Chicken and Cure??

cybball

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Jan 17, 2014

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #1

I am kind of newer to smoking. Been doing sausages mostly. I know that when doing sausage, cure is used to prevent botchulism. That to me makes sense. I don't, however understand why most poultry, when smoked, only uses a brine without cure. I have done chicken and ribs in the past without cure. Should I be curing chicken? If not, why? Thanks!!! Jason

 

Bearcarver

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #2

cybball said:

I am kind of newer to smoking. Been doing sausages mostly. I know that when doing sausage, cure is used to prevent botchulism. That to me makes sense. I don't, however understand why most poultry, when smoked, only uses a brine without cure. I have done chicken and ribs in the past without cure. Should I be curing chicken? If not, why? Thanks!!! Jason

Click to expand...

Cure is used on whole meat to be able to smoke it low & slow for longer than 4 hours, and for the cured flavor.

Chicken is done in less time & needs to go to 165° IT.

You can cure Chicken if you want a Hammy taste, and I use cure on Ribs to make "Bacon-On-A-Stick":

Link:

Bacon-On-A-Stick       

Bear

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2015

themule69

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #3

Jason

Chicken doesn't need cure because you are going to cook it faster. You are not going to be in the danger zone 40°-140° for more than 4 hours.

Yes you can use cure and it will give it a ham like flavor.

This is a cured Cornish Game hen.

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themule69

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #4

Bearcarver said:

 
Cure is used on whole meat to be able to smoke it low & slow for longer than 4 hours, and for the cured flavor.

Chicken is done in less time & needs to go to 165° IT.

You can cure Chicken if you want a Hammy taste, and I use cure on Ribs to make "Bacon-On-A-Stick":

Link:

Bacon-On-A-Stick       

Bear

Click to expand...

I was reading while Bear was typing 

 

cybball

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #5

Awesome. Thanks. I hadnt thought of it as a timing issue. Going to do a few this week. ;)

 

gary s

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #6

Are you thinking of "Brining   I usually brine my birds

Gary

 

cybball

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #7

Yep. I will brine them. Thought I would do around 6 birds. i will freeze some for later and the family will eat a couple right away.

 

themule69

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• Jan 25, 2015

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I like to do a few when I fire up the smoker. A full smoker is a happy smoker.

Happy smoken.

David

 

cybball

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #9

I was at the store today and whole chickens are cheaper. I do love smoked chicken. :)

 

themule69

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #10

cybball said:

I was at the store today and whole chickens are cheaper. I do love smoked chicken. :)

Click to expand...

Have you looked at spatchcocked chicken? It cooks a lot faster.

Happy smoken.

david

 

cybball

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #11

That is exactly what I had in mind!!

 

themule69

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #12

cybball said:

That is exactly what I had in mind!!

Click to expand...

Remember to post a Qview!

Happy smoken.

David

 

cybball

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #13

Will do!

 

themule69

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cybball said:

Will do!

Click to expand...

 

gary s

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• Jan 25, 2015

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I'll be watching,  I do chicken quite a bit

Gary

 

worktogthr

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #16

I just cured a turkey and cooked it hot and fast. Not necessary for safety in my case but the end result was a tender juicy bird with a somewhat but not overwhelming ham flavor. Really delicious! Search Pop's Brine. Keep us posted!

 

timberjet

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #17

I love cured smoked turkey. Never have cured chicken though, yet.

 

cybball

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• Jan 25, 2015

• #18

I've tried smoked turkey that was smoked and had a slight ham flavor and was pretty pink. Sounds like it was cured.

 

Bearcarver

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• Jan 26, 2015

• #19

cybball said:

I've tried smoked turkey that was smoked and had a slight ham flavor and was pretty pink. Sounds like it was cured.

Click to expand...

Sounds like it was----Those are the symptoms!!

Bear

 

gary s

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• #20

Don't think I have ever had a cured smoked turkey,   Just brined and smoked

Gary