Smoking whole chicken need some input!

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kingtut

Newbie
Original poster
Aug 12, 2015
18
17
New Jersey
Gonna smoke the a couple of chickens this weekend...gonna use my same as I've used before for cooking times, but want to inject these birds not brine was looking for input on what ppl are using as injection liquid and how did it turn out?


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This is what Pop always used, and when I inject its what I use now.

2 oz. bottle Liquid Onion

2 oz. bottle Liquid Garlic

1 small bottle tabasco

1 small bottle Lea & Perrins

1 stick butter

1/2 cup salt

Remember to heat it and dissolve the salt then let it cool, undissolved salt plugs the needle. If the poultry is cold, the butter can clot in the needle. If you want to add herbs and spices, steep them as you would do a pot of tea, then strain off the solids.

Us it sparingly, try to get it in the muscles. Inject numerous time with just a little to prevent pooling. Extra keeps well in the reefer for a long time.

Like everything else in smoking, use a light hand on your first attempt, the next attempt you can adjust.

Hope it helps you.

There are numerous brands of premade injection on the market. Most have too much salt. Buddy used a butterball injects Cajun flavored.

Bon Chance
 
This is what Pop always used, and when I inject its what I use now.

2 oz. bottle Liquid Onion
2 oz. bottle Liquid Garlic
1 small bottle tabasco
1 small bottle Lea & Perrins
1 stick butter
1/2 cup salt

Remember to heat it and dissolve the salt then let it cool, undissolved salt plugs the needle. If the poultry is cold, the butter can clot in the needle. If you want to add herbs and spices, steep them as you would do a pot of tea, then strain off the solids.

Us it sparingly, try to get it in the muscles. Inject numerous time with just a little to prevent pooling. Extra keeps well in the reefer for a long time.

Like everything else in smoking, use a light hand on your first attempt, the next attempt you can adjust.

Hope it helps you.

There are numerous brands of premade injection on the market. Most have too much salt. Buddy used a butterball injects Cajun flavored.

Bon Chance

Dat der sounds GOOD! I haven't seen that mix before!

Now, define small bottles.... :biggrin:
 
Dat der sounds GOOD! I haven't seen that mix before!

Now, define small bottles....
biggrin.gif
They are the bottles you see on the table at a greasy spoon. Go in the grocery store, it'll be the smallest bottles. It'll look right.
 
Thanks all I might try both since I'm doing two birds.


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I've injected with Tony's, but plain apple juice to me works just as well. I've never thought about not brining because it melts in your mouth with both, but I've been afraid to experiment.....

I'm interested to see how it turns out. Whole chickens is one of our favorite things to smoke!
 
Thanks all I might try both since I'm doing two birds.


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 I highly suggest you use a cattle syringe to inject with. Those big squirtie out the side needles are fine for large pieces of meat. But chicken is small and more tender.


The one on the bottom right, a plain cattle syringe w/ short needle. Look at your chicken and get it set with grid lines in your minds eye, then just inject a little and do different depths. Those gutys you see on TV who sit in that big needle and just jerk it around are not doing chickens. Think about the muscular of the bird and use it.

Like I keep saying though, the less you put in, the more you'll like it. More causes pooling and pooling is not a good thing.

Here's what you'll normally get from the local feed and seed store and the below box of syringes and the box of needles together were not 20.00 when I bought them, oh and did I mention they last a long long time.


Good luck, but you won't need it.
 
 
does the cattle syringe have a big opening on the needle to be able to shoot something like zesty Italian threw the needle?

dannylang
Don't think so, veggies, herbs and spices need to be liquid. You can buy things like liquid garlic/onion you can boil fresh veggies and fruits, you can steep herbs and spices.

Also don't forget that liquefied butter will clot in the needle when inserted into a cold bird. Its easy to inject birds, you just have to plan ahead like with all great foods, its the prep time that matters.

Only a cook ever really appreciates exceptional foods. Everyone else things it good.
 
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