Heh Heh, thought that might spark some interest, lol!
I've been consorting with some guy named Todd who brought it to light that there are indeed corn cobs available (see my thread below on Corn Cobs)! In fact, he sent me some to test out with the Amazen Pellet Smoker in my smokehouse. So, to test without breaking the bank, I bought two chickens on Wednesday, September 28th. Because of my modified diet, I decided to skin them, but couldn't decide whether to skin them before curing or after, so I skinned one and not the other and put them in the brine:
Used my (now) regular brine of 1 gal. water, 1 cup Splenda[emoji]174[/emoji] Sugar, 1 cup Splenda[emoji]174[/emoji] Brown Sugar Blend, 1/3 cup Sea Salt, and 1 tbsp. DQ Curing Salt (6.25% Nitrite). Made up 2 gallons and put in the brine, minimum brine time would be 3 days.
During this time, there was holdups in acquiring the equipment and pellets but all resolved and was set to smoke today! Now, that is 11 days, not 3. Any fear that it was too long? No, I remember dad keeping chickens in the brine up to 14 days as sometimes they sold well and sometimes not. I was about to put my money where my mouth is, lol!
I pulled out the chickens and skinned the other; there was little if any difference skinning it before or after, quite honestly:
Skinned and sacked ready for the smokehouse!
The next factor was where was I going to put the Amazen Pellet Smoker? My logical guess was even with the propane burner right by the lower air inlet for good oxygenation:
You can see it was right by the air intake vent! But... didn't happen... kept going out! I took it out of the smokehouse and set it on the table and poof! it started generating smoke like crazy - obviously where I had it, it was competing with the burner for oxygen! So, I placed it back in the smokehouse on the drip pan bars half way up. BINGO! It was generating smoke wonderfully!
and, this is the result!
I smoked them a total of 9 hours, used two pans of pellets (they burn faster than hardwood, naturally!). But, this was the result!
out of the sacks:
The results? Cured and Smoked Skinless Chickens with a Lo-Salt curing brine and even without the skins they were still juicy and tender; the meat exposed to the smoke was a bit hardened from the smoke but more than edible, they were delicious!
I have to admit when they first started smoking, memories from yesteryear came flooding back and I was blubbering like a baby with all the rememberances of waking up in a smoke-filled bedroom while dad smoked his meats (our bedroom above the meatroom!) and that sweet corn cob smell permeating my pores once again! It is a sweeter, milder, less acrid smoke than hardwood, the innate corn sugars adding to the quality and depth of the smoke!
For all you pellet owners of Todd's AMAZING invention, try some corn cob pellets. They burn faster, about 3-4 hours on a fill with 1 end lit, and to start them put the torch to them for 1.5 - 2 minutes until they flame. If necessary, use a small bellows to fan the burn (I used to smoke, blowing into them is like ... torture, lol!). Once caught though, they produce a great smoke experience that is not harsh. You can get them at Tractor Supply or other farm supply places as pellet bedding for animals! I know I'm stocking up; they will be replacing my hardwood in my iron frying pan for sure!
I've been consorting with some guy named Todd who brought it to light that there are indeed corn cobs available (see my thread below on Corn Cobs)! In fact, he sent me some to test out with the Amazen Pellet Smoker in my smokehouse. So, to test without breaking the bank, I bought two chickens on Wednesday, September 28th. Because of my modified diet, I decided to skin them, but couldn't decide whether to skin them before curing or after, so I skinned one and not the other and put them in the brine:
Used my (now) regular brine of 1 gal. water, 1 cup Splenda[emoji]174[/emoji] Sugar, 1 cup Splenda[emoji]174[/emoji] Brown Sugar Blend, 1/3 cup Sea Salt, and 1 tbsp. DQ Curing Salt (6.25% Nitrite). Made up 2 gallons and put in the brine, minimum brine time would be 3 days.
During this time, there was holdups in acquiring the equipment and pellets but all resolved and was set to smoke today! Now, that is 11 days, not 3. Any fear that it was too long? No, I remember dad keeping chickens in the brine up to 14 days as sometimes they sold well and sometimes not. I was about to put my money where my mouth is, lol!
I pulled out the chickens and skinned the other; there was little if any difference skinning it before or after, quite honestly:
Skinned and sacked ready for the smokehouse!
The next factor was where was I going to put the Amazen Pellet Smoker? My logical guess was even with the propane burner right by the lower air inlet for good oxygenation:
You can see it was right by the air intake vent! But... didn't happen... kept going out! I took it out of the smokehouse and set it on the table and poof! it started generating smoke like crazy - obviously where I had it, it was competing with the burner for oxygen! So, I placed it back in the smokehouse on the drip pan bars half way up. BINGO! It was generating smoke wonderfully!
and, this is the result!
I smoked them a total of 9 hours, used two pans of pellets (they burn faster than hardwood, naturally!). But, this was the result!
out of the sacks:
The results? Cured and Smoked Skinless Chickens with a Lo-Salt curing brine and even without the skins they were still juicy and tender; the meat exposed to the smoke was a bit hardened from the smoke but more than edible, they were delicious!
I have to admit when they first started smoking, memories from yesteryear came flooding back and I was blubbering like a baby with all the rememberances of waking up in a smoke-filled bedroom while dad smoked his meats (our bedroom above the meatroom!) and that sweet corn cob smell permeating my pores once again! It is a sweeter, milder, less acrid smoke than hardwood, the innate corn sugars adding to the quality and depth of the smoke!
For all you pellet owners of Todd's AMAZING invention, try some corn cob pellets. They burn faster, about 3-4 hours on a fill with 1 end lit, and to start them put the torch to them for 1.5 - 2 minutes until they flame. If necessary, use a small bellows to fan the burn (I used to smoke, blowing into them is like ... torture, lol!). Once caught though, they produce a great smoke experience that is not harsh. You can get them at Tractor Supply or other farm supply places as pellet bedding for animals! I know I'm stocking up; they will be replacing my hardwood in my iron frying pan for sure!
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