This week someone must have finally listened to my continiously bitchin and lowered some grocery prices, and by more than just a couple a pennies. I got 6 chickens for the same price I would have paid last week for 2. They kept using the gas prices as the reason for the raising prices.... so now that gas is 1/2 as much?
OK, first my rookie mistake, I got too many chickens. Seems my bucket briner will only hold 25# of chickens with some pork to fill it completely up.
I opened and cleaned the birds.
I made a proper cure/brine. You know how.
Cure/ Brine
1T #1 Cure
2/3C Canning Salt
1C Brown Sugar
1C White Sugar
2T Crystal Hot Sauce
1T Tony's "More" Spice
2 oz. Maple extract
1 Gal. Spring Water
Add meats to cure and weigh down with a fluid filled ziploc
Five days later.....Removed, rinsed, patted dry and into the reefer to dehydrate over night. Looking for that pellicle!
Look how red that pork came out!
Note all the yellow, those the subcutaneous fats. You'll see a yellow fat thru the skin and the skin will become slightly more tacky. Did I mention a fan can achieve this also?
Rubbed the skin with suntan lotion (it was peanut oil), and did a light rub of andouille spice on the pork pieces.
Yadda Yadda Yadda into the smoker........../w light hickory and heavy apple.
Took about 5 hours at approx 220 degrees to an internal temp of 163 on the lowest far left chicken. This would be the coolest spot in the smoker.
BTW did I forget to mention the weather is Ucky!
Ewwwww,...........
About 3 hours in the pork strips were done! Pulled into the kitchen
Inside they come to glide up two more degrees then cool.
Thats it. I made all this so inexpensive I think I'll bag it up and be neighborly, maybe the church ladies tomorrow, how knows. A smoked cured chicken and a piece a tasso, maybe even a jar a jelly man thats a care package I'd like!
If I decide to keep one, will cut it tomorrow for lunch already had Chicken & andouille gumbo for supper though. I can't complain about life!
OK, first my rookie mistake, I got too many chickens. Seems my bucket briner will only hold 25# of chickens with some pork to fill it completely up.
I opened and cleaned the birds.
I made a proper cure/brine. You know how.
Cure/ Brine
1T #1 Cure
2/3C Canning Salt
1C Brown Sugar
1C White Sugar
2T Crystal Hot Sauce
1T Tony's "More" Spice
2 oz. Maple extract
1 Gal. Spring Water
Add meats to cure and weigh down with a fluid filled ziploc
Five days later.....Removed, rinsed, patted dry and into the reefer to dehydrate over night. Looking for that pellicle!
Look how red that pork came out!
Note all the yellow, those the subcutaneous fats. You'll see a yellow fat thru the skin and the skin will become slightly more tacky. Did I mention a fan can achieve this also?
Rubbed the skin with suntan lotion (it was peanut oil), and did a light rub of andouille spice on the pork pieces.
Yadda Yadda Yadda into the smoker........../w light hickory and heavy apple.
Took about 5 hours at approx 220 degrees to an internal temp of 163 on the lowest far left chicken. This would be the coolest spot in the smoker.
BTW did I forget to mention the weather is Ucky!
Ewwwww,...........
About 3 hours in the pork strips were done! Pulled into the kitchen
Inside they come to glide up two more degrees then cool.
Thats it. I made all this so inexpensive I think I'll bag it up and be neighborly, maybe the church ladies tomorrow, how knows. A smoked cured chicken and a piece a tasso, maybe even a jar a jelly man thats a care package I'd like!
If I decide to keep one, will cut it tomorrow for lunch already had Chicken & andouille gumbo for supper though. I can't complain about life!