First try at brining

[jimvans]

Ok, doing my first brine on a whole chicken. This is the one I used that Travcoman45 had posted.

Slaughterhouse Poultry Brine By Tip Piper of Hillbilly Vittles
1 ½ Gal Water
½ C Salt - Kosher
½ C Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Cajun Spice (Louisiana Cajun Seasoning)
2 tsp Celery Seed

I didn't use the celery seed as I didn't have any. I would like some suggestions on what would be a good tasty rub. I am thinking about using some Bacon Salt. Anyone ever use that for a rub?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[fire it up]

I wouldn't do bacon salt for a rub, though I do enjoy it on some things (Italian hoagies it is great!) I have tried it as a rub and it didn't come out nearly as good as I thought it would.
You could always give ShooterRick's snake bitten rub a try, it's really, really good.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ighlight=snake

If you have access to dried chipotles or chipotle powder I have a great chipotle rub I'd be more than happy to share.

 

[the dude abides]

Hey Jim,
If it's Tip's recipiem it's bound to be good. I don't know that I'd use Bacon Salt as your rub. You're already brining in salt water and the Bacon Salt is just bacon flavored salt. So that's a lot of salt. You might include it as an ingredient.

Here's a link to ShooterRick's Snake Bitten Chicken. If you've never tried it...it's kind of a must. Never heard one person complain about it but I've heard lot of people rave about it. Myself included.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=77908
Or I can speak for billbo's rub too. Great stuff. Found here...
well I can't find the link. But here's the recipie. I copied it for my collection.
The rub is a very basic, but very good dry red rub. It goes well on everything, chicken, ribs, butts etc. Here it is.

1/2 cup paprika
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated garlic
6 tablespoons granulated onion
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Just mix all together and store in glass or plastic. Rub generously!

Enjoy and be sure to let us know how it all goes. With pictures of course.

 

[jimvans]

Ok, bird is out of the brine. I made a hybrid rub and packed it on the bird, put the bird back in the empty bucket and back in the fridge for a couple hours. Gonna start smokin around 3. I will take and post qview. Thanks for your help guys.

 

[the dude abides]

We'll be waiting. What did you do for the hybrid rub?

 

[jimvans]

Pretty much the one you posted except I didn't have any cumin and I added tarragon. We just love the flavor tarragon adds to chicken.

 

[bigsteve]

Tarragon and chicken.........


Like words and music.

 

[jimvans]

Ok, sorry for the delay. I will break it down for you.

Chicken...good
Brine...good
Rub...good

Chicken + Brine = great
Chicken + Rub = great
Chicken + Brine + Rub = Great Chicken & too salty skin.

I have definitely become a brine convert. The breast meat was so moist it was like broasted. Even after letting it rest for about 10 minutes, when I cut into it I had about 1/4 inch of juices on the plate and it was still so moist that when you cut it more juice ran.

Anyway, I will just brine and no rub.


Here it is after I rinsed off the brine and rubbed it. Back into the bucket for a 2 hour rub rest.


Here is the finished product. Sorry no cut pics as everyone was hungry.


Notice the plate. That is after the rest and before I cut it. Not a drop of fluid until I cut it. That's how I like it!


Thanks for checkin my chicken.

 

[fourthwind]

Try using a good mop instead of a rub next time. I am a huge fan of brining and from what it sounds like a fellow addict of crisp tasty skin. I stopped using a rub when I brine and instead use a mop of either apple juice or orange juice as a base. Some add boose to the mop, but I add spices I like, and call it good.

 

[travcoman45]

Here be a good spritz ifin ya wanna try it, works real well an helps some with the skin to.

Slaughterhouse Spritz (Good fer everthin!)
8 oz Apple Cider
6 oz Water
4 oz Whiskey
2 oz Cider Vinegar
Just put it in a spray bottle an give em a shot bout once an hour.

One a the reasons there be less salt in the brine an lots less in my rub is cause I got high blood pressure. Many rubs contain alotta salt. I like spice better. Ya gotta have some salt, just not huge amounts.

 

[beer-b-q]

Chicken looks really good, perfect color...

 

[jimvans]

Don't get me wrong. The skin was good. Nice texture. I just thought it was too spicy and salty. Next time I just won't rub if I brine. I think I will alternate rubbing and brining. Thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely try them.

 

[walterwhite]

Very nice looking bird! I can see why no one waited for more pictures.

I'd be curious to know what weight (looks big!), what temperature you cooked at an how long it cooked.

thanks,
walter

 

[jimvans]

I think it was about 4 or 4 1/2 lbs. I cooked it at about 250 for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. I'm sorry if that isn't precise enough but, I cook mine to temp not time. I took the bird to 170F. I check the thigh and the breast.

 

[walterwhite]

Thanks for the info. That's plenty precise for me. (I don't always measure ingredients either.) I just wanted to get a ballpark idea how you did this.

thanks,
walter

 

[nate_46]

Good looking bird! You can use almost anything for a brine. I use 1 gal water, 2 cans of vegetable broth, 1 cup kosher salt (thats for 2- 4.5# birds). I find that I have to cook in multiples of 2 cause just one isn't enough! For a rub I just sprinkle a little salt & pepper and maybe a little chili powder.

Keep up the good work.