# cold smoke chicken



## scooter (Oct 11, 2007)

Help!  I hope someone can help me with this little question.  Is it safe to COLD SMOKE poultry?  Or will it stay in the danger zone for to long as for the internal temperature.  After it is cold smokes it would be cooked in an oven or bbq and brought to the 180' temperature.  Also after it is smoked can  it be frozen safely?  This would be a fresh chicken that would be frozen not one that is thawed. 
Any help would be appreciated.

thanks  scooter


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## fatback joe (Oct 11, 2007)

I would not do it unless you were going to cure it first.


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## richtee (Oct 11, 2007)

What Fat Back said. And before serving or freezing, bring it to 160 internal.


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## cowgirl (Oct 11, 2007)

Ditto to what Joe and Richtee said. It needs to be cured of you are going to cold smoke it.


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## bbq bubba (Oct 11, 2007)

I agree with the above but want to ask why would you want to cold smoke chicken??  Just curious.


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## richtee (Oct 11, 2007)

Heh.. I meant to ask that...


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## fatback joe (Oct 11, 2007)

I have been wondering the same thing.   

The only thing I could come up with was the thinking that smoke it for the flavor first and then cook it at a later date where smoking might not be possible versus just having reheated smoked chicken...................any other theories before Scooter gets back to us?


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## deejaydebi (Oct 11, 2007)

Sounds like he wants to try to pre-smoke for grilling or cooking sometime later. Could be real dangerous. 

If that's the ticket I think I'd do a brine with maybe liquid smoke then freeze it and cook it up later. Or you could just smoke it up like normal and freeze it to reheat later. I wouldn't try a cold smoke with chicken!


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## scooter (Oct 12, 2007)

The idea was to have it pre-smoked to cook at a later date.  But thanks to all of you and your knowledge THAT won't happen.  I'll smoke it and cook it to the correct internal temperature and then freeze it if i want it for a later day.  Oh by the way, I always use a brine of most of the meats that I smoke and alway on poultry.
Thanks for the advice.  

From a novice

scooter


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## flagriller (Oct 12, 2007)

Don't do it.


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## pescadero (Oct 12, 2007)

Great idea.  .  .  and it works on some foods, too.  Poultry is just not one of them.  It was good that you took the time to ask.  It might have saved a problem.

Good Luck,

Skip


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## brokerer (Sep 5, 2012)

I have been buying cold smoked chicken from our local Meat Market for 20 years and have never gotten sick. The Problem is that they won't give up there seceret, I've tried and tried toget  there receipe and they must sign some sort of non-disclosure agreemant when they go to work there. Its a secret I'd love to discover, they make the best.


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 5, 2012)

Brokerer said:


> I have been buying cold smoked chicken from our local Meat Market for 20 years and have never gotten sick. The Problem is that they won't give up there seceret, I've tried and tried toget  there receipe and they must sign some sort of non-disclosure agreemant when they go to work there. Its a secret I'd love to discover, they make the best.


 Is the Chicken Smoked but Raw when you purchase it and you have to cook it?  Does the Chicken have a slightly Pink color with a Hammy flavor after cooking? This would indicate it was Cured before cold smoking. It may very well be smoked in a temp controlled room that is kept below 40*F while it is being smoked, This would be completely safe. The problem is putting a Chicken in a 90*F smoker in June and smoking for 4 hours and sticking it in the refer to be cooked another time...Really Dangerous...JJ


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## portlandsmoker (Aug 13, 2015)

I just had chicken at a Portland restaurant called Old Salt on NE 42nd. They said that they cold smoke it and then roast it to temperature. They said they don't pre-brine. It was one of the most delicious tasting chickens I've ever had. I am going to have to go back and try to quiz the chef about it. 

It's worth investigating as it was truly an amazing tasting chicken.


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## sawinredneck (Aug 13, 2015)

PortlandSmoker said:


> I just had chicken at a Portland restaurant called Old Salt on NE 42nd. They said that they cold smoke it and then roast it to temperature. They said they don't pre-brine. It was one of the most delicious tasting chickens I've ever had. I am going to have to go back and try to quiz the chef about it.
> 
> It's worth investigating as it was truly an amazing tasting chicken.


L





PortlandSmoker said:


> I just had chicken at a Portland restaurant called Old Salt on NE 42nd. They said that they cold smoke it and then roast it to temperature. They said they don't pre-brine. It was one of the most delicious tasting chickens I've ever had. I am going to have to go back and try to quiz the chef about it.
> 
> It's worth investigating as it was truly an amazing tasting chicken.



The difference being they immediately roasted it, no time for bacteria to grow. As mentioned above, taken above 40deg bacteria grows and throwing hot poultry into a freezer makes it grow faster.
Maybe something the OP can do on a really cold day with an AMNPS?


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## gpb11 (Aug 14, 2015)

sawinredneck said:


> Maybe something the OP can do on a really cold day with an AMNPS?


Well, the OP has had eight entire winters to try it since he posted his question in 2007...


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## crankybuzzard (Aug 14, 2015)

gpb11 said:


> Well, the OP has had eight entire winters to try it since he posted his question in 2007...


Now that was just funny!

Maybe he didn't reply because he DID try and cold smoke uncured chicken....


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## sawinredneck (Aug 14, 2015)

gpb11 said:


> Well, the OP has had eight entire winters to try it since he posted his question in 2007...  :biggrin:



Man, missed that completely!


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## oldschoolbbq (Aug 15, 2015)

Well , scooter , guess A Cold Smoke is out . . .

Just as good as fresh .  . .

Have fun and. . , .


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## Ian Burnt Ends (Mar 23, 2019)

I Sous Vide my chicken breasts for 3 hrs at 145f. Then let them cool down to 45f before putting them in my cold smoker for 3 hrs at about 75f. Just delicious. Do the same with pork loin except 4 hrs at 135f then chill to 45f. Slice into 1/2" pieces and hang them in my cold smoker for 3 hrs at about 75f. Peach or cherry wood...


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