The Smuggler's Journal

Reader level: Everyone — no matter where you are on the journey, this one's for you.

⚓ SMUGGLER'S LOG — ENTRY No. 451
Dated this 1st day of September, 2026.

Today the calendar flipped to spring and I flipped a chook with it. Nothing dramatic in the hold this week — no near-disasters, no sea monsters off the bow — just a plain bird, a shaker of something good, and a Sunday worth showing up for.

Here's the thing about a roast chook: everyone's got a rub for beef, half the crew's sorted for pork, and then chicken gets whatever's closest to hand. BlackBear BBQ, a barbecue joint up in NSW, decided that wasn't good enough and bottled their house poultry seasoning. It's now sitting in the hold, and it's become the thing I reach for without thinking — which, for a smuggler, is the highest compliment going.

What's actually in the shaker

BlackBear Chicken Rub is Australian made in NSW — a savoury, herb-and-pepper blend with no chilli heat at all, so it's genuinely family-friendly. It's a medium grind that clings to skin and crumb alike, and it's built for the bird you cook most: whole roast chook, wings, marylands, thighs, even schnitzel. The full ingredient statement isn't published online, so — food-safety-grade rule — always check the physical label for the complete list and any allergen or dietary claims before you rely on it.

The move that changes everything: under the skin

Most people season a chook on top and call it done. That's leaving flavour on the table. Loosen the skin with your fingers from the cavity end — gently, you're not performing surgery — and work the rub directly onto the flesh, then season the skin and cavity too. The rub sits against the meat instead of just riding on the surface, and the skin still crisps up golden because the fat renders straight through it.

Recipe: Spatchcocked BlackBear Chook, Spring Fire-Up Style

Serves: 4 · Prep: 15 min (plus 1 hr dry-brine, or overnight) · Cook: 45–55 min · Total: ~1 hr 15 min active

Gear: kitchen shears or a sharp knife, a wire rack over a tray or a kettle/smoker set up for indirect heat, an instant-read thermometer.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.6–1.8kg)
• 2–3 tbsp BlackBear Chicken Rub
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp Blend Original Smoked Honey, warmed slightly, for the last-10-minute glaze

Method:

1. Spatchcock the bird: flip it breast-down, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it, then press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten. This gets you faster, more even cooking than a whole trussed bird.
2. Pat completely dry. Loosen the skin over the breast and thighs and work about a third of the rub directly onto the flesh. Rub the remaining seasoning over the skin, cavity and underside. Rest uncovered in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight — this is a dry-brine, and it's doing real work on both flavour and skin crispness.
3. Set your smoker or kettle up for indirect heat at 190–200°C. Rub the skin with the oil right before it goes on.
4. Cook skin-side up over indirect heat until the thickest part of the thigh reads 74°C on an instant-read thermometer — about 45–55 minutes depending on your setup. Don't guess by time alone; always cook to temperature.
5. In the last 10 minutes, brush the warmed Smoked Honey over the skin for lacquer and colour — go easy, it catches fast at this heat.
6. Rest 10 minutes under loose foil before carving.

Darryl's tip: Spatchcocking isn't just for speed — it means every part of the bird sits at roughly the same distance from the heat, so you're not left with a bone-dry breast waiting on stubborn thighs.

The Smuggler's Secret

Unexpected pairing, off the books: this rub isn't only for chicken. A pinch of it stirred through soft butter and spread under the skin of a whole baked fish, or dusted over corn on the cob straight off the grill, does something genuinely surprising — that herby, savoury backbone was built for poultry, but it moonlights beautifully on anything that wants a golden, seasoned crust.

Grab the gear

BlackBear BBQ Chicken Rub — 230g · Blend Original Smoked Honey · Drunken Sailor Jalapeño & Tequila Relish (spoon it over the carve for a bright, spicy finish)

That's a wrap — and yes, I mean the roasting tray too. The whole haul's at the Rub Hub →
— The Rub Smuggler ⚓