- Joined
- Jan 14, 2006
- Location
- At home...
On my last shopping day the market had fryers on sale so I bought a 6# one to do a wet cure and double smoke. I did my standard front and back half butchering and brined both halves in a gallon of curing brine for 24 hours. Basic mix of salt, sugar, black pepper and Cure#1.
After curing I let the skin dry for 2 hours in the fridge, then cold smoked it in my Big Chief for 2 hours and finally finished it in my BGE at 250° which took another 2 hours. I pulled the breast at 160°, and the dark half at 185°. My intent was to chill the breast and use for sandwiches, so we had some of the dark meat with dinner last night, and I tried a cold sandwich for lunch. The moistness and tenderness was good, the cure changes the texture slightly and does give it the slight pink color. Surprisingly, the smoky flavor could have been a little harder. But all in all for a $6 chicken I was pleased.
After curing I let the skin dry for 2 hours in the fridge, then cold smoked it in my Big Chief for 2 hours and finally finished it in my BGE at 250° which took another 2 hours. I pulled the breast at 160°, and the dark half at 185°. My intent was to chill the breast and use for sandwiches, so we had some of the dark meat with dinner last night, and I tried a cold sandwich for lunch. The moistness and tenderness was good, the cure changes the texture slightly and does give it the slight pink color. Surprisingly, the smoky flavor could have been a little harder. But all in all for a $6 chicken I was pleased.