Only took two days :D I'm short on cooking time though, due to a constant date with my tree stand. Anyway, I want to have skinless chicken breasts soon on the grill, but I want a smoke flavor to them as well. When the time comes, all I'm really wanting to do is smoke the chicken for an hr or so & then grill 'em. So, my question is, can I smoke 'em ( for that time period ) with only the smoke generator on , or do I have to have the heating element on as well. Since I won't have much time to be messing with preparation, I'm just looking for a quick thrill here due to time constraints. Thanks !
Welcome to the forum outdoorsfellar. Chicken is a good way to get started.
I would season those breasts, wrap them in bacon and then hot smoke at 220, an hour work but think that a puck or 2 more would be good. Then finish off on the grill. Using the generator only would leave the chicken in the danger zone to lone and I would worry about the nasties with poultry. Good luck.
The short answer is yes, that will work.
I am with FLB on this one. Another forum member cold smoked steaks for a couple of hours (the smoker generator was even out of the tower) and then grilled them and turned out big smiles on the faces of the people that eat them.
HR
What you are planing will work but if you wrap them in plastic after the smoke then place them in the fridge over night the smoke flavor will blend with the chicken better.
Congrats Fellar!
Now the fun begins. Don't forget to season your Bradley prior to smoking food the first time.
KyNola
Like KyNola said season the smoker, keep the vent 1/2 to full open when using the smoker, you do not want a lot of moisture to build up inside the smoker. I would smoke the chicken at 200-250 F for a good 40-60 minutes then finish on the grill.
Welcome to the forum,
pens
Congrats on your new toy. Lots of know how around here. Remember to cook by IT and not time. Post pics if ya got'm
ODF, congrats on that smoker finding it's home. The fun has just begun. Find time to smoke something exciting and like mike says post them pictures.
Good Luck on your new Adventure. CRG
Wellllllllll ...... I didn't do the chicken like I had planned. I had it marinated in Italian dressing as it was & I didn't know which smoke to use that would satisfy my taste buds & before I knew it, it was time for the treestand. I DID buy a 4lb loin earlier today, so that with some rub, bacon & a rainy day, tomorrow will be my project. With this, I don't want to use any foil ... unless I'm told differently, so I'm planning on a low 150 degree ? - 9am - 4, 5PM ish smoker cooking. I couldn't find any loin recipies that seemed to fit the bill for what I'm doing, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it ;)
Is that a pork loin?
Quote from: HawkeyeSmokes on October 01, 2009, 05:59:14 PM
Is that a pork loin?
Yes it is..... sorry I didn't mention that.
Then I would smoke at 220 for 2 hours, then cook at 220 until an IT of 140 to 145 is reached. You don't want to over cook and dry it out. Total time is a guess but between 4 to 6 hours. No foil needed but if you want to hold it until ready to eat, FTC it for a while. Choice of wood is open for discussion, I would use apple or oak.
Quote from: HawkeyeSmokes on October 01, 2009, 06:25:17 PM
T then cook at 220 until an IT of 140 to 145 is reached.
Thanks for the quick reply. These forums here are the most lively off all I belong to ! ;D So I take it that the IT of 140 -5 in the loin is the end result ? I dunno why, but I keep thinking it would take longer.
I did a whole pork loin (9.88 lbs) two weeks ago and cut it up into 1/3 I did everything HS said except took mine to 153 and then FTC for cpl hrs. Two came out very moist and one was dry and it was the small end (tapered) of the loin. I didn't IT each individual loin just kept checking one and I should have IT'ed all three. I made a mistake and I learned something. The one that was dry I slice for sammies and it turn out good. CRG
Quote from: outdoorsfellar on October 01, 2009, 06:47:03 PM
Quote from: HawkeyeSmokes on October 01, 2009, 06:25:17 PM
T then cook at 220 until an IT of 140 to 145 is reached.
Thanks for the quick reply. These forums here are the most lively off all I belong to ! ;D So I take it that the IT of 140 -5 in the loin is the end result ? I dunno why, but I keep thinking it would take longer.
Yes, the IT of 140 to 145 is when you want to pull it, then rest it. Time is only a guess. Once you do the same thing a few times, you can narrow it down, but it's still low and slow. But it's all good! And yes, this is a very active forum with a lot of great people willing to help. ;D
And with that, thanks ! ;)
Quote from: outdoorsfellar on October 01, 2009, 06:47:03 PM
Quote from: HawkeyeSmokes on October 01, 2009, 06:25:17 PM
T then cook at 220 until an IT of 140 to 145 is reached.
Thanks for the quick reply. These forums here are the most lively off all I belong to ! ;D So I take it that the IT of 140 -5 in the loin is the end result ? I dunno why, but I keep thinking it would take longer.
The reason for low and slow is to cook tough meat at the proper "slow" rate so that the fats and collagen break down, melt, gel before the meat fibers themselves get overdone and dry out. Well also to add smoke flavor - okay! A pork loin is tender enough already that a long cook is not necessary to get it tender - so all you have to do is to smoke it for flavor while cooking it to a "proper/safe" temperature. The problem with pork loins, is that they are so lean, that sometimes they dry out before they are "done". The FDA recommends an internal temp of 165 for safety. However, many, including myself, have successfully used a lower IT. Many, in an attempt to avoid drying out use several methods including wrapping in bacon, moppin/sopping, brining, injecting, etc... with success. Using either a remote thermometer or an instant read thermometer is highly important when smoking a loin.