sfprankster's (mis)adventure with Peach Smoked Chicken Thighs

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sfprankster

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May 6, 2015

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• Aug 19, 2015

• #1

Had an OCD relapse for smoked chicken thighs... 

Got a taste of one the other day, when I made smoked chicken enchiladas. Just not enough to satiate the hunger(obsession

 ) for more... 

After getting busy with the chop saw this morning and replenishing my supply of peach chunks. It was time to fire up the WSM and smoke away... 

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

Peach Smoked Chicken Thighs

Fresh out of a relaxing, overnight buttermilk brine and gently toweled dry...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

  

...today's random rub(well, not quite so random)... 

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

  

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

...rub after being gently massaged onto the chicken thighs...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

  

...Houston, we have ignition...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

  

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

...WSM up to temperature(300)...

...grates loaded with brined and rubbed chicken thighs...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

  

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

...added a couple of ears of corn for good measure...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

Now the wait begins... 

 

b-one

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• Aug 19, 2015

• #2

Looking good so far. Let us know how the peach works out!

 

pc farmer

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• Aug 19, 2015

• #3

Watching

 

S

sfprankster

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Cruising along to a crispy skin(I hope)... 

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

 

S

sfprankster

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Gave half the thighs a light glaze with my SPF 50 sauce(tomato/honey base) and let the rest of them finish with the rub only.

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

  

Those without the SPF 50 sauce, came out with a nicely crisped skin. Those with the sauce could have used a minute or two under a broiler or a very quick reverse sear. To the eye, the sauced thighs have a nice caramelized skin color, but just slightly on the chewy side. They retained more moisture and had a nice bite to the meat. Either way, they both have a unique flavor profile that I enjoyed.

...rub only on the left...on the right, sauced with 40 minutes to go...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

As to the peach wood, it gives a subtle, sweet, fruity undertones to the chicken. Very light and accentuates the other flavors used. Unlike hickory and pecan, the smokiness of the peach allows the chicken and spices to come through and be at the forefront of the flavor profile. Not something I'd advise to use, if you prefer a significant smoke flavor.

 

S

sfprankster

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• #6

Added bonus:

Used some of the drippings from the chicken thighs to make a roux for a fast chicken gravy...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

...the roasted/smoked corn...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

Served together for dinner with roasted garlic, smashed potatoes...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

Bite through of the SPF 50 sauced chicken thigh...

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• sfprankster
• Aug 19, 2015

 

Last edited: Aug 19, 2015

• 

Reactions: dirtsailor2003 and driedstick

b-one

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• Aug 19, 2015

• #7

Tasty looking chix!

 

S

sfprankster

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Thanx!!

Still lickin' my fingers!! 

 

pc farmer

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• Aug 19, 2015

• #9

Oh wow. Looks awesome.

 

twoalpha

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• Aug 19, 2015

• #10

Great looking chicken. Color was very nice.

 

S

sfprankster

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• #11

Thanx!!

I kept the temperatures between 300-315 for the entire run, which helped with the skin color and crispness. As to the sauced thighs, the sugar(honey) in my SPF 50 sauce caramelized and added a nice looking finish to the thighs. I would assume, since the peach wood has a high amount of sugars like cherry, the smoke adds a significant amount of color to the skin.

 

oldschoolbbq

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• Aug 20, 2015

• #12

Nice looking Thighs . The Peach çaught my eye , I would love to have some Peach wood .. I can get Cherry (in fact I have a large one on my Aunt's property) and she wants it gone !Thumbs Up

Very good job .

Have fun and . . .

 

S

sfprankster

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• Aug 20, 2015

• #13

Thanx!!

All of the fruit woods are easy for me to come by here in CA. I work directly with a dozen or so local farms in my business. Every Jan-Feb, when they cut back their trees, there's plenty of variety available. Having them bring some to a local farmer's market to pick up is as simple as a phone call/text the day before the market. Over the years, I've been using apple, cherry, peach, pluot(plum/apricot cross), apricot, plum, citrus(tangerine, mandarin, orange, grapefruit) and grape vines in my kettle. Just recently, I've been experimenting with all of the different woods in my WSM. 

For me, it's difficult to get the traditional eastern hardwoods(hickory, pecan, maple, etc) for smoking. I have to order them online and hope for the best. Little of it grows out here in CA and most of it that does, is landscaped in someone's yard. I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate it, if I broke out the chainsaw and began cutting away. 

 

 

dirtsailor2003

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• Aug 20, 2015

• #14

Tasty Looking meal! Nice Smoke!

POINTS!

 

S

sfprankster

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• Aug 20, 2015

• #15

Thanx!!

Plenty of everything to be able to make a smoked chicken salad for work on Saturday... 

I'm beginning to nail down where and how to make adjustments on my WSM, to smoke the various meats, fruits and veggies to my personal preferences... 

Tonight we're firing up the kettle for a fast seared, pistachio crusted ahi dinner... 

Picked up some brown turkey figs at the farmer's market. We're planning on making prosciutto wrapped figs, with a merlot balsamic reduction, as an appetizer... 

 

Gotta love this time of year!!

An abundance of fresh fruits and veggies to eat!!!

 

Last edited: Aug 21, 2015

driedstick

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• Aug 20, 2015

• #16

Dang it them look good, 

Everyone seems like they have something different in the BM Brine, if you don't mind can you share your brine recipe??

DS

 

S

sfprankster

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Thanx!!

Fairly simple this time: 

buttermilk(see below) 

couple of cloves of smashed garlic

fresh cracked black pepper

ancho chili powder

salt to taste

I soak them overnight in the buttermilk brine, but you can get away with as little as 4-6 hours in the fridge. 

Buttermilk recipe

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 c milk

Mix together and let sit at least 5 minutes. The acidity of the lemon juice will curdle the milk into buttermilk.

 

Last edited: Aug 20, 2015

driedstick

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• Aug 21, 2015

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sfprankster said:

 
Thanx!!

Fairly simple this time: 

buttermilk(see below) 

couple of cloves of smashed garlic

fresh cracked black pepper

ancho chili powder

salt to taste

I soak them overnight in the buttermilk brine, but you can get away with as little as 4-6 hours in the fridge. 

Buttermilk recipe

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 c milk

Mix together and let sit at least 5 minutes. The acidity of the lemon juice will curdle the milk into buttermilk.

Click to expand...

Thanks 

DS
 

 

S

sfprankster

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• Aug 21, 2015

• #19

Anytime!!