Smoked chicken breasts....traveling, reheating, graduation party....need help!!!

Walt2015 · May 2015

got a call from the in-laws today and they asked if I wanted to cook some chicken for my brother in laws high school graduation. My first instinct was absolutely. My second was, how the heck should I do this? We are heading down there (3 hours) Friday night and not eating until 1ish Saturday. They requested "smoked" chicken for sandwiches or to just eat on its own. I'm thinking they think that if it's cooked on the egg, it will have some sort of smokiness to it. I've never done any real smoke on chicken breasts.

My my thoughts were just grill it with the tiniest amount of peach or pecan wood and pull right at 160-165, let cool then pack it up in a cool with ice for the trip. Reheating either really low in over or in bags in the warm water on the stove top. Only feeding about 25 people so won't be a massive undertaking but there is no grill down there and I only have a large.

What at do yall think about it? If you think chicken would get dried out or just not be good, they can use a local BBQ company OR I can sack up and take the large down there in my back seat.

Many any thanks in advance!

Theophan · May 2015

Some people don't like much smoke at all on their chicken, but if they specifically asked for "smoked" chicken, your plan to rather gently smoke it and take it there chilled sounds perfect to me.

I hate to be paranoid, but be aware that there can be a HUGE difference between how long it takes for one family's chicken leftovers to chill to a safe temperature, and how long it takes for 25 people worth of chicken to chill to a safe temperature. A larger amount of chicken can stay way too long at unsafe temperatures both on chilling it and on reheating it, putting people at risk. Here is a booklet that I found very helpful in this regard: Cooking for Groups. It helps with information at all steps in the process: preparing, cooking, chilling, transporting, storing, reheating, and doing them safely.

Theo

Canugghead · May 2015

I'd be careful and make sure they really want added 'smoke' on the chicken. I normally don't add smoking wood for chicken, any leftover taste smokier the next day. The only time I go crazy on smoke with chicken is when I make @henapple 's smoked chicken salad, love it!

As for chilling I'd spread it in a large metal or HDAF pan, then sit the pan on ice... used this method to chill two whole pulled pork shoulders once! Your reheating plan sounds good.

Backyard Mike · May 2015

Thighs would be less likely to dry out with the cooling and reheating. You could cool them down by putting in Ziploc bags, squishing all the air out, and submerging in a cooler filled with ice water then when they're cold put on ice.

If if you can swing it I think bringing the BGE and doing them there is the way to go.

jonnymack · May 2015

I love to do my chicken breasts indirect at about 350 for 40-45min and throw 2-3 chunks of wood on there. Puts a great smoke flavor on them and I use that all week for salads and sandwiches. I use Oakridge Secret Weapon or Rib Dominator rubs. It's great stuff.

tarheelmatt · May 2015

This was cook for a benefit for a family that hit hard times. Were cooking 750 chicken halves. Took them off around 4am. We placed chickens in a cooler (not pre-warmed) and took dip (that's sauce in Lexington, NC) and poured over the chickens in the cooler. Shut the lid of the cooler and started selling around 8:30-9am. They sold out too.

Image: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rVmFpUhZmO8/U27TrUf6vOI/AAAAAAAADeE/6fvigvjSshI/w604-h453-no/IMG_442072913769146.jpeg

Walt2015 · May 2015

@tarheelmatt that is great man. Always cool to see people on here doing for others in need.

I'm going to call MIL today and go over details. May just get 10# breast and 10# skinless thighs and do a chunk of pecan indirect for thighs and grill breasts direct.

Thinking of of grilling everything Friday afternoon, putting in our fridge to cool. Packing in iced cooler for drive and reheating +/- sauce Saturday afternoon. Not ideal but my large is in a table and might be a little much to transport.

Did I mention we are moving in 2 weeks as well? Busy spring.

Walt2015 · May 2015

Updated plan:

8# blsl breast, planning will brine/inject/marinate and cook raised direct
9# skinless thighs and 10# drumsticks will cook indirect with 1-2 chunk of peach/pecan, suggestions on time temp to get a light smoke profile?

may marinate some in allegro hot and spicy, any ideas for injections if not marinated?
will dust majority in a new sweet BBQ rub

When the meat is done, will place in foil pans and cover with HDAF and let cool on counter then put into fridge covered. Planning to transport in cooler with ice to keep cold. Going to warm in 200 degree over still foiled and will have sauce on side

pics will come later this week. Thanks again for any and all input.

Theophan · May 2015

Walt2015 said:
Updated plan:

... When the meat is done, will place in foil pans and cover with HDAF and let cool on counter then put into fridge covered. Planning to transport in cooler with ice to keep cold. Going to warm in 200 degree over still foiled and will have sauce on side...

I tend toward the paranoid side, so maybe take this with a grain of salt, but especially if you stack the pans on top of each other in your refrigerator they can add up to one big mass that will take hours to cool down to below 40 degrees. The meat may spend a LOT longer than 2 hours in the "danger zone" between 40 and 140. @BackyardMike's idea of bagging them and throwing them in ice water to get them chilled FAST, then refrigerating them, sounds a lot safer. As you can tell, I'm nervous about people preparing large amounts of food without professional kitchens. Food poisoning isn't all that common -- you can do it wrong and everything will be fine most of the time, but it's not a small risk of catching a cold or something, it's a small risk of people being desperately, miserably sick and in the hospital.

Here's a graphic that is partly from that brochure I mentioned in a previous post, partly from another source or two:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/z2/i2p3g9ppu8r6.jpg

CTMike · May 2015

If this type of thing becomes a habit, you might want to invest in a vacuum food sealer. Seals in moisture, easy to package in desired serving sizes, and easy to reheat in a pot of hot water.

Smoked chicken breasts....traveling, reheating, graduation party....need help!!!

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