More chicken cupcakes! This time with Pops' brine.

mdboatbum · Aug 4, 2014

No this isn't smoked. It will be one of the first smokes one my pot arrives to complete the mini, but had to do these in the oven.
Took some chicken thighs (Costco fridge to freezer pack) and soaked in pops curing brine overnight. Made a half batch since I only had 7 thighs to brine.
After the brine I deboned, trimmed and scraped the subcutaneous fat off the skin.
Then rubbed top and bottom with sort of a blackening spice I threw together. Basic BBQ rub with a lot of thyme and cayenne added.

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mdboatbum
Aug 4, 2014

After that I added about a teaspoon of bacon fat to the muffin tins.

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mdboatbum
Aug 4, 2014

Then plopped the boneless thighs skin side down and cooked at 250 until they hit 140 internal.

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mdboatbum
Aug 4, 2014

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mdboatbum
Aug 4, 2014

Then I put them on a rack, re rubbed and put in a 375 oven until they hit 170. I sauced half for the last 10 minutes or so.

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mdboatbum
Aug 4, 2014

Then we had a nice dinner. The chicken was awesome. Very juicy and the skin was as tender as can be. Only slightly "hammy" but I like that.

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mdboatbum
Aug 4, 2014

pc farmer · Aug 4, 2014

Very nice.

I need to try to make them.

mdboatbum · Aug 4, 2014

You should! It's a bit of a pain, but the flavor and texture is really good. Plus it makes a great presentation if you're having a dinner party or event where folks might be dressed up and want to use a fork and knife. ( I know, I try to avoid those too)

Bearcarver · Aug 4, 2014

Those look Great, Bum!!!

Nice Job!!

Bear

mdboatbum · Aug 4, 2014

Thanks Bear!

foamheart · Aug 4, 2014

Those look really good!

mdboatbum · Aug 4, 2014

Thanks Foam! I should've taken a pic after I cut into one, but I was focused on dinner at that point. I was HUNGRY!

dirtsailor2003 · Aug 4, 2014

Mmmmmmm, mini meat cakes! Dessert for dinner!!!

mdboatbum · Aug 5, 2014

Haha! Thanks Case!

Just looked at this on an actual computer and realized how fuzzy and funny colored the pics are. I've been operating with only my phone, as my wife killed her laptop and since we can't swing a new one right now, I had to give her mine. How did she manage to do that, you ask? It fell out of the freezer. Yes, you read that right.

oldschoolbbq · Aug 5, 2014

Those look great , Boatbum . I like the way they were formed . Little Chicken meatballs

chef jimmyj · Aug 5, 2014

They look good. I need to try these, the kids like chicken but want something new...JJ

mdboatbum · Aug 5, 2014

JJ that reminds me, I had a safety question regarding these. After the cupcake pan phase I pulled them out, put them on a rack and turned the oven up. In the ensuing few minutes the temp dropped, and I ended up letting it drop to 117 because I wanted the skin to have as long as possible in the high heat oven. Bear in mind these were cured for probably 16-18 hours, but I had a nagging doubt in the back of my head. Having seen other 2 stage recipes, is there a risk of letting food dip back into the danger zone, even for a short time if it's going to be finished well out of it? It was probably in the TDZ for 30-40 minutes.

pc farmer · Aug 5, 2014

Does it matter cause they were cured?

Bearcarver · Aug 6, 2014

Mdboatbum said:
JJ that reminds me, I had a safety question regarding these. After the cupcake pan phase I pulled them out, put them on a rack and turned the oven up. In the ensuing few minutes the temp dropped, and I ended up letting it drop to 117 because I wanted the skin to have as long as possible in the high heat oven. Bear in mind these were cured for probably 16-18 hours, but I had a nagging doubt in the back of my head. Having seen other 2 stage recipes, is there a risk of letting food dip back into the danger zone, even for a short time if it's going to be finished well out of it? It was probably in the TDZ for 30-40 minutes.

JJ can tell you better, but meanwhile I wouldn't worry about it dropping into the Danger Zone for 30 to 40 minutes, especially if it was cured or even partially cured.

Bear

chef jimmyj · Aug 6, 2014

Mdboatbum said:
JJ that reminds me, I had a safety question regarding these. After the cupcake pan phase I pulled them out, put them on a rack and turned the oven up. In the ensuing few minutes the temp dropped, and I ended up letting it drop to 117 because I wanted the skin to have as long as possible in the high heat oven. Bear in mind these were cured for probably 16-18 hours, but I had a nagging doubt in the back of my head. Having seen other 2 stage recipes, is there a risk of letting food dip back into the danger zone, even for a short time if it's going to be finished well out of it? It was probably in the TDZ for 30-40 minutes.

Hey Bum, This type of question comes up frequently and I can totally understand why, based on the frequent misinformation that is put out here...

For one, Cure primarily protects against the bug that causes Botulism and offers only minimal protection from anything else. As far as meat in the process of smoking going into the Danger Zone, there is WAY too much Paranoia around here on the subject and many a member has tossed out perfectly fine meat because a few here are Germaphobic and told the newbie they would kill their loved ones if they didn't...

The reality is when the Chicken got above 140°F it became Bacteria free and Spores are of ZERO consequence in this situation. Once the temp dropped below 140, the likelihood of contamination is extremely minute short of coughing, sneezing or the Dog licking the entire pan without actually eating one...Even if ALL this happened, Bacteria just don't burst into rampant multiplication in minutes or even an hour or two until they adapt to their new environment. On top of this, since you were going to continue cooking the chicken, any Bacteria that " may " have come in contact will be eliminated minutes after going back in the smoker or oven...But what about TOXINS!?! Aahhhhhhh....Again the amount of Toxin developed by the very few Bacteria that " may " have managed to start multiplying, on a still pretty warm surface, and a Salty meat surface at that, would not be sufficient to sicken anything but another type of Bacteria. Bottom line...there is very little to worry about and sooo much S#!T would have to go wrong that you would not even consider eating the Chicken anyway...JJ

shoneyboy · Aug 6, 2014

mdboatbum · Aug 6, 2014

Thank you JJ! I knew you'd have a pragmatic take on it. I certainly wasn't worried enough to not eat it, but it just made me start thinking about what happens along the way if the internal temp drops. I appreciate your taking the time to provide an answer.

foamheart · Aug 6, 2014

Mdboatbum said:
Thank you JJ! I knew you'd have a pragmatic take on it.

What's religon have to do with it?

mdboatbum · Aug 6, 2014

Foamheart said:
What's religon have to do with it?

HAHA!! Reminds me of an interview with Tom Waits on the Dick Cavitt show in the 70's.
Dick asked him if he considered himself more of a singer or a poet. Tom took a drink of his Scotch, stubbed out his cigarette on his boot and said "You know Dick, I've always just considered myself a Presbyterian".

chef jimmyj · Aug 6, 2014

I worship the Gods of Meat and Smoke!...

prag·mat·ic

pragˈmatik/

adjective

dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

"a pragmatic approach to politics"

I try but sometime I just get in a Silly mood or forget to take my Meds...

...JJ

More chicken cupcakes! This time with Pops' brine.

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