Brine question

[bignick]

I cut this from a previous post:

Here's the recipe for Travcoman45's Slaughterhouse Brine and injection recipe:

Brine:
1 & 1/2 gal water
1/2 cup kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp cajun spice
2 tsp celery salt

Question: For 2 whole chickens, doulbe the recipe, or should this be enough, just make sure there is enough water to cover? Will 4 hours be enough time?

 

[pineywoods]

Here's the recipe for Tip's Slaughterhouse Brine and injection recipe:

Brine:
1 & 1/2 gal water
1/2 cup kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp cajun spice
2 tsp celery salt

Mix all ingredients until dissolved and brine meat overnight. Rinse well before putting on the smoker.

Injection:
1/2 pkg. god seasonings italian dressing
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp celery salt
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 cups apple cider

The recipe calls for overnight but 4 hours may be better than nothing. If you can submerge two chickens in one batch of brine you should be fine if not do a double batch

 

[travcoman45]

I brine overnight in a 5 gallon bucket, ya can get two birds in there an usually cover em, if ya need a bit more water ya can add it.

4 hours? Well I might inject a bit a that brine inta them birds fer that short a length, not to much but some say in the breast an legs.

Slaughterhouse Spritz (Good fer everthin!)
8 oz Apple Cider
6 oz Water
4 oz Whiskey
2 oz Cider Vinegar
This here spritz will give ya a decent skin an good color. Now mind ya it ain't fried chicken but it is mighty tastey! Works good on everthin I smoke.

 

[fire it up]

Not sure how familiar you are with brining Nick but make sure your chickens are fully submerged in the brine, and if you brine overnight make sure to put the bucket in your fridge or add ice to the brine and set in a cool place.

 

[travcoman45]

I use a plate ta keep the birds submereged an I got an ol ice box in the basement just fer smokin, but ya can use a cooler with ice in ziplock bags to, try ta keep the temp around 38* fer brinin, higher an ya can get spoilage, lower an the brinin process will slow way down. Good luck.

 

[bignick]

Thanks guys! Its been a busy morning. Had to go to the Depot and get a big 5 gal. bucket. Submerged the birds by 9:30 this am. I've got 2 - 4.5 lb. birds. How long do you all think it will take smoking them at 275 to get done? Trying to get a time frame of when bath time is over and when smoke time starts.

 

[bignick]

I forgot to add, I am going to spatchcock those bad boys. First time for that, too!

 

[fire it up]

Not sure how long to cook for but make sure when you take it out of the brine you rinse it off, pat it dry and it is best if set in the fridge, possibly in front of your internal fan and let to rest for 20 minutes or so, that way the skin won't have excessive moisture coming out of it when you throw it on.
Spatchcock?
Had to look that one up...
A spatchcock is a poussin or game bird that is prepared for roasting and broiling over a grill/spit, or a bird that has been cooked after being prepared in this way. The method of preparing the chicken involves removing the backbone and sternum of the bird and flattening it out before cooking.

This method may also be applied to roasting an 8-12 pound Thanksgiving turkey in about 45 minutes, rather than several hours.