Tuscan Smoked Chicken with Rosemary

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 0.5 cup coarse salt
• 1/4 cup clover honey
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 8 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 4 crushed garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp. ice cubes
• 1 chicken weighing 2 kg, trim off excess fat
• Rapeseed oil
• Special equipment: walnut chips and 8 sprigs of fresh rosemary, soaked in water for 2 hours

Preparation:

1. Brine:
   
   Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add broth, salt, honey, sugar, peppercorns, rosemary, and garlic, stirring until the salt dissolves. Remove from heat and add ice cubes to quickly cool the brine to room temperature. Place the chicken breast-side down in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 2–4 hours.
2. Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Pat dry, place on a rack in a roasting pan, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. This will allow the skin to dry out, making it crispier during roasting.
3. Preheat the smoker to 275°F (135°C) or 325°F (160°C) if possible. Add the soaked wood chips and rosemary sprigs.
4. Brush the entire chicken with canola oil and season with pepper. Place the chicken in the smoker with a drip tray underneath. Smoke until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165°F (71°C) and the thighs reach 175°F (76°C), depending on the size of the chicken, 1.5 to 3 hours.