Thoughts on brining whole chicken for beer car chix?


 
T

Taylor_Hamilton

New member
Would love to get thoughts on the pros or cons on brining whole chicken for some beer can chicken. I have some Cajun butter I plan on using with the chicken as well. Opinions and feedback are greatly appreciated.

Happy cookin'

Taylor
 
He'll yah Can't hurt nothing. I'd be curious as if the brined tasted different... You could do one of each and then be able to tell if the brine process worked and is worth it.

Don't forget to drink half the beer out of the cans first hehe and then add all the goods to the cans like onion, garlics, orange/apple/lemon peels or juice, herbs, or whatever it is that gets your smoke on.

As tony always says - we like pics! Right tony?

Don't lift the lid...
 
For poultry or pork, if the intended cooking method is the smoker, grill or oven, I prefer a brine.

If a cast iron skillet with oil and flour is involved, buttermilk is in the equation.
 
Jak Stepan said:
He'll yah Can't hurt nothing. I'd be curious as if the brined tasted different... You could do one of each and then be able to tell if the brine process worked and is worth it.

Don't forget to drink half the beer out of the cans first hehe and then add all the goods to the cans like onion, garlics, orange/apple/lemon peels or juice, herbs, or whatever it is that gets your smoke on.

As tony always says - we like pics! Right tony?

Don't lift the lid...
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Ditto what Jak said....:D
 
Brine the bird!!
Now for something else to try. Drink half the beer, then pour in a quarter of a can of Dr.Pepper.
I've also added a half of a cinnamon stick to my brine. It gives the chicken a Wow, what did you add to your bird taste.
Experiment, and have fun with it, if you think it might taste good I'll bet it will.
 
Yep. Brine it, than dry it, and plug the neck cavity with a chunk of lemon or onion. That helps the aromatics from venting straight out the top.

Tim
 
NeilH said:
Is there any difference in drying the outside with paper towels compared to air drying?
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Yes there is. Air drying in the fridge will get more moisture out of the skin than just patting with paper towel. The drier you can get the skin the better off you are.
 
Bob Sample said:
Yes there is. Air drying in the fridge will get more moisture out of the skin than just patting with paper towel. The drier you can get the skin the better off you are.
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Thanks Bob. I've always air dried but was just curious. I'm about to throw two halves on now.
 
Personally I don't think the brine makes it taste that much better unless you go with something out there like apple juice with a lot of spices. Then you have to air dry etc. Too much hassle for me.

Use a spoon or your fingers to loosen the chicken skin around the breast and thighs and rub that Cajun butter you have under the skin. Then rub a little olive oil on the skin and put a nice rub on the outside of the chicken (doesn't have to be BBQ style, could be herb rub or just salt and pepper).

If you want, put some orange wedges, onion wedges and sticks of herbs in the chicken cavity. Put the chickens on the rack breast side up and smoke roast until the breast tenderloin is 155-160. I aim for 275-300 for first hour then push it up to 375 if I can get there in the WSM for last part of cook.
 
Chris E said:
Personally I don't think the brine makes it taste that much better
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For me, the brine doesn't have the 'taste' going for it as much as a moister meat. I've smoked as-is, brined, rotisserie'd, marinated, injected, beer can, breast up/down, etc... Best taste came from the injected followed by marinated. Juciest meat from brined/rotisserie followed by brined. Best skin (crispy) always came from air drying overnight.

Guess it depends what your final product & definition of hassle is.
 
I've always said..."When given the time, ALWAYS brine...". I brined a whole chicken last weekend and smoked it 3-31/2 hours in the WSM with applewood and it was a huge hit. I usually brine my chicken 24hrs. However, the skin is usually a bit spongy but I discard it anyway. Good luck!
 
Taylor,

I agree - brine away! You might want to tailor the flavor profile of your brine to that of the Cajun Butter. Are you injecting or basting with the butter?

Regards,

John
 
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