to add flavor. Serve extra mustard sauce on the side.
Make The 2 Mustard Vinegar Sauce
While the chicken is smoking make the mustard sauce. To make the mustard sauce, whisk together the Dijon mustard (4 tbsp), whole grain mustard (2 tbsp) honey (2 tbsp), apple cider vinegar (¼ cup) grapeseed oil (¼ cup) olive oil (¼ cup) Kosher salt (1 tsp) and freshly cracked black pepper (1 tsp). Let the sauce sit at room temperature while the chicken is cooking.
I like to set up a buffet with the pulled chicken, pickles, relishes, slaw and a variety of bread, rolls, biscuits and corn bread. My guests make their platters and everyone is delighted!
You’re going to have leftover pulled chicken. Usually. I like to pull and freeze any of the leftover chicken and save it for enchiladas. Enchiladas are a quick and easy dinner recipe to make and come together in just a few minutes. One of my favorite recipes comes from our friends over at State of Dinner. Try this easy Salsa Verde Recipe when you are wanting something special for dinner!
Equipment
- grill or smoker
Ingredients
For The Smoked Chicken
- 3 pound Chicken whole
- 1/4 cup Grapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp Black pepper
For The Mustard Vinegar Sauce
- 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp Whole grain mustard
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup Grapeseed oil
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- Brush the entire whole chicken with the grapeseed oil and season it with salt and pepper, inside and out.
- Prepare a smoking pack by placing one cup of wood pellets or wood chips on top of aluminum foil and fold of the foil to seal the wood inside. Take a skewer or fork and punch a few holes into the top of the pack so that smoke can escape. Place the pack on to the direct heat of the grill (medium high burner) and in 4 to 5 minutes, you will see smoke beginning got escape through the punch holes.
- Set the temperature of the grill to an even 250-275 degrees. Put the chicken on a rack, breast side down, into a deep aluminum pan and add 1 cup of water to the pan below the chicken. Place the chicken on the cool side of the grill (opposite the wood chip pack) and close the lid.
- While the chicken is smoking make the mustard sauce. To make the mustard sauce, whisk together the Dijon mustard (4 tbsp), whole grain mustard (2 tbsp) honey (2 tbsp), apple cider vinegar (¼ cup) grapeseed oil (¼ cup) olive oil (¼ cup) Kosher salt (1 tsp) and freshly cracked black pepper (1 tsp). Let the sauce sit at room temperature while the chicken is cooking.
- After 1 hour rotate the whole chicken so that the chicken breast side is up and continue cooking another 90 minutes. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, at the thick part of the thigh, it is ready.
- Take the chicken out of the pit and let rest, tented with foil, for 15-30 minutes and cool enough to handle. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and drizzle some mustard vinegar sauce over the pulled chicken, just enough to add flavor. Serve extra mustard sauce on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Throwdown Kitchen
Like what you see? Follow Throwdown Kitchen on INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more easy recipes for casual entertaining!
Throwdown Kitchen is the cooking show that features fast and easy recipes that everyone can enjoy. Everyday casual food and entertainment is all about friends and family. People get that and we hope you do too.
We are living in amazing times and a lot is happening with the dining scene. People are cooking again and if you are here, then we have something in common. The love of food and caring for family and friends. So let’s get cooking!
If you love this whole smoked chicken recipe, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. Your support means a great deal to me.
Related
Did you like this whole smoked chicken recipe with mustard vinegar sauce? If you did then here are a few more recipes that we think you may enjoy:
