Smoking!

I know I don't grill or smoke often enough. Every year I vow to do it more often. Pretty much every year I fail

This weekend I will be smoking a jerk-marinated & spatchcocked chicken. Wish me luck

Will be the first time to use the new (replacement, same version) electric smoker. We killed the last one (belonged to my in-laws) so we bought a replacement but it lives at our house because my in-laws rarely use it and they live in too many other places to want to come get it very often:evillaugh


Now, off to figure out how to access the Cook's Illustrated work-around for faking pimiento wood.....

 

If we're home we're likely grilling, but I too don't get the smoker out often enough.

After the ribs discussion a bit back, on Friday I did St. Louis spares and baby backs, same rub and cooking processes (par-bake then grill with apple wood infusion, though time was of course different), pretty much to answer side-by-side which cut we like. I'm still a St. Louis-style, Terri's gone over to the back side.

Spatchcocked? EVEN I don't use that word. lol

Have fun. Sounds like some good eats.

 

I've been wanting to use that word for ages since I read Ruhlman's weeknight chicken in a cast iron skillet recipe Seems appropriate here....And it makes sense for smoking - in the past, I've just separated legs from breast when doing birds in the smoker, but flattening the entire thing should work as well. Fingers crossed!

 

Is spatchcocked the same thing as butterflying-----cut it down the middle, remove the backbone and loosen the leg and thigh joints??

 

We often "spatchcock" chickens when grilling or roasting. Actually, we often split and flatten chickens when grilling or roasting.

 

Remove backbone, flatten.
http://www.marthastewart.com/891288/how-spatchcock-chicken/@center/897845/chicken-recipes

(I learned that butterflying is splitting boneless meat in half to flatten, not anything with bones - Wiki says that yes, butterflying is also used to describe spatchcocking ;-) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterflying )

 

It smelled so good and we were so hungry, I forgot to take a picture. Turned out great! A wee bit spicy for me (I used Walkerswood jerk marinade) but I managed to eat despite the tingling of my mouth & lips ;-) Made stock from the carcass - need to make sure I label it well before freezing! It should make some good soups in the fall & winter! I especially love a smoked turkey or smoked chicken stock - based on a soup we had in Guatemala many years ago with smoked turkey (xoxhitl) - now I'm obsessed!

 

Glad to hear!

 

spatchcock is the best way to deal with smoking a whole bird for evenness.

bigger birds are worth brining but I find it too much hassle... injecting works pretty well too.

sounds though it came out ok though.


I just got rid of my offset smoker - looking for an electric one next once I find the right one I can build the bar on the patio to fit it in. The offset was too big!

 

I will brine a turkey (assuming I don't get one that is pre-brined eg Butterball...) but a 4lb organic chicken from Costco doesn't need it. It was so moist and fabulous!

(I have to dismember turkeys to smoke, though in that case I usually do breast + legs, because a spatchcocked turkey would still be too big ;-)

Since I don't smoke a ton, we have a $200 electric version from Tractor Supply. The original model lasted ~8 years (?) and the heating element died (my husband and FIL are working on repairing it in case we need a replacement for the new smoker ;-)