Page 23 - Galveston Waves August 2018

chicken for 12 hours before it goes on the pit. Completely sub- have an accurate meat thermometer. I recently
merge the bird in the brine. You can do it in a pot or a cooler picked one up from the Kitchen Chick on
and top with a bag of ice. You can use a large Ziploc bag of ice Market Street. If you are a cook and you have-
to lie of the top of a pot and both press the bird down into the n’t been by, you need to. There are lots of
brine and keep the pot cool. Refrigerate for 12 hours. I like to goodies and gadgets in there. But I digress, I’m
use contractor bags, you can usually get all four birds in one bag. usually a Thermoworks guy, and she carries the
Tie it up with the brine, and drop it in the cooler to keep from very famous thermo-pen. However, she was out
making a big mess, and getting Mrs. Cooker all riled up! at this point and I picked up an OXO thermometer. You know,
I probably have 30 thermometers, but I think this one is my fa-
Binder and Rub vorite. I love the large digital display and the pivoting head. I
tested it with boiling water. It’s very accurate, very fast. So pick
one up and tell the Kitchen Chick Cowboy Cooker sent you.

Glazing
If you are like me, you like to have a glaze of BBQ sauce on
your bird. Personally, I like Stubbs Original with ¼ cup of clo-
ver honey whisked in. Sugars just
help so much with your glazes.
They make them sticky and help
you build several layers without
creating a huge wet mess! Once it’s
done, pan it, foil it and put it to bed
for an hour before serving.

When you are resting meat that just came off of the fire, you
Now, you are going to want to rub the birds you smoke. And I want to slowly allow the temperature to come down, that’s why
like to cut the bird in half and cook it in a pan with an open top. I pan and foil it. I know I have said it a million times, but I just
Be sure to cut the back bone out when you halve the bird. It is hate to see folks ruin hours of work and an otherwise tasty meal
very important to completely dry all surfaces of the bird halves by being impatient. Don’t ever cut into a piece of meat that just
before you apply you binder, or you will have a wet mess. I don’t came off your pit. If you don’t learn anything else, learn that!
want to lose you here because most of the work is done. But
I’m going to ask you to trust me on this. Go to Wild Good Luck from The Cowboy Cooker
Bill’s in Lamarque and get some “Juicy Pig” Folks, I really enjoy writing these for you all, and
rub, and a bottle or jar of real mayonnaise. That’ I hope you are getting something out of it. I’d
where I lose folks…Mayo? Really, yes, just like love to see how yours came out. Drop us a line
Ma’ama used to make the T-day Bird! Rub it with or send us some pictures. I especially like the
mayo as a binder and then generously apply your BBQ sauced up kids faces like my daughter Jojo
Juicy Pig rub. Tell Bill I sent you! He also has one pictured here! Makes me laugh!
called “Simple Beef,” great on beef brisket! The
mayo helps bring the skin back after brining and does not inter- In the meantime, have a great summer and great chicken!
fere with the flavors you have introduced.

Smoked Bird

Now, place your chicken halves on the pit and smoke until the
thigh temp is at 165 degrees. You can cook as high as 350 de-
grees. I know lots of folks want to go low and slow at 225 here,
but you can cook poultry at higher temperatures and get the
same quality. When you check your temperature, it’s good to

Waves Magazine | August 2018 Issue | 23