For my next experiment in smoking meat, I picked up some chicken legs and thighs that were on sale. This time I decided to try using some black walnut that had grown too close to my gutters. ;) I had trimmed some limbs earlier this summer and cut some disks that I dried in our oven. For this smoke in my mini-WSM, I used one piece about 5" in diameter and two inches thick. I tried scorching some of the bark over a gas flame and didn't find the smoke objectionable so I left the 3/8" bark on. It included some of the dark heart wood as well as lighter outer wood and bark.I split the wood into smaller chunks - comparable in size to the briquettes.
The chicken was brined for several hours and then I rinsed and dried it before coating it with peanut oil. I applied no further seasoning because I was more interested in the flavor that the black walnut smoke would impart.
Cold outdoor temperatures - about 45° - and persistent drizzle kept smoking temperatures low ranging from 210° to 230° until the water in the pan boiled away and temperature climbed to 280°. That was three hours in and I just took the chicken off and sealed up the smoker.
As the chicken cooked, the walnut smoke gave it a deliciously golden color. Three hours later it had darkened a but, but no where near what I would expect to see from something like hickory.
The flavor was also light and delicate. I would almost say sweet.
best,
walt
The chicken was brined for several hours and then I rinsed and dried it before coating it with peanut oil. I applied no further seasoning because I was more interested in the flavor that the black walnut smoke would impart.
Cold outdoor temperatures - about 45° - and persistent drizzle kept smoking temperatures low ranging from 210° to 230° until the water in the pan boiled away and temperature climbed to 280°. That was three hours in and I just took the chicken off and sealed up the smoker.
As the chicken cooked, the walnut smoke gave it a deliciously golden color. Three hours later it had darkened a but, but no where near what I would expect to see from something like hickory.
The flavor was also light and delicate. I would almost say sweet.
best,
walt