Cured Smoked Chicken w/Q-View

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foamheart

Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
When I saw Pops cured smoked turkeys for his party past week I was total into it. I think when I was a kid my Pop made a cured turkey for thanksgiving once and it was the more tender flavorful bird I ever had. All excited Sunday I slide a 6lber in you special chicken brining tool. But I get ahead of myself.

First I asked Pop to check my idea. Then I washed rinsed and patted dry my bird.

Then I made my cure. Standard Pop's cure brine except for a 1/2 gallon end product.

1T pink cure

1/2C white sugar

1/2C brown sugar

13/32C canning salt

A healthy pinch of herbs de provence

1qt. spring water

Bring to a boil and cool.

Add 1/2 qt. of ice cubes

2 capfuls of maple extract

Now, here's my special chicken curing device loaded with the cure


Here's the chicken


Here he is again slipping into the Jacuzzi


Look how perfectly he fits, see his little toes just barely tipping out the water? When the air tight lid is added no one can run him outta the water. Good bye little chicken I'll be back in two days.


Its been two days. Rinsed and patted dry. Panned and left uncovered in the reefer till tomorrow.


We'll see you tomorrow. I am planning this to be low and slow.

Currently I am thinking for tomorrow;

Cured Smoked Chicken

Corn on the Cob

Potato Salad

Honey Wheat Light Bread rolls
 
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I'm in Foam !

:popcorn. :beercheer:

I ordered my ticket online, but never received a conformation e-mail.... :dunno
 
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Good morning one and all.....

<clears throat>

Errr.... Good afternoon.....LOL Long night last night.

Sorry I missed recharging the camera last night so I won't bore you with a load of pictures this morning.


Note the nice pellicle formation everywhere but the drumsticks. I suggest if you give this a try that you lay a damp paper towel over just the drumsticks. I didn't take into consideration the dehydrating affect the cure had on the bird. Only the drumsticks were dry though.

I can outside and fired the Smoker up. 220, pecan chips, with some apple in the AMPS. Pecan will give it a dark brown pretty color. And did all those things you do when prepping an electric to smoke.

Came back inside, rubbed the bird with my special blend of EVOO and spice. I don't know why I used spice since it can't penetrate the skins natural oils to get to the meat anyway. But the skin will be tastee! Pulled out the paper towel from the cavity. Tied his little legs so he couldn't run away. I penetrated the poor bird with the pre-inspected  probe & insured good continuity. Then I threw it on the smoker and reduced the temp to 200 degrees.

Came back inside after all that work and fixed a cup of coffee with special spices and heated up a nice semi-fresh honey wheat cinnamon role!


An hour later I checked the smoker nice thin blue escaping thru the "regulated" vent. (soon as the battery charges we'll have more Q-View)
 
Really nice smoke, but I get ahead of myself. Remember it was smoked at 200 degrees with pecan and a hint of apple.

2 hours into the smoke


4 hours into the smoke


4 hours, look at that temp.......


<drum roll please>


Ta Da!! After a 30 min. break.......


Juicy, tender, cured very close to perfectly (maybe a pinch too much salt so make it about 11/32nds of a cup instead).

My next one I will try with Pop new healthy brine. This one tasted exactly like the local smoke house sells for smoked. They don't say squat about being cured.

It was a turkey done this way that I remember in my youth that made me fall in love with smoked meats. My Pop did a huge turkey like this for Thanksgiving one year smoked with water over charcoal with a bit of hickory. LOL... My frugal Mom was trying to get it put up in the reefer after the meal and everyone just kept tearing into it. We made her mad about it.....LOL

I am sorry no Bear View, For some unknown reason the neighbor knocked on the door just as the plates where ready, then when they left it was all gone....LOL But was a delicious meal. I wouldn't want it everyday, but I am guessing this is how my thanksgiving turkey will taste, I hope so anyway.

Thanks for looking in. I consider it a huge success, if you do one, back slightly off the salt or drop back from 48 hours of brine to maybe 36. Cover the legs while the pellicle forms. AND don't open the door when the food is on the plate!

BTW you guys with your crisp skins, I'll swap any-day for a low and slow smoke. Mmmmmm...................
 
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That looks awesome Foam. Points..

I was almost there too.
 
Awesome Foam, I'd have no problem making some of that disappear ! If ya are kind enough to leave your front door open & get a knock on the back door, be sure & take your time investigating..... 5 minutes should suffice ! :icon_lol: Again, great lookin smoke ! :banana_smiley:
 
I'm in Foam !

popcorn.gif
.
beercheer.gif


I ordered my ticket online, but never received a conformation e-mail....
th_dunno-1%5B1%5D.gif
Just catching up..... I wasn't ignoring anyone.

I have to check with that ticket site. I didn't get any money either!
Gonna be a tasty bird! Can't wait to see the finale!
Thank ya sir
 
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Mmmmm.... popcorn!
 
Looking good...great idea on the brining tool! ;)
Its just a baby turkey right? LOL.... thanks for dropping in.
 
Awesome Foam, I'd have no problem making some of that disappear ! If ya are kind enough to leave your front door open & get a knock on the back door, be sure & take your time investigating..... 5 minutes should suffice !
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Again, great lookin smoke !
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Thank you sir, that was the most awesome color I have had on a chicken in a while, I wonder if the hot and fast doesn't affect that?
 
Looks good, nice color on the bird! How was the skin? I've smoked 3 birds so far and it's flavor is good but I kinda ruins my favorite part, I always get rubbery skin that you can't bite through.
 
 
Looks good, nice color on the bird! How was the skin? I've smoked 3 birds so far and it's flavor is good but I kinda ruins my favorite part, I always get rubbery skin that you can't bite through.
If you are flying electric you'll probably never see crisp skin. Although, I don't remember it being tuff or rubbery.

Our options for crisp skin are, pull early and grill or take to the oven at a higher temp to crisp OR get a first breather where you can get the temp over 325, preferably 350.

Its just something that you give up for the convenience and accuracy of an electric, much like the smoke ring. 
 
Sorry, Foam, I am late to this. I am getting to agree with you on the slow smoke for the chicken but I still like a bit of crisping on the grill. However, you have added a cured bird to my to do list. Thanks.

Disco
 
Hey Foam!!------I gotta tell you, Man!!!-------That Bird is Freakin' Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!
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I'm sure Pops is Proud of you, because I certainly am!!----It looks soooo Perfect !!!----------------
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Great Job!! 
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Bear
 
Points for the most beautiful bird I've ever seen! I'm one of those hot and fast people for poultry, and depending on the wood species and amount, it can affect the color. I've actually had to "cheat" at the end of smokes by dumping in a bunch of wood chunks to intentionally generate a few minutes of billowy smoke to get more color on the skin. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it works.   
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However, for a cured bird, it looks like low and slow might be the better way to go. Since the curing process is also brines the bird and denatures the proteins, it's gonna hold onto the moisture and avoid that mushy, pasty texture that in my experience is one of the dangers of low and slow for poultry.

Thanks for sharing your process and proving that there are many different methods that work!
 
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