Dirtsailor's High Temp Chicken Smoke. Debunking that low and slow, brined and spritzed is the only w

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Nice direct grill there . Dirtsailor... Me like that.
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Thanks Stan!
 
Nicely done as usual DS!

I agree the only way to do chicken is hot and fast, and brined.  I don't spritz because I like the heat to stay in the smoker.

Looks fantastic!

Bill
 
Nicely done as usual DS!

I agree the only way to do chicken is hot and fast, and brined.  I don't spritz because I like the heat to stay in the smoker.

Looks fantastic!

Bill

Thanks Bill. I don't brine a bird unless I am looking for a different flavor profile. Which is why we brine our turkey. We like the flavors!
 
Thanks Bill. I don't brine a bird unless I am looking for a different flavor profile. Which is why we brine our turkey. We like the flavors!
Case i had a turkey brine i loved but lost the recipe...gonna have to find it again but it had cloves and  turbinado sugar i know.  The cloves made all the difference in the world imo. 
 
Looks great! Love the photo skills too. I do agree that a PROPERLY cooked bird doesn't benefit nearly as much from brining as one that might have gotten away from you. I still maintain that brining is a sound investment in time and ingredients for those (like me) who might not be paying close enough attention to the temp to pull it off at the magic moment. With a brine, you'll still have moist white meat well into the mid 170's.

And I agree 100% on high temp for poultry. Not only does the skin benefit in a big way, but I think the texture of the meat is much better.

That mini is a chicken smoking MACHINE!

Thanks for sharing!!
 
GREAT lookin Q sailor.  What I like about your post is that it shows that there is more than 1 way to achieve great results.  Sometimes it seems there are too many rules people figure must be followed.  So long as you get results like that, to he11 with the rules.  GREAT job!   Keep Smokin!

Danny
 
Again, Nice Job Sailor!!!

Awesome close-up!!!   Hope you don't mind, I was in there walking around on that skin, checking it out----I wiped my feet first !!!

Bear
 
Case i had a turkey brine i loved but lost the recipe...gonna have to find it again but it had cloves and  turbinado sugar i know.  The cloves made all the difference in the world imo. 
This is my go to brine

1 1/2 cups, Kosher salt
1 1/4 cups, brown sugar
10 whole cloves
3 teaspoons, black peppercorns
1 1/2 gallons (6 quarts) apple juice or cider (non-alcoholic)
Two whole oranges halved and squeezed (put all in pot)
[optional: 3 teaspoons, dried thyme and/or 3 teaspoons, dried sage]


Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pot, bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (partly covered). Allow brine to cool completely.

Rinse turkey under cool running water, inside and out (remove giblets from body cavity). Pat turkey dry with paper towels, then immerse turkey in cooled brine.* Turkey should be completely submerged in liquid (place a plate on top of the bird if necessary to keep it covered with the liquid).

Cover the pot and refrigerate for 8-10 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove turkey, rinse, pat dry, and roast as usual. [See note under “basic technique” for extra step to get crispiest skin.]

*Be sure the container used for brining turkey is non-reactive: use enamel, glass or crockery or stainless steel - never cast iron or aluminum. The pot should be just large enough to contain the turkey (so the brine will be sufficient to cover the bird).
 
 
Wow that looks Great! I bet the skin is super crispy and not rubbery at all!
Thanks!! Yep the skin was perfect! I should mention that if one can (I didn't on this cook) air dry in the fridge for 8hrs will help with the skin too.
Looks great! Love the photo skills too. I do agree that a PROPERLY cooked bird doesn't benefit nearly as much from brining as one that might have gotten away from you. I still maintain that brining is a sound investment in time and ingredients for those (like me) who might not be paying close enough attention to the temp to pull it off at the magic moment. With a brine, you'll still have moist white meat well into the mid 170's.

And I agree 100% on high temp for poultry. Not only does the skin benefit in a big way, but I think the texture of the meat is much better.

That mini is a chicken smoking MACHINE!

Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks MD! The Mini-WSM is a great smoker for everything!!!
GREAT lookin Q sailor.  What I like about your post is that it shows that there is more than 1 way to achieve great results.  Sometimes it seems there are too many rules people figure must be followed.  So long as you get results like that, to he11 with the rules.  GREAT job!   Keep Smokin!

Danny
Thanks Danny! You are exactly right there is more than one way to skin a cat! Over the years I have changed and modified my processes.  I am always testing and trying new ways to smoke, cook, and prepare food. For me it will always be a learning process!
Again, Nice Job Sailor!!!

Awesome close-up!!!   Hope you don't mind, I was in there walking around on that skin, checking it out----I wiped my feet first !!!

Bear
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Thanks Bear!!!!
 
Love the pics of the chicken!!! Being from Minnesota i realy love the clear waters you have there. Awesome pictures with the kayak. I have a semi-spatched bird on right now as i type [didn't take the backbone out]. Thanks for the pics. Reinhard
 
Love the pics of the chicken!!! Being from Minnesota i realy love the clear waters you have there. Awesome pictures with the kayak. I have a semi-spatched bird on right now as i type [didn't take the backbone out]. Thanks for the pics. Reinhard

Thanks Reinhard. That particular lake is Sparks lake. It's a really cool lake with some hidden lava tube aquifers, islands, and lots of cool channels to explore.

Can't wait to see your spatchy chicken!!!
 
That chicken looks incredible! Sadly there is no way I can get my Bradley to those kind of temperatures but I do crank it as high as I can and have learned from this forum you can crisp on the grill. Thanks for the great post.
 
Nice looking bird... these Mini's are awesome.. are they not ? gonna do a butt in mine tomorrow.. I cut the bottom out of my pot.. made a rack to fit all the way down in the bottom with a piece of 1/4" plate sitting on that.. it has about a 1/2" opening all the way around it for the heat and smoke to come up threw.. and then i have a 12" cast iron skillet sitting on top of the plate... so plenty of heat sync that also serves as a catch pan...
 
Nice looking bird... these Mini's are awesome.. are they not ? gonna do a butt in mine tomorrow.. I cut the bottom out of my pot.. made a rack to fit all the way down in the bottom with a piece of 1/4" plate sitting on that.. it has about a 1/2" opening all the way around it for the heat and smoke to come up threw.. and then i have a 12" cast iron skillet sitting on top of the plate... so plenty of heat sync that also serves as a catch pan...
Jack i don't know if i told you....i used the steamer pan it came with and used it as the diffuser...works great for me because the drippings goes right  down into the fire.   Dirt said he originally did that and had problems with the temp in bad weather.   So far so good anyway.  

My bottom shelf is about 15 degrees hotter than the top... How is your temp difference between the shelves?
 
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to tell you the truth.. I really haven't measured temps on each grate level at the same time... maybe i should just to see what the difference is...
 
to tell you the truth.. I really haven't measured temps on each grate level at the same time... maybe i should just to see what the difference is...
Keith i didn't measure mine at the same time but i did measure them separately and compared that to the analog gauge. If my gauge says 200 then the top grate is around 210-215 and the bottom is around 230.
 
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