Experiment: Spicy Ancho Chili Chicken Pastrami: q-view

forluvofsmoke · Dec 4, 2009

I had 2 fryers thawed and ready to smoke last days off, but took a break from the smoker instead. I decided today @ work that I would part out the birds to char-grill for tonight's dinner, and save the breast meat for curing, as we don't really like the white meat grilled that much anyway...so, here goes!

First look at the birds:

My wife picked this up a couple weeks back...never tried it yet, so......:

Served with home-made broccoli/cheese/mushroom soup...perfect comfort food after working in near 0* weather today.

That was tonight's dinner...very good seasoning btw. However, in a week, I'll be getting a taste of the chix pastrami.......

Spicy Ancho Chili Chicken Pastrami Brine Cure
　
For 2 to 2-¼ lbs chicken breast
　
1-½ Tbls Ancho Chili powder
½ Tbls New Mexico Chili powder, mild
½ Tbls Spanish Paprika
1 Tbls Rosemary Leaves, dried
4 Bay Leaf, large
1 Tbls Black Peppercorn
3 Tbls Tender Quick Cure
2 cups water (EDIT)

The 4 breasts I used weighed 2lb-3oz trimmed, and I will cure for 8 days, then soak in ice water for 45-60 minutes for salt removal prior to smoking.

Smoke woods will be cherry & apple.

Here's the parted-out carcasses:

And, the breast meat:

Brine/cure got chilled outdoors on the deck railing @ 4* and is now ready:

Into a gallon baggie and off to the fridge for a good, long soaking:

See you with more as we continue through our pastrami journey!

Thanks for peeking!

Eric

ronp · Dec 4, 2009

I could sure use that plate with the soup and all, looks great as I am typing my hands are cold. Looks yummy.

raceyb · Dec 4, 2009

Good looking stuff!!

fire it up · Dec 4, 2009

Ha! That was great, cooling it on the deck outside-great idea if it is that cold out.

Grilled up chicken looked great, I'm really interested in the pastramified chicken when it's ready.

the dude abides · Dec 4, 2009

I've had turkey pastrami and like it. Never heard of chicken, but I'm pulling for ya. Sounds like it'll have a kick to it.

Nice job on the rest of the chicken too

rivet · Dec 4, 2009

Great looking grilled chicken and soup, could use some of that today! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the experiment, sounds good so far. Great idea, by the way...

mballi3011 · Dec 5, 2009

I to have never heard ofchicken pastrami before either. It looks fabolous and I cann't wait for the finish except that I wouldn't be there to try it for myself. I like the grilled chicken too but you say you have never seen or used Tony Chacreres brand creole seasonings how about Zaterans brand cajun seasonings. Man I use that stuff like salt I put it on everyhting that is grilled smoked or microwaved in this house.

forluvofsmoke · Dec 5, 2009

Thanks Ron, yeah this whole meal, simple as it was, really hit the spot.

Thanks, tastes good, too!

Thanks, yeah winter's here now...gonna be a cold one on Sunday when I fire up the SNP & Vault for a day of fun in the thin blue...forecast is lower teens with 50% chance of snow...brrrrrr.

The 'strami chix was something I've been thinking about since I got my first corned beef pastrami under my belt...turkey will be next on my agenda...we absalutely love turkey pastrami.

Yeah, that's what gave me the idea after doing my first corned beef pastrami...turkey, chicken...they're both birds, so, why not?!?!? HEH-HEH-HEH! It'll be fun finding out what that brine can do for chix meat anyway!

Thanks

Thanks, I just had to make some good use of the breast meat...grilling just doesn't seem to do it as much justice as the pastrami idea sounded.

Mark, I've seen the Tony's seasonings ads on TV once in awhile, and it did look enticing...wife just happened to grab it and the Tony's butter injectable marinade for our Thanksgiving turkey, and that was a pretty darn tasty change of pace...I've use cajun on birds and almost everything else, just never tried the creol yet...good stuff!

After PM'n with Ron, I decided to do a slice test on Sunday morning and if the cure looks good, they'll go into my SNP a few days early with spare ribs & beans.

Thanks all!

Hmm......I just remebered...I gotta go squish and turn the pastrami meat! LOL!!!!!!

Later!

Eric

smoking snow · Dec 5, 2009

thanks for sharing looks great

alx · Dec 5, 2009

Looking good.Never thought of using my Anchos in a brine ...

forluvofsmoke · Dec 6, 2009

Thanks, gonna be fun finding out what it's like!

Thanks, oh yeah, the Ancho Chili is our friend! HEH-HEH-HEH!

Smoke is set for Sunday...the chicken breast meat is really firm already, and I'll have a hot smoke and a cold smoke going, so it's gonna be a blast smokin' in the snow!!!

Eric

pignit · Dec 6, 2009

forluvofsmoke · Dec 6, 2009

I took the meat out after getting my snack sticks and rib smokes going, did a fry test and it was a bit on the salty side. The flavor is suprisingly good...not what I expected at all. The rub and smoke will change the flavoring alot, so I'm going to leave about 1/3 of the meat naked and smoke it up just to see what the brine/cure and smoke will do for the flavoring and texture.

They're soaking now, and will get rubbed up and tossed into the SNP with the ribs over apple/cherry and charcoal in a few more minutes.

Just out of the brine/cure bag:

Rinsed off:

Soaking in fresh cold water:

Gotta get busy with my dry rub!

Back later with the finish!

Thanks all!

Eric

beer-b-q · Dec 6, 2009

Looks Great, The soup and chicken would be great for a day like today, cold here in Kansas.

Looking forward to the finished "Strami".

fire it up · Dec 6, 2009

They are looking good so far Eric, can't wait for the final verdict, really interested in this.

forluvofsmoke · Dec 6, 2009

Thanks, yeah, that was good stuff to warm up to! It's 13* here right now, and it's been snowing lightly for the better part of the last 8 hours.

Thanks, I'm waiting right now to toss 'em into the SNP...getting pretty full with ribs. I don't have my ribs panned up to brase yet, and had to add a 3rd slab mid-smoke....grrrrrr...oh well, happiness is a full smoker!

Here's the meat rubbed with my Ancho Chili Rub...I left the tenders naked to see what the difference is like...it should be a good side-by-side taste test:

Thanks...smoke to follow, as soon as I can either make more space in the SNP, or when I decide to fire up my GOSM. My Smoke Vault is working on a cold smoke/drying of my 14# snack stick run.

Eric

fire it up · Dec 6, 2009

You fire up the GOSM you will really be smoking!
Didn't know you had a cold smoke going with all this...you're one busy smoker

forluvofsmoke · Dec 6, 2009

HEH-HEH-HEH!!!!!! Yeah, I make the most of my smoking time now-days.....why mess around when you can just go crazy!?!?!?!?!?!? LOLOLOL!!!!!!

I haven't updated the snack sticks thread yet...when I get a chance...gotta pan-up my ribs for brasing and get the chix pastrami meat into the SNP pretty soon.....I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

Eric

forluvofsmoke · Dec 6, 2009

I finally got some grate space to toss these onto...they layed on a plastic platter in my 33* fridge uncovered for about 3 hours after rubbing, so plenty of marinating/drying time.

Just into the loaded SNP with cherry/apple smoke @ ~235*:

The naked tenders in front, the ancho rubbed breasts on the right:

We'll see soon how this works out...can't wait!!!

More to come!

Thanks!

Eric

fire it up · Dec 7, 2009

tic...toc...tic...toc...

Experiment: Spicy Ancho Chili Chicken Pastrami: q-view

Smoking Guru

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Smoking Fanatic

Smoking Guru

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Smoking Guru

Fire Starter

Master of the Pit

Smoking Guru

Master of the Pit

Smoking Guru

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Smoking Guru

Smoking Guru

Smoking Guru

Smoking Guru

Smoking Guru

Smoking Guru

Similar threads

Hot Threads