Grilling a brined chicken

[Chuck R]

I will be using a flavored brine (apple juice, maple syrup and brown sugar) prior to barbecuing two chickens tomorrow. Is that all that is normally used to flavor the birds or do y’all usually rub or sauce the birds also. I know, whatever floats my boat, but what is USUALLY done? I have never brine before.

Thanks.

 

[derek_d]

I like to brine and season it.

Some folks like to rub it down with some oil/butter both under and on the skin too.

Chicken is a staple around here. Seems every time I crank up the smoker I will throw some chicken on. Comes in handy when we cook casseroles, soups, etc.

 

[Bryan S]

Pretty much the only way I eat chicken is this way.

 

[Shawn W]

If you go with maple syrup I'd be interested to hear if you thought you could taste it in the finished bird.

Keri's Apple brine is pretty popular (in recipes section), I used this one from a TVWB turkey reference topic on chickens before and really enjoyed it.

 

[Chuck R]

Bryan, a few days ago, I found your recipe for Roadside Chicken and think I will give it a try next chicken I do. I’m an old dog but I still like to try new tricks. I also copied your corned beef recipe. Can’t wait till March 17th.

I have to admit, considering all the time and effort that goes into brining a chicken and cooking it for an hour on the WSM, that I wasn’t that impressed. For the cooking, I used Chris’ “Basic Barbecued Chicken” in the Cooking Topics. I don’t thinkthat it was noticeably more moist than beer can chicken and, even though I air dried the birds for several hours in the fridge, the skin was still rubbery. I much prefer the taste of beer can chicken, the skin as well as the meat, and it is a he!! of a lot easier. There is more smoke flavor with the longer time. The next time I cook a split chicken, I’ll use my Weber gasser and sauce it. Don’t know when that will be, the whole famdamly prefers beer can.

Shawn, I could taste a hint of sweetness in the meat, but I couldn’t distinguish if it was the juice, syrup or sugar. The skin wasn’t worth eating.