Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 8 large skin-on boneless chicken thighs (6 ounces each, boneless; 8 ounces each, bone-in)
8 T Dijon mustard
8 oz Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated or cut into matchstick slivers
8 oz sliced smoked ham, cut into matchstick slivers
16 dill pickle slices (or 8 dill pickle spears, see Dilly Bean recipe to make your own!)
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
16 slices thin-sliced bacon (1 pound)
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Directions: |
Directions:1) On a cutting board, remove the bone from the chicken thighs and continue the cut so the thigh lays open like a book. Spread the meat with mustard (1 tablespoon per thigh). Top each with an equal amount of cheese and ham and 2 pickle slices (or one spear). Fold the thighs in so the stuffing is encased in chicken and won’t leak out. Season the exterior of the chicken with salt and pepper. Wrap a strip of bacon around the thigh, then another strip running perpendicular to the first. Tie the bacon in place with butcher’s string.
2) Set up your smoker following the manufacturer’s instructions and preheat to 300°F. (You’ll smoke at a higher than normal temperature to crisp the bacon.) Add the wood as specified by the manufacturer.
3) Place the chicken thighs skin side up on the smoker rack. Smoke the chicken thighs until the outsides and bacon are browned, the cheese is melted, and the temperature in the center reaches 165° to 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Snip the string and remove before serving.
4) Grill “Smoker” technique:
Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. You can substitute two medium chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, for the wood chip packet. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4½-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4½ quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.
FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on medium-high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature around 300 degrees.) |
This recipe for Smoked Chicken "Rouladen" is from