Brining Dilema


 
Jake Wilson

Jake Wilson

TVWBB Fan
Okay, so wifey's girlfriend was coming over today, along with her husband and the girlfriend's G'Father, spend part of the day, we were going to feed them...been doing this third year in the row. They come from out of state, stop over here on the way to a time share they have and use in Orlando this time of the year. We (me) usually do chincken, this year no different so I brined three whole hens starting yesterday about this time (they've been in the brine now for 24 hours)

Plan was to roast them and not that it makes any difference, I was going to hang them in my 18.5 WSM using the Weber Expandable rack, on 6 hiooks, hooking each half (I brined the chicken after removing the back bone then cut them in 1/2), cooking over coals and a few pieces of wood, w/o the water bopwl or the charcoal shelf in place over the coals...been doing this for awhile and we like how they come out

Anyways, they called sometime today and now they wont be here ubntil tomorrow afternoon, citing some problem that came up. What should I do about the chicken halves in the brine? I have an idea they may take on too much salt if left in the brine for another 24 hours, or is that not an issue, or should I remove the chicken from the brine and plave the halves in a bag and store in the refrigerator to roast tomorrow? Any other ideas?

Crimeny, these are $10 birds each (Publix Greenwise)...I'd cook them up today but, I want to serve our company some hot birds, and not left overs
 
Take them out of the brine, rinse them off and pat dry with paper towels. Place them on a platter and let them air dry in the fridge overnight. This should actually help the skin crisp up a little bit when you do cook them. Do not let them brine for two days.
 
David is suggesting EXACTLY what I would suggest! Please report after the meal so we can all learn from your experience. Me, I'm thinkin' that you will not see ANY difference.

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
what's a thread w/o pics?

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Decided to go with David's suggestion, removing the birds from the brine after 24 hours. this is the brine and birds, after 24 hours

For the brine, I went with one of Jamie Purviance's brine recipes in Weber's Smoke book...Spicy Garlic brine, except I left the Marjoram out

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rinsed and patted dry...this was done yesterday late afternoon, early evening. FWIW, I used a cotton kitchen towel to pat the birds dry instead of using paper toweling

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after washing, rinsing and drying the brine container, I put the chicken halves back into it as this container fits well in my fridge

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as seen here~

more pics to follow
 
first chicken half to come out of the WSM 18.5

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Inserted the food probe http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004IMA718/tvwb-20 into the breast at the start of the cook, pulled when I read 160 degrees f (as temps will climb on their own waiting for the others to finish

The other birds when probed using my Thermopen, read 10 degrees cooler (150). I've noticed this happening on other chicken cooks in that the half that is probed (food temp probe inserted for the entire cook) will finish before the others. What I think happens is with the probe n the breast, juices run out during the cook so the probed bird cooks quicker as there is less weight overall

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here's the other 5 chicken halves just before I pulled them from the WSM 18.5

I used 4 apple wood chunks on top of the charcoal for this cook

They're hanging from the Weber Expandable rack (Weber Acc.) on hooks I purchased separately from the Pit Barrel Cooker people

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Pic taken from another angle. I did this cook on 12/27/14...two days after Christmas. As you can see, it was a sunny day with temps in the mid 70's. Perfect weather to enjoy a chicken dinner with friends on the back porch outside

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My wife likes here Chicken skins thoroughly crisp, so I placed 4 of the 6 chicken halves on my Weber performer that was stoking alongside the WSM for a minute or two

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these are the potatoes I had baking on the Performer while the chicken was roasting in the WSM18.5

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Plated!

this was my plate...everyone else wanted their birds (halves) as they came off the grill. All I did here was to remove the breast and slice it, placing the wing alongside with a potato and a half. I shared my chicken half with the house dog so she got the leg quarter, and 1/2 a potato...she's on a diet<LOL>

If anyone's wondering why the potatoes are sliced, I slice them this way after scrubbing the skins. Before I clean the potato skins I slice up some onion and garlic then insert garlic and onion slices into the potato, season w/Lawry's seasoned salt and fresh ground pepper, and slather with a bit of butter then wrap in aluminum foil. They'll then go on the Weber (indirect heat) covered for about an hour

The chicken was delicious. Everyone raved how juicy and good the chicken was so brining the birds for 24 hours then letting the halves rest for a day in the fridge uncovered did them no harm
 
Great cooking. I'm considering hanging meat in the WSm. Since you have, what did you use above the coals? Water, dry pan, nothing? Your experience will save me research time. Thanks in advance. ( I'm a little behind and just saw your thread.)
 
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