Whiskey-Glazed Smoked Chicken

• 1 gallon/4 liters water
• 1 1/2 cups/350 grams kosher salt
• 1/2 cup/125 grams sugar
• 1 1/2 ounces/42 grams pink salt (8 teaspoons)
• 1 chicken, 3 to 4 pounds/1.25 to 2 kilograms
• 1 cup/250 milliliters bourbon or Wild Turkey
• 1/2 cup/125 grams maple sugar or 1/2 cup/125 milliliters maple syrup
• 1/4 packed cup/50 grams dark brown sugar
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Combine all the brine ingredients in a pot large enough to hold the chicken and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.
2. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
3. Remove any giblets from the cavity and truss the chicken, then submerge it in the brine.
4. Weight it down with a plate to keep it submerged, and refrigerate for 18 hours.
5. Remove the chicken from the brine (discard the brine), rinse under cool water, and pat dry.
6. Refrigerate, uncovered, for a least 3 to 4 hours, and up to a day.
7. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small heavy bottomed pan and bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
8. Lower the heat and gently simmer until thick and syrupy and reduced to about a cup/250 milliliters/ Remove from the heat and let cool.
9. Begin hot-smoking the chicken.
10. Halfway through the smokingabout 1 1/2 hours if youre smoking at about 200 degrees F./93 degrees C.remove the chicken from the smoker and brush all over with half the glaze.
11. Return the chicken to the smoker and continue cooking until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 160 degrees F./71 degrees C.
12. Remove the chicken from the smoker and brush all over with the remaining glaze.
13. It should have a deep brown color.
14. Serve hot, or cool and refrigerate, covered until ready to serve.

water, kosher salt, sugar, salt, chicken, milliliters bourbon, maple sugar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/whiskey-glazed-smoked-chicken (may not work)