Chicken Thies

[Chez Bubba]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Habanero Smoker</i>
<br />It appears that the Chinese Soy and Terriyaki is much richer.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Based on the world economy right now, I think you're right.[;)][:(]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[Habanero Smoker]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Chez Bubba</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Habanero Smoker</i>
<br />It appears that the Chinese Soy and Terriyaki is much richer.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Based on the world economy right now, I think you're right.[;)][:(]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I just might have made them a little richer. Today I bought some Chinese Soy Sauce. [:D]

I never knew there was a difference in Soy Sauce other than regualar or Lite. I haven't tried it yet. I'm planning on trying a variation on Angelo's recipe.

[Habanero Smoker]

This recipe by Angelo had me curious. The following is my version of Angelo's Chicken Thighs. I could not locate Eel sauce, so I substituted Oyster sauce. Make sure you purchase Chinese soy sauce; there is a difference between that and the Japanese varieties. I like this recipe enough to give it another try, though I may have to adjust the amounts of ginger or garlic or both. I'll wait until I get the results from my brother, who has become the official taster.

The chicken thighs I smoked where skinless, I will try them with skin next time. I did not use any rub, but did put rubbed them with olive oil and sprinkled them with freshly ground pepper.


BRINE:
1 pt Apple Juice,
1 12 oz Beer (use a premium beer)
1/4 cup kosher salt,
1/4 cup Brown sugar,
1/4 cup Chinese Soy Sauce,
1/4 cup Oyster sauce,
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Chopped fresh ginger (approximately 1 square inch piece)
3 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
6 pounds Chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a nonreative container, except chicken. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. In the mean time, remove any extra fat from the chicken thighs and rinse well. Pat dry and place thighs in a nonreactive bowl or plastic bag. Pour brine over thighs, refrigerate and brine for 10 hrs.

Remove thighs from brine, and place on oiled inverted racks, skin side down (I'm not sure if this produced better result, I had skinless thighs), and let air dry in the refrigerator until the thighs feel tacky to touch (approximately 8 hours or overnight).

Allow thighs to set at room temperature for one hour, prior to smoking. During this time you can dust them with your favorite rub, or just black pepper. Smokeat at 220 degrees F. for approximately 2 hours, or until meat temperature is 165 degrees F; using 5 apple or maple bisquettes.

[psdubl07]

I would echo Snapper's comment to use Scotch Bonnets (or Habaneros) for an authentic taste, but you have to like heat!  And be very careful when chopping these, gloves are a must!

Also, you can find Walkerswood products in certain stores, or order off their website.  Their Jerk sauces and marinades are da bomb!
http://www.walkerswood.com/

As far as eel sauce, sounds like what is brushed on unagi (broiled eel) in a sushi restaurant.  I've seen this made before and here is a pretty standard recipe.  Of course, it's much easier to buy a bottle, then again, I don't think the roasted/simmered eel remains are gonna be a deal-breaker for Jerked chicken thighs.

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbs mirin
2 tbs sake
Sugar to taste
¶ Pour ingredients into a saucepan, and simmer until slightly thickened. You may adjust the proportions according to your taste. If you want thicker, sweeter sauce, increase the amount of mirin and decrease the amount of sake. If you want more fragrant, drier sauce, do the opposite.
¶ For the real sauce:
Ingredients as above
Head, fins and the backbone of eels
¶ Over hot coal, roast the head, fins and the backbone of eels until charred. Put in the above sauce and simmer for half an hour, or until the grease from the eels is well blended with the sauce. Add a tiny bit of sansho, if you like.

[Habanero Smoker]

Walkerwoods is the best jerk rub that is commercially made. I use it often, and fortunately I live relatively close to several Jamaican specialty stores and restaurants, where I can purchase it.

As for the Eel sauce, I found it on line. Amazon.com has a gourmet store, which they allow several other vendors to use their site to sell their products. I ordered some yesterday; one bottle is $1.50 for 50mls (or .22 of a cup). I ordered four bottles, so I will be trying the thighs again soon http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00023Z4TC/ref=wl_it_dp/103-6475438-0451060?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I8UY87XDU6QO8&v=glance&colid=3I5ANMUX2RUJY .

[Habanero Smoker]

I am still trying to tweak this recipe. I did use eel sauce this time. It came out real good, so the eel sauce does make a big difference. Eel sauce is hard to find, and becomes expensive if you have to order it on line. You can leave it out of the recipe; it will still taste good, but different. I believe I can make a substitute for eel sauce by using mirin, smoked fish (which is easier for me to get then eel), soy sauce, and a sweetener. If it comes out half way good, I will post that recipe. Also I have reduced the salt and added Teriyaki sauce. In addition, I've increased the ginger, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. It is more of a marinade than a brine.

Marinade:
1 pt Apple Juice,
1 12 oz Beer (use a good beer)
2 Tbs. kosher salt,
1/4 C. Dark Brown sugar,
1/4 C. Chinese Soy Sauce,
1/4 C. Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 C. Eel Sauce (optional)
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Fresh ginger, coarsely chopped (3 inch piece about the diameter of a quarter)
4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
6 pounds Chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a noncorrosive container, except chicken. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. In the mean time, remove any extra fat from the chicken thighs and rinse well. Pat dry and place thighs in a noncorrosive bowl or plastic bag. Pour marinade over thighs, refrigerate and brine for 7 – 8 hours.

Remove thighs from marinade, and brush off any pieces of ginger or garlic. Place thighs on oiled inverted racks, skin side down (I'm not sure if placing the thighs skin down produces better results, I tried both skin down and skin up – I could not detect any noticeable difference), and let air dry in the refrigerator until the thighs feel tacky to touch (approximately 8 hours or overnight).

Allow thighs to set at room temperature for one hour, prior to smoking. During this time you can dust them with your favorite rub, or just black pepper. Smoke at 220 degrees F. until meat temperature is 165 degrees F; using 5 – 6 apple or maple bisquettes.