I got 2 whole chickens to brine and smoke tomorrow.
Got the brine going now.
BASIC
1 Cup kosher salt
2/3 Cup sugar
2 T crab boil
Boil the water, Take off heat and add salt & sugar. Stir until dissolved. Then add whatever you like.
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nepas
Mmmm, liquid crab boil. Love that stuff and when they say concentrated, they're not kidding!
KyNola
Man you guys have some neat stuff down there. We don't get stuff like the crab boil. I assume it is from the crab shells and parts all boiled to a broth like concotion kind of like chicken or beef broth. Do you use the whole thing or just add to water?
No crabs were harmed in making the crab boil.
Ok, so what is it then. Someone suggested I use some for boiling my hotdogs yesterday, but we don't get stuff like that up here, at least not in any store I have ever been in.
Quote from: Quarlow on December 06, 2009, 09:18:24 AM
but we don't get stuff like that up here, at least not in any store I have ever been in.
In our stores it is usually near the seafood counter.
You could use "Old bay" (Dry) seasoning mix as well, and I think I've seen a (copycat) recipe for it online:
* 1 Tbsp. ground bay leaves
* 2-1/2 tsp. celery salt
* 1-1/2 tsp. dry mustard
* 1 tsp. ground black pepper
* 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
* 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
* 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
* 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
* 1 tsp. paprika
* 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/4 tsp. ground mace
* 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
I got em swimmin in the spa water then tomorrow they get a smokeover :D ;D
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nepas
nice idea adding the crab boil to the brine.
sounds very interesting.
Is there a water to mix ratio you like or just go by taste.
Quote from: Quarlow on December 06, 2009, 10:56:58 AM
Is there a water to mix ratio you like or just go by taste.
I just went by taste.
I aint one much to follow what the (cures/brine cops) say to do ;D
nepas
Well i guess the Mrs aint going to get any chicken, I just got informed that she leaves for Atlanta in the morning for a week :-\
I guess you will be eating chicken sammies all week.
Quote from: NePaSmoKer on December 06, 2009, 11:27:50 AM
she leaves for Atlanta in the morning for a week :-\
I feel a sausage-stick-smoke-a-thon coming on!
Crab boil is a very intense highly seasoned liquid used to boil, crabs, shrimp, crawfish, HOT DOGS, etc in. You can also get a dry mix crab boil that you put in with your water but the liquid is so much easier and pakcs a wallop of flavor. FLBR hits it right when he says you could put Old Bay Seasoning in the water as well.
KyNola
Well we don't get it here so I am going to make some dry. Thanks for the recipe FLBR now I have a reason to use the Cardamom that has been in the cupboard for years, I don't even know where it came from. And thanks again KY, I am going to put some in the next hotdogs I boil. I hate grilled dogs and boiled is so boring.
Nepas did you cool the brine before placing te chicken in it. I know you said you put it in the spa water. But I just want o make sure
HR
Quote from: Hopefull Romantic on December 06, 2009, 03:41:34 PM
Nepas did you cool the brine before placing te chicken in it. I know you said you put it in the spa water. But I just want o make sure
HR
Oh yeah. Put the pan of hot brine in the snow to bring it down quick. Temp of brine was 34* when i drowned the cluckers :D
Here they are in the smoker. Pecan/Alder IT is 225* cuz baby its cold outside ;D
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nepas
Dumb question of the day ......
Are brines supposed to be boiled before use?
I have always just mixed components together and dumped away
I mayu have goofed in the past and thought I was doing well !
I don't believe the boiling is a safety thing.
It is easier to get the salt (and other items) to dissolve in hot water.
FLB is right, it just lets the salt and sugar desolve faster but you need to cool the brine down to the mid 30s before you add the barn birds
Its cold today, smoker having a time getting past 220* so i had to improvise some ;D
nepas
Oh no Tim taylor.... I mean Nepas has turbo charged his bradley! ;D ;D
uh..........ohhhhhhhhhhhh :D
KyNola
The kids are done ;D
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nepawonka :D
ok nepas how did you pump up the volume on the Bradley.
Quote from: Quarlow on December 07, 2009, 03:59:24 PM
ok nepas how did you pump up the volume on the Bradley.
Oh now i dont want to give away all my most precious smoking secrets ;D :D
Like WONKA
nepawonka
NePaSmoKer, you are the smokin man that is for sure.
That is some might fine looking chicken Nepas!!!!
Quote from: NePaSmoKer on December 06, 2009, 11:27:50 AM
Well i guess the Mrs aint going to get any chicken, I just got informed that she leaves for Atlanta in the morning for a week :-\
Woo Hoo party at NePas house.
That yard bird looks gooood, never thought of using crab boil, but have used most every thing thats in the boil in some of my brines.
Also I feel that boiling the brine helps bring out the flavor of the dried spices.
We don't want the recipe for a "everlastinggobstopper" just everything else. ;D ;D
The secret is that i put pellets on the puck burner.
nepas
That is a cool idea. Do you contain the pellets or just lay them on. The first thing that came to mind was cutting the bottom out of a tuna can and set it on the burner.
Sorry I didn't elaborate on the crab boil. They pegged it real good. Old bay is the closest thing I've found to it. Kick it up with some red pepper and it's close.
STAND up wind when you use it for boiling. The longer you let it soak the spicier it gets.
Stupid video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of-AbVf31Vs
Quote from: Quarlow on December 07, 2009, 06:08:34 PM
That is a cool idea. Do you contain the pellets or just lay them on. The first thing that came to mind was cutting the bottom out of a tuna can and set it on the burner.
I have a small foil tray but they smoke better when i just put em on the slide.
nepas
Ron,
If I ever make it down to your neck of the woods. I will buy the beer you just boil up some of them mudbugs. Damn they looked good!!
OH YEAH
Those bugs do look good. Thats the way we eat em at my wifes family place in Baton Rouge.
Do you purge them in fresh water?
nepas
Nepas,
In the video he said he rinsed them twice in the cooler. I guess that would be purging them. Ron said that the water was running clear after the second rinse so he didn't need to do it a third time.
Neat video, Ron!
There is a place near Springfield that has fresh crawfish flown in a couple times a week during the summer. They sell them raw, or boiled up and ready to eat by the pound. Might have to look into that..
Quote from: squirtthecat on December 08, 2009, 06:40:09 AM
Neat video, Ron!
There is a place near Springfield that has fresh crawfish flown in a couple times a week during the summer. They sell them raw, or boiled up and ready to eat by the pound. Might have to look into that..
My wife's uncle told us to never buy bugs that are already dead, Fresh movers are better.
nepas
Good to know! These things must be flash frozen, then shipped up.
Nepas,
I know your picture is of you out hunting but it looks like a shriveled up thumb when you use it as an avatar! Just thought I thought would through that out there.
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on December 08, 2009, 06:59:25 AM
Nepas,
I know your picture is of you out hunting but it looks like a shriveled up thumb when you use it as an avatar! Just thought I thought would through that out there.
Thanks buddy :D
Hows that now ;D
Great looking yard birds NePas, bet they tasted even better. Also cool idea of using the pellets.
ronbeaux, great vidieo. Crawfish is something on the must try list.
Quarlow have you checked sobies or foodland becuase we have old bay seasoning here in our stores. It usualy located on the bottom shelf of the spice and seasoning area.
Quote from: dbondy on December 08, 2009, 08:18:58 AM
Quarlow have you checked sobies or foodland becuase we have old bay seasoning here in our stores. It usualy located on the bottom shelf of the spice and seasoning area.
I've never even heard of those stores! Where might I find them. I'll google it.
NePaS - Good looking chickens. Interesting idea with the pellets. I don't have a pellet pooper and so don't have any around. When I first got my OBS, the bisquettes were a few days behind. So, I used some hickory chunks on the hot plate to season the OBS. Got a lot of smoke.
I've never done crawfish. We have the larger variety up here in the northeast. :D
Quote from: Quarlow on December 08, 2009, 08:40:16 AM
Quote from: dbondy on December 08, 2009, 08:18:58 AM
Quarlow have you checked sobies or foodland becuase we have old bay seasoning here in our stores. It usualy located on the bottom shelf of the spice and seasoning area.
I've never even heard of those stores! Where might I find them. I'll google it.
As I suspected there is none of these SOBEY's stores within 1000 miles of me and the closest Foodland is in Ontario. Oh well. Thanks though.
Quote from: Quarlow on December 08, 2009, 09:04:54 AM
Quote from: Quarlow on December 08, 2009, 08:40:16 AM
Quote from: dbondy on December 08, 2009, 08:18:58 AM
Quarlow have you checked sobies or foodland becuase we have old bay seasoning here in our stores. It usualy located on the bottom shelf of the spice and seasoning area.
I've never even heard of those stores! Where might I find them. I'll google it.
As I suspected there is none of these SOBEY's stores within 1000 miles of me and the closest Foodland is in Ontario. Oh well. Thanks though.
Q, I can just send you some if you like.
Ron,
Those crawfish look great! You're making NePaS and me awfully hungry about now. Nothing better than a backyard crawfish boil.
Hey Rick, start the Jeep and head this way. We need to start heading South. Only 9 hours from my house.
KyNola
Thanks Arnie I'll keep that in mind. But if I open another bottle of sauce around here, SHE who is affectionately known as "WOMBAT" will change the locks on me. ;D ;D
Quote from: NePaSmoKer on December 08, 2009, 07:14:29 AM
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on December 08, 2009, 06:59:25 AM
Nepas,
I know your picture is of you out hunting but it looks like a shriveled up thumb when you use it as an avatar! Just thought I thought would through that out there.
Thanks buddy :D
Hows that now ;D
Much better!!!