I love to cook my chicken in a cast iron pan, spatchcocked and rubbed with Cavender's or a homemade spice rub. I am however, the proud new owner of a Brinkmann barrel smoker, and was hoping to lose my smoking virginity in time for July 4th! (It's my first ever, I just moved here in December to marry an American. Got my greencard and everything!)
So, on the advice of people in my roll call thread, I've chosen chicken and brats as my first ever smoke. (hey, both were suggested, why not just throw both on???)
I also plan to put some corn on, and might conjur up some interesting rub for it as well, suggestions appreciated!
I have some hickory chunks, and understand that I can use them after lighting my charcoal, to create the smoke, and am not sure if these need to be smoked first or not. The grill has already been seasoned, and I've been using it for grilling and bbq already, so it's all set to smoke!
Soooooo.........
What's your thoughts on spatchcocking the chicken vs cooking it in a bundt pan? (ala bcc)
I found this really great blog, and while my bundt pan is a little different than hers, it really looks like it's a great way to keep the chicken moist, and I can use white wine, or beer in the bottom of the pan to help flavour it, and throw some carrots, onions and parsnips down into it to cook alongside.... (yummy way to flavour them, just put some potato chunks under to help sop up the drippings) Check it out and tell me what you think.
What's a girl to do????
Oh, and yes, more room for the brats and corn if I use the bundt pan, (grill is only 427 sq inches) so I'm really torn between the two. (in any case, I'll end up trying each way eventually..) But this is my FIRST TIME!!!! It's my smoking virginity here I'm talking about!!!! I want the first time to be juicy, and tasty, and gorgeous.... and maybe a little cuddling after... but memorable as maybe a little clumsy for the learning curve, but still a damn fine time....
So, on the advice of people in my roll call thread, I've chosen chicken and brats as my first ever smoke. (hey, both were suggested, why not just throw both on???)
I also plan to put some corn on, and might conjur up some interesting rub for it as well, suggestions appreciated!
I have some hickory chunks, and understand that I can use them after lighting my charcoal, to create the smoke, and am not sure if these need to be smoked first or not. The grill has already been seasoned, and I've been using it for grilling and bbq already, so it's all set to smoke!
Soooooo.........
What's your thoughts on spatchcocking the chicken vs cooking it in a bundt pan? (ala bcc)
I found this really great blog, and while my bundt pan is a little different than hers, it really looks like it's a great way to keep the chicken moist, and I can use white wine, or beer in the bottom of the pan to help flavour it, and throw some carrots, onions and parsnips down into it to cook alongside.... (yummy way to flavour them, just put some potato chunks under to help sop up the drippings) Check it out and tell me what you think.
Sounds rather simple right? But I know, nothing beats the look of a spatchcocked chicken..... like this one:So here it is, my recipe for Bundt Cake Pan Chicken. Incidentally, if you don't have a bundt pan, you may substitute a tall boy can of beer.
Ingredients
Spice rub of your choice
kosher salt (if rub has no salt in it)
1 whole chicken
Olive oil
Step-by-Step
1) Prep your chicken: Remove giblets. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Rub generously with olive oil, followed by kosher salt. Pat rub all over chicken.
2) Place chicken upright on bundt pan.
3) While chicken is sittin' pretty and getting her rub on, go get your smoke on: Make fire in grill for indirect, medium heat. Shoot for 300 degrees. You can smoke it slow and low, but I like my chicken skin crispy, and the higher temperature will do that. Once pre-heated (charcoal or gas), add wood to fire.
4) Cook chicken for one hour without peeking. Use your vents to control and stabilize the heat. After one hour, baste chicken with juices collecting at base of bundt pan. Continue to baste every 30 minutes for about 2 to 2 1/2hours until chicken reads 165 degrees in the meaty part of the thigh.
5) The trickiest part is taking the bundt pan with chicken off the grill without spilling all the juices on the fire. I removed some of the drippings first, then picked it up carefully with a hot pad and tongs on to a plate. Let the bird sit about 5 minutes before pulling off the bundt pan. Remember that the pan will be hot! Let sit for another 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
You may notice that the rub is light, and a little uneven. What can I say? The baby woke up from her nap right as I was applying the rub, and I needed to hurry up and get and get the bird on so I could pick up son from pre-school. You know what? It was delicious! This method of cooking chicken makes it so tender and juice, that it requires very little fuss. link to blog recipe: http://shesmoke.blogspot.com/2010/10/recipe-bundt-cake-pan-chicken.html
Mmmm.
What's a girl to do????
Oh, and yes, more room for the brats and corn if I use the bundt pan, (grill is only 427 sq inches) so I'm really torn between the two. (in any case, I'll end up trying each way eventually..) But this is my FIRST TIME!!!! It's my smoking virginity here I'm talking about!!!! I want the first time to be juicy, and tasty, and gorgeous.... and maybe a little cuddling after... but memorable as maybe a little clumsy for the learning curve, but still a damn fine time....
