Smoked Chicken Feet

[old smokey nj]

What, if anything, do you season them with or marinate them with prior to smoking? Also, how long do they have to be smoked? Temp?

 

[Bearcarver]

What, if anything, do you season them with or marinate them with prior to smoking? Also, how long do they have to be smoked? Temp?

After running around in their own droppings all of their lives, they are already pretty well seasoned.

Bear

 

[old smokey nj]

OMG

 

[RRR]

Mostly free range chickens here so they walk on grass mostly. They do have cock fighting here.

 

[chef jimmyj]

They do have cock fighting here.

A bunch of Men betting on who has the Biggest and Toughest, Co...uh, Rooster?
How Barbaric!...JJ

 

[RRR]

A bunch of Men betting on who has the Biggest and Toughest, Co...uh, Rooster?
How Barbaric!...JJ

Yea I don’t go, I don’t like the ides either.

 

[indaswamp]

Funny story...I got an invitation to hunt at my buddy's Duck Hunting Lodge in Arkansas. He was down a dog and needed a good dog to work for the guests he had that weekend. So I packed up my pots and headed to Arkansas for the weekend. I told my friend to save the legs and thighs off any specklebelly geese they shot during the week and I would bring some andouille and cook a big pot of gumbo. Well, he was successful and saved a pile of legs and thighs for me to cook. He sent me a picture, they still had the feet attached. He he he....
When it came time to cook, I prepped the legs and thighs by cutting the feet off and put them in a bowl in the refrigerator....right on top of the beer. Every time someone opened the beer fridge to get a beer they asked me-"what are ya gonna do with those feet?" I said, "you'll see."
I knew most of the guys there. One of them was extremely squeemish...he about puked when I ate the tongue from a whole roasted pig right in front of him the day before. It is really good...I highly recommend it. Anyways, back to the gumbo...
When no one was looking, I floated a clear bowl on top of the gumbo. Next time 'Squeemish Guy' walked up to get a beer, I reach over and grab the goose feet and while he is watching, I dump it in the gumbo. 'Squeemish Guy' runs outside where everyone is gathered around the camp fire yelling,"HE PUT THE FEET IN THE GUMBO, HE PUT THE FEET IN THE GUMBO!" Then, he pukes in the yard...I had to go grab the bowl out of the gumbo to show him that I did not in fact put the feet in the gumbo. Everyone was laughing their azzes off......

 

[chef jimmyj]

Chinese Braised Duck Web is amazing. Gelatinous, intense flavor, but not what you would call meaty and lots of tiny bones to work past. Kind of like Picking Blue Crabs. Lots of work for a small amount of greatness. I imagine the Goose Feet would be equally good...JJ

 

[SlickRockStones]

Unfortunately I can’t enjoy chicken feet. I break out and scratch endlessly.

 

[Bearcarver]

Unfortunately I can’t enjoy chicken feet. I break out and scratch endlessly.

Save one of the chicken feet for a "Scratcher".

Bear

 

[old smokey nj]

So RRR, do you season these?

 

[chef jimmyj]

I am interested in more details. Feet are made up of a Tough high collagen skin that is much more like Lizard Skin then the soft Chicken Skin on the body. While there is a small amount of meat, much of what is under the Skin is high collagen Tendon. While not commonly eaten or appreciated in the States, long Simmering of the Feet and other Tendon, like from the legs of Beef cattle, will breakdown to a Tender, Gelatious, Flavorful Treat that Melts in your Mouth! The sticky, slippery, cross between JELLO and Vaseline, while Super Tasty is not to everyones liking. The Disks between the bones of Oxtails get the same way. I LOVE the taste and very unusual mouth feel of all this sfuff! My Wife tried Chicken Feet and Oxtails and while she thought the flavor is great, CAN'T get past the texture.

As I said it takes longer Simmering in liquid or Steaming to dissolve the skin and Tendon and can't see how any length of time in a relatively dry Smoker, would get these Feet tender...JJ

 

[old smokey nj]

That's why I asked. RRR said he smokes them, and I was wondering how you would eat them. I understand if you cook them they break down the collagen, etc., but smoking them would seem would make them brittle. Hopefully he will advise. I'm curious now.

 

[indaswamp]

I put beef tendons in pot when I make beef stock....awesome flavor when they break down into gelatin!

 

[chef jimmyj]

I put beef tendons in pot when I make beef stock....awesome flavor when they break down into gelatin!

My grocery, Local and Walmart 30 miles away, barely carries Common Meat Cuts, forget about Feet, Tendon, Tails or Offal of any animal. When I get to a bigger City, I will get Sushi, Thai or Vietnamese PHO BO, highly Spiced Beef and Rice Noodle Soup. I order the Works. The Cooked Brisket, Raw Sirloin, the Springy Meatballs and the Tendon. Simmered until it is Soft, the Tendon is the Best Part! I do have a spot on recipe for Authentic PHO BO but only get to make it when my oldest makes the 4 hour trip from the City, Harrisburg, and can bring all the Goodies!...JJ

 

[Forwardmarcher11]

good article