Smoked Nashville Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken

• 1/2 cup butter or ghee or lard

Brine

• 1 Tbsp salt

• 1 Tbsp MSG

• 2 Tbsp sugar

• garlic powder

• onion powder

• fine black pepper

• 2 cups water

Rub

• 4Tbsp cayenne powder

• 2 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar

Instructions

1. Cut the spine out of the chicken then cut in half separating the breast bone into 2

2. In a bowl add the brine ingredients and if done last min inject brine into chicken and let sit in bowl for 30 mins room temp if done ahead make sure all the chicken is submerged and refrigerate over night, if you need to add more water that is fine I wouldn't worry about adding more of the other brine ingredients.

3. Mix rub ingredients together and separate half for later, with remaining half coat all sides of the chicken.

4. I set my smoker to 250F with competition blend pit boss pellets ( other good options are pecan, oak, mesquite )

5. Place chicken with dark meat facing the hotter part of your smoker and place a probe into the deepest part of the titty meat

6. Once the temp reads 145F check all parts of the chicken with an instant read thermometer and make sure 145F is the lowest reading on both pieces of chicken then set a timer for 5 mins.

7. Once timer goes off pull the chicken off and cover in a large bowl let rest about 5 mins then shred the chicken

8. Make the sauce by melting your fat in my case I used ghee, and add the reserved half of the rub

9. Pour sauce into the shredded chicken and serve on a fresh potato roll with pickles and/or coleslaw.