Chicken tender/fingers.

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gmc2003

Epic Pitmaster
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Sep 15, 2012
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Well the wife went out to dinner with her sister last night. So I had another evening to experiment with the Vortex/Kettle combination. This time I was craving chicken for some odd reason. I've done cordon bleu on the Kettle before using indirect heat and the charcoal baskets, but I wanted something a bit more fun, like an appetizer. So I thought of chicken fingers.

Beautiful evening to be outside with a cold one and a pup named skidmark. Green color is finally starting so show.
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Skidmark from the last cook. This time he somehow managed to avoid the camera, and yes I've been known to BBQ in my PJ's:
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Starting off with the dry ingredients: a little over a cup of flour, then no special amounts of seasoning. Just to taste and, 1tsp of starch.
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Time to operate on the chicken breasts: I missed my calling.
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Then the moist stuff: Enough buttermilk to cover the chicken, then a few shakes of Franks. Well more then a few went in this batch - since it was just me.
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And into the brine for a few hours of relaxed soaking.
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After about 3hrs of spa treatment it's time to dry off.
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Can't forget to get the sauna going: A smallish chunk of hickory for good measure.
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And the chicken begins to circle the wagon:
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After about 20min or so it's off the que on onto the plate. Nothing fancy since it's a bachelor's plate of vittles. Added a vessel of sriracha mustard for dipping purposes.
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One last pick, this time with a cut finger.
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Well as the saying goes if you made through this far - I hope you enjoyed and weren't bored.

Overall it was a success and will be made again. Especially for family get togethers and watching sporting events on the tele'(for our UK friends). The sriracha mustard overpowered the Franks when dipped, but when the fingers were eaten nakkid you could taste the hot sauce. I'm playing more with the vortex to get away from frying in oil and still be able to enjoy the same types of food.

Thanks again.

Chris
 

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That chicken looks great man. Points. If I could cook fried foods without oil and make it look that good I could get some major points with the wife. Always on me about frying stuff.

And I've got to try sriracha mustard. I mix sriracha and ranch makes a wonderful dip on just about anything but never thought about mixing sriracha and mustard. Thanks for the idea!
 
Chris, this looks awesome. I am moving away from all fried foods and so glad that you have done this and fried chicken. I am going to have to try this out, I wonder if the vortex would work on the WSM. Thanks for the awesome tutorial!
 
Looks good Chris I like the way the vortex does the chicken like that.Thanks for sharing
Richie

Thanks Richie for the like. The Vortex is the best piece of Q'uipment that I've bought so far.

Looks great and what a view you have there.

Thanks for the kind words Dcecil, The food was surprisingly good - better then expected. The view is worth living in boonies.

Chris
 
That chicken looks great man. Points. If I could cook fried foods without oil and make it look that good I could get some major points with the wife. Always on me about frying stuff.

And I've got to try sriracha mustard. I mix sriracha and ranch makes a wonderful dip on just about anything but never thought about mixing sriracha and mustard. Thanks for the idea!

Thanks Smokin, the wife and I are also trying to get away from frying in oil. This method seems to be working so far. The sriracha mustard was bought at the local grocer. It is very good.

Looks real good! Those vortex's are chicken wing making machines!!
Al

Couldn't agree more Al. I just trying my darnedest to expand it's duties. Thanks for the kind words.

Chris, this looks awesome. I am moving away from all fried foods and so glad that you have done this and fried chicken. I am going to have to try this out, I wonder if the vortex would work on the WSM. Thanks for the awesome tutorial!

We're also try to avoid fried foods. The problem is they are some of our favorites. This seems to be working better then expected. I want an air fryer, but I don't have the kitchen space to store it anymore with all the other gadgets I've accumulated over the years. Most haven't seen the light of day in years - time to clean house. It looks like you have the 18" WSM. The Vortex may work in it. Especially if you can put your charcoal grate where your second food grate is.

Chris
 
The problem I see with the air fryer is most of the foods that I would be putting in there have already been fried at some point and are then frozen; tater tots, fries, mozz sticks, etc.
 
Well the wife went out to dinner with her sister last night. So I had another evening to experiment with the Vortex/Kettle combination. This time I was craving chicken for some odd reason. I've done cordon bleu on the Kettle before using indirect heat and the charcoal baskets, but I wanted something a bit more fun, like an appetizer. So I thought of chicken fingers.

GMC like the country fried steak, wondering if you used the lid for a bit and if you put anything on the grill to keep batter from sticking?
kit
 
Never mind ...duh just saw your answer to the country fried.
Going to have to try both....hmmm wonder if chicken thighs w/bone in will work. Looks like the chicken was skinned also. Wonder if skin on will work?...oh such fun to play.
 
Looks good! Great write-up!!

Thanks for the look yankee it was pretty good.

Looks like tasty bird to me!

Thanks browneye, and thanks for the point.

Far from bored Chris... I could look at this food all day long...and your cute puppy skidmark...haha had to chuckle at his name. That chicken looks great!

Charlotte

Thanks for the point and looksee Charlotte, Skid is my protector of the pit. Once the smoker or kettle gets fired up he's out there for the duration.

Chris
 
Dude, those look really tasty. It only took 20 minutes for them to cook? I'm going to have to think about trying this out. I love chicken like this. Only mine would have some Sweet Baby Ray's buffalo sauce in place of the Frank's. Thanks for the idea Chris.

George
 
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