Brine or Inject or Both?

[bignick]

Haven't been on here in a while...I bought a couple of 4 or 5 lb. birds today at wally world. This will be my first beer can chix smoke. It's funny to see that everyone else is doing poulty too! I guess its a change that everyone wants after doing ribs/butts/brisket a few times already.

My question: I bought an injector with some creole butter marinade. I have read that brining makes for a juicy bird. Does brining eliminate the need for injection? If I do both will it over do the meat? Any suggestions will be appreciated. I was thinking about doing one bird with the creole butter and one with wicker's and a dry rub on the outside.

 

[bassman]

I have never brined a bird, but have sure used a lot of Creole butter injection. I can't advise on using both, but you should be real happy injecting them.

 

[smokebuzz]

You should be fine as long as your brine don't have a lot of salt. that inject your useing will help hold moisture also. the only chicken i eat is wings, but make alot of legs and theighs for my dots and comps and i brine them, but dont try to inject.

 

[ronp]

Try one each way, that will be interesting.

 

[mulepackin]

I do both when I do turkeys, of course thats at least a ten lb. bird. I'm also doing them as a cured/smoked product. I inject with 10% by weight (10# bird, 1# brine)of the same brine I soak the birds in. Soak for 3 hours in ice cold water, then into ice cold brine for 48 hours. Rinse with ice cold water then smoke. There are a lot of threads on brining in this section, with lots of very good info. Very important to keep your birds very cold during the brine period.

 

[travcoman45]

I do it both ways, ifin it be a bigger bird I will inject, turkeys always get stabbed. Here be what I use:

Slaughterhouse Brine:

1 1/2 Gal Water
1/2 C Salt
1/2 C Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Cajun Spice
2 tsp Celery Salt

Slaughterhouse Injection:

1/2 Pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Celery seed
2 TBS melted Butter
2 C Apple Cider

Slaughterhouse Spritz:

8 oz Apple Cider
6 oz Water
4 oz Whiskey
2 oz Cider Vinegar

Give em a spritz each hour. Gives em a nice sheen an heps crisp that skin up some.

Good luck an may the smoke gods smile upon yer cooker!