Method
Preheat smoker to 110ºC, using charcoal beads or lumpwood charcoal.
Trim the excess fat off the skin and meat of each thigh until the pieces are 8cm wide, leaving about 6mm of excess skin at the edges of the meat.
Mix BBQ rub ingredients together (or use your own favourite) and apply the BBQ rub evenly to both sides of the thighs.
Place chicken thighs, skin side down, in a cupcake pan that has a hole drilled into each cup. Place the pan on a cookie sheet that is similar in size to your cupcake pan. (We use two 6 cupcake cup pans and one 25 x 38 x 2 cookie sheet, cookie sheet needs a lip to hold in liquid).
Place the pan in the smoker (preheated to 110ºC). Pour the chicken stock into the cookie sheet, but not directly on the chicken.
Close the cooking chamber lid and smoke uncovered for 1 hour. We suggest using pohutukawa wood for smoking these.
After one hour, carefully remove the pan from the smoker. Flip the thighs skin side up and place back into cupcake pan. Place the pan back into the smoker and continue to smoke for another hour.
After one hour, remove the pan from the smoker and drain the stock from the cookie sheet. Carefully place the shaped chicken thighs directly onto the baking sheet, skin side up.
Brush the thighs with BBQ sauce. Place the cookie sheet back into the smoker and cook for another hour (glaze every 20 minutes for a richer look and taste). Remove and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Blue Moose Barbecue.
