obsdrummer

obsdrummer

Throwing a chicken (around 4-5 lbs) on this weekend. To brine or not to brine? How long? How long to smoke over mix of apple and cherry?
Fill this new egghead in with the details.
**My butt from a couple weeks ago was candy, by the way. Grass fed shoulder for 18 hours over apple. Phenomenal.


:P

Mainegg

poultry takes up smoke fast and heavy. we do not use any chips or chunks with ours. we spackcock and do at 450 direct till done. about 45 min

obsdrummer

Thanks Mainegg-
What does 'Spacecock' mean? If you aren't using chips or chunks, are you using pellets?

RRP

Many opinions here about brining and not brining. Why I always brine all my chicken whether whole or parts is to draw the blood out! 24 hours in a simple salty brine of kosher salt will turn the water pink and that's worth the effort to me!

Mainegg

to spachcock you flip the bird over and cut down both sides of the back bone and remove. flip back over and I just press firmly in the center of the breast and push down to flatten. rinse well and pat dry and season with fav rub. and we just use the plain lump for 99.99% of our cooks. I use apple with butts and brisket and that is it.
Ron, I will have to try the brining have never done it before

RRP

the simple brine of just salt is all you need - granted for turkey I've got a couple concoctions of spices et.al. that really flavor that bland meat when brined for 3 to 4 days. Otherwise 1 day draws the blood out of chicken. Earlier this week I brined 26 wings for 24 hours and then started them on a 96 hour soak as Georgia Red Wings for Sunday's feast. I normally go 72 hours but thought why not try longer!

gdenby

I think all poultry benefits from brining. Makes the white meat much more moist.

There are lots of methods and times. "Dry" brining, just rubbing the bird with salt takes about 3 days.

Wet brining takes about 24 hours in the brine, and another day resting in the fridge. If you don't have the time, just over nite helps some.

Chicken doesn't benefit much from a slow cook. A basic roast, a beer can chix, and a spatchcock'd all take different times and temperatures. "Spatch'd" (butterflied) is the fastest. All methods are good with a dome of 350.

redcat

I have found brine is great for turkey but is not needed for chicken.

Cook Beer-Can style at 350 deg takes about 60 minutes.

obsdrummer

Wow- love this forum!
All help is greatly appreciated. Think I'll give it a day's worth of brine and fire it up over lump.
Enjoy the 4th and eggcreations...

tjv

might check the label, the bird could already be injected up to 12% solution. t

Desert Oasis Woman

man! would LOVE to find grass fed pork! URLUCKYMON

Grandpas Grub

 
I don't brine and haven't found much taste difference in spatchcock or bear butt type cook.

I like apple, cherry, Jack Daniels chips, once in a while a hard wood for flavor.

I do like a very slow extreme extended cook, it gives a deep bbq flavor.

16.5" from lump to grate


Most of the time i cook raised grid direct.

350°


400°


500°


As long as I cook the bird to 165° breast/legs/thigh the meat is moist and very flavorful.

GG

Billy Grill Eggster

Remember to use ONLY kosher salt.