Half a chicken

crabwise · August 02, 2009, 06:05:12 PM

I'm just a novice at this, but learning. I smoked a half chicken again tonight, some for tonight, and the rest for lunch this week. I started out with a brine for about 24 hours, then smoke for roughly 3 hours. (I say "roughly" because I had to leave for a while, and I didn't count the pucks before I left. They were done when I got back, but there was still smoke in the Bradly) I finished it on the grill. It came out awesome, as is usually the case with this smoker.

I gotta say, I've been lurking here for a while, and have gotten some great tips. Thanks guys/gals.

I'm still searching for the ultimate Kielbasi recipe ... Oldman...?

Pics.. Let me know what I'm doing wrong. ;D

HawkeyeSmokes · August 02, 2009, 06:16:01 PM

Nice looking chicken there crabwise. And welcome to the forum.

FLBentRider · August 02, 2009, 06:21:36 PM

W E L C O M E to the Forum crabwise!

Vent Full open for poultry.

smokeitall · August 02, 2009, 06:22:32 PM

Great looking chicken..

Welcome Aboard.

SIA

Mr Walleye · August 02, 2009, 07:06:07 PM

Chicken looks fantastic Crabwise! 8)

Here is a kielbasa recipe I use. It is really good and I make it all the time.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=8890.0

Mike

Caribou · August 02, 2009, 07:49:07 PM

Awesome chicken Crabwise!
And welcome to the forum...looking forward to seeing more!
Carolyn

mikecorn.1 · August 02, 2009, 11:23:44 PM

thats one good looking yardbird

pensrock · August 03, 2009, 07:06:50 AM

Mike and I use pretty much the same kielbasa recipe, I have never heard a complaint. There may be better ones out there but I have not tried them, yet.... always looking.
Welcome to the forum.
pens

crabwise · August 03, 2009, 09:22:25 AM

>>Mike and I use pretty much the same kielbasa recipe<<

Thanks, I'll give it a try. One question... can I use saltpeter instead of the cure #1? And if so, how much?

Mr Walleye · August 03, 2009, 09:50:34 AM

Quote from: crabwise on August 03, 2009, 09:22:25 AM
>>Mike and I use pretty much the same kielbasa recipe<<

Thanks, I'll give it a try. One question... can I use saltpeter instead of the cure #1? And if so, how much?

To my knowledge no, you can't. As I understand saltpeter is pure sodium nitrate and not sodium nitrite. Nitrate is used in dry curing sausage over long periods of time. Nitrate is an ingrediant in cure #2.

The reason why people have gone away from using saltpeter or any pure nitrite or nitrate is because of how accurate you have to measure it. To give you and example; cure #1 typically only contains 6.25% sodium nitrite and you only use 1 tsp per 5 lbs at that ratio. There is very little nitrite in there and in the case of cures... more is not better.

I would just go buy some cure #1 because it's not very expensive and you certainly don't want to make anybody sick for sure.

Mike

sherlock · August 03, 2009, 10:10:14 AM

Never done chicken like this. Want to try. What smoker temp should I use? At what IT do you take it out the smoker and put is on the grill? Is the grill preheated? What IT should the chicken go to on the grill? Will the grill crisp up the skin of the bird?

???

OU812 · August 03, 2009, 10:38:27 AM

That chicken looks delish

I do half chicks quite often and love it but i dont brine. I like to inject them with some butter mixed with some rub (finely ground in the coffee grinder) that i put on the out side.

Quote from: sherlock on August 03, 2009, 10:10:14 AM
Never done chicken like this. Want to try. What smoker temp should I use? At what IT do you take it out the smoker and put is on the grill? Is the grill preheated? What IT should the chicken go to on the grill? Will the grill crisp up the skin of the bird?

???

I like to smoke chicken with 2 hr Alder at a cabnet temp of 220 F then when the smoke is done put them on a hot grill with indirect heat till the IT is 156 F and pull off to a plate to rest about 10 min by that time the IT hits about 160 F

crabwise · August 03, 2009, 11:54:10 AM

Sherlock,

I'm probably not as precise as OU, the smoker temp was around 200, according to the thermometer on the door. I smoked it for around 2 1/2 to 3 hrs, then moved it the preheated grill. As soon as I put it on the grill I lowered the setting to medium. After about 30 minutes the juice was running clear and internal temp was just a little under 170. It does crisp up the skin some, but not too much. This was an exceptionally juicy half chicken. It was tasty.

Caneyscud · August 03, 2009, 01:29:47 PM

Welcome aboard Crab. Brine is magical on yard bird and on them bigger cousins. Good looking half. Half chickens are good eats and I've been known to put more than a couple down at a setting. Bet I could do that with that one also!

crabwise · August 03, 2009, 01:41:21 PM

Quote from: Caneyscud on August 03, 2009, 01:29:47 PM
Welcome aboard Crab. Brine is magical on yard bird and on them bigger cousins. Good looking half. Half chickens are good eats and I've been known to put more than a couple down at a setting. Bet I could do that with that one also!

Thanks Caneyscud. I couldn't agree more about the brine. It definitely makes a difference.