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View Full Version : Leg Quarters... Suggestions..??


UVaJester
03-13-2010, 12:04 PM
I am going to throw some leg quarters on the UDS tomorrow and was wondering if people brine/soak/marinade there chicken prior to smoking..?? I have a few different rubs that I'm going to try out.. like a taste testing. Thanks in advance everyone.

jonboy
03-13-2010, 12:29 PM
Brining your chicken is a great way to retain moisture while cooking.
There are a lot of things you can use, water, salt, apple juice, beer,rubs, sugar....
Up to 4 hours prior to cooking works well.
jon

Bigdog
03-13-2010, 12:31 PM
I just sprinkle on some Plowboys Yardbird and you're good to go.:thumb::cool:

thirdeye
03-13-2010, 12:37 PM
I most generally brine white meat, but have no problems with brining dark meat. I do it about 30% of the time. Marinades are good too. I really like quarters, the more mass you have the easier it is too keep them moist (verses cooking separate legs and thighs). Too bad I'm not coming over to your place tomorrow, taste testing is a lot of fun. :biggrin:

In addition to adding rub, I will pull back the thigh skin and season underneath it. Note the toothpicks in the bottom picture, they stop the skin from shrinking up during the cook.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/Barbecue%208/DSC06291JPGa.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/thirdeye2/Barbecue%208/DSC06298JPGa.jpg

schellter
03-13-2010, 12:38 PM
^^^^^ Listen to Bigdog, brining changes the character of chicken meat and gives it a hammy texture. Besides leg quarters are hard to dry out anyway.

Captain Dave
03-13-2010, 01:11 PM
I marinade with evoo, vinegar, garlic powder, rosemary and oregano. Use more of the same to mop.

Learnin Querve
03-13-2010, 01:47 PM
I think if you're getting a hammy texture, you're overbrining. Keep it at under 4 hours. My first few times cooking quarters, I used what amounts to AB's pork chop brine. Seasoned them with black pepper, garlic and onion powders, and some paprika.

Mainly I was interested seeing how the brine affected the moistness and cook time. Once I can cook a basic piece of meat or chicken consistently, then I start looking at various flavor additions.

Chris

K-Barbecue
03-13-2010, 02:29 PM
With chicken I've always had good results with 1 cup kosher salt with 1/8 cup granulated garlic with 1 gallon water for 2 hours. Makes a big difference with chicken.

swibirun
03-13-2010, 03:17 PM
For leg quarters, I like "roadside chicken" for a marinade. This is the version from TVWB, not Rick Bayless' version.

ROADSIDE CHICKEN
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup veg oil
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 TBS Sea or Kosher salt
1 TBS white sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp celery salt
Mix/shake till well dissolved. I put mine in a old worcestershire bottle with the shaker top. You can marrinate the chicken in the sauce for up to 2-8 hrs before cooking. If so discard marinade and make fresh for the cooking sauce. I apply the sauce every 5 min to both sides and turn every 5-10 min. Apply one final coating 5 min before removing from the grill. You can't put too much sauce on while grilling. It will build up a nice layer of flavors. I use the kettle but i think it would do well on the WSM (Larry used it) with no water pan and a high heat cook. I usally add one small piece of apple wood while grilling also. Hope you like it. Enjoy

Vince B
03-13-2010, 03:41 PM
I have to try that version of Brian's RSC! Everyone raves about how good it is. Vince

Dave Russell
03-13-2010, 04:29 PM
I'd read about changes in texture after brining chicken, but was really happy with the results the last time I cooked split chickens. I wish I would've tried it sooner, and I'll probably brine from now on. That said, I wouldn't go to the trouble for leg quarters.

whodeyQ
03-13-2010, 06:09 PM
All I've ever used is Italian salad dressing but I don't see it listed. What have I been missing?

UVaJester
03-13-2010, 07:22 PM
Thanks for all the great responses...!!! Can't wait to try then all out. Lots of chicken in my future... Hahahaa

bbqbuff
03-13-2010, 09:02 PM
I brine, turns out great. 1gl water, 1 cup salt and some garlic. Chicken has never turned out better. 3-6 hrs depending on the size of the pieces.

cgwaite
03-13-2010, 10:34 PM
I just sprinkle on some Plowboys Yardbird and you're good to go.:thumb::cool:

^^^^^^^^
What he say!

Kevin
03-13-2010, 10:43 PM
I brine, turns out great. 1gl water, 1 cup salt and some garlic. Chicken has never turned out better. 3-6 hrs depending on the size of the pieces.

Toss a little brown sugar in there. I like it.

UVaJester
03-13-2010, 10:48 PM
How much garlic do you add to the brine..??

Chef Jim
03-13-2010, 11:15 PM
Have you ever tried injecting them?

Chuckwagonbbqco
03-14-2010, 12:32 AM
There are so many flavor combos that are used on chicken. It is kinda fun to experiment. I live in olive producing area--and my neighbors make "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" (EVOO) One neighbor makes a lemon infused EVOO that when lightly applied to chicken and dusted with Lemon Pepper turns out great.

I have tried sage flavors---rosemary flavor and garlic-----just experiment til sumthin knocks your socks off

One time this guy told me that he applied a light coat of Sorghum Syrup to chicken and put a sweet brown sugary rub on it---My BS detector was overloading so bad that I went home and tried it to prove that he was full of it--guess what -wasn't bad-----experiment experiment

UVaJester
03-14-2010, 11:10 AM
Last night I decided to make a brine to try... I'll probably end up only doing a few pieces of chicken and then comparing it to the others. I used water, salt, garlic, and a little brown sugar. About to start smoking so I can get everything on the smoker in a few hours...

UVaJester
03-14-2010, 05:12 PM
Still on the UDS as I'm typing...

10 pounds of chicken and 3 different rubs...
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z275/UVaJester/Smokin/6d9d91ae.jpg

About 40 minutes in...
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z275/UVaJester/Smokin/3dd56eb1.jpg

Learnin Querve
03-15-2010, 11:06 PM
So Jester, how did chicken turn out?

Chris

UVaJester
03-16-2010, 02:32 AM
So Jester, how did chicken turn out?

Chris

I thought I had replied already.... Hahahaa...

This was some of the best chicken I've ever had. I loved all three of the rubs, each were very different and would be cooked with specific reasons. I had a few people over this time and they loved the chicken too. It was a quiet house for about 30 minutes after the food was ready. Thanks again everyone...

Phubar
03-16-2010, 04:40 AM
Looking good!

Ribbin' Randy
03-16-2010, 07:13 AM
This past weekend I mixed some EVOO, balsamic vinegar, soy, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary for brick chicken on the weber. It was wonderful:-D

Kevin Garceau
03-16-2010, 07:19 AM
I havent done thighs on the smoker yet. But have been brining with a simple brine of kosher salt, brown sugar, some rubs for flavor and anything else I feel like.

On the grill its the best, wife loves it. We switched to thighs almost exclusivly for the taste and the cost.

Gotta get them on the WSM and give them a shot soon.