Well, the chickens are done, and found a new friend too! Larry reached out to me and we chatted, and he lives about 5 blocks from me! So, he came over just as the chickens finished up. He has spinal stenosis and is also disabled. He wanted to see my smokehouse, too. Here's the chickens:
and heerreessss Larry and me!
Yes, my teeth are in, just doesn't look like it, lol! 70+ here today, shorts are the ticket! Linda snapped the Qview of us!
Larry still drums in a rock band, lol! Now, to get him smoking meats!
We lopped off the wings from one of the chickens (gave the wing tips already to the dog when I first processed them before brining) and 'taste-tested' them... Larry said from 1 - 10 they were a '10+!' , lol, never had a chicken that had a ham-flavor profile! Will decide on the brine tomorrow during the game! But, tonight, I will declare this smoke a success!
Breakdown:
Product: 2 chickens
Process; Brined in a solution of 1 gal. water, ½ cup salt, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cure #1 sodium nitrite.
Brining time: 3 pm Thursday, Jan. 31 - 8 am Saturday, Feb. 2, under refrigeration
Smoked and cooked 12 hours, 8 am - 8 pm, finished temp 155°, with Pitmaster pellets/corn cob pellets and plum and hickory woods.
nice color on birds, juicy and delicious!
Success!