Smoked Chicken Question

grannymum, Apr 9, 5:33pm
Once you have opened the packaging of a smoked chicken, how long can you keep it in the frig!Just won't be able to use it all up at once & don't want to waste it.

vintagekitty, Apr 9, 5:39pm
Easily 3-5 days as it is smoked, just pop into a tupperware container out of its plastic wrapping

makespacenow, Apr 9, 6:09pm
Next time try making your own.so delicious.
I buy the chicken when it is on special at good butchers.
you can smoke it in just ordinary fish smoker (I do mine anyway and now the neighbours pinched the idea), you can smoke whole chicken too not just the breasts etc (though I do butterfly mine)
you can use different spices and marinades.
then pop in a plastic box and leave in the fridge for couple of days, always tastes better after few days.
kids favourite is manuka honey and harrisa paste & balsamic vinegar.

timturtle, Apr 9, 6:47pm
makespacenow can you elaborate on how you do this ! Sounds really nice. Thanks

sarahb5, Apr 9, 6:53pm
Or you can freeze it .

grannymum, Apr 9, 7:02pm
Thanks for your help & suggestions.Think I may have to freeze leftovers, thanks sarahb5

makespacenow, Apr 9, 8:52pm
what the marinades or the smoking process itself!

sumstyle, Apr 9, 8:59pm
Smoking process would be good to know thanks - I have been experimenting with smoking fish fillets and they are going well, but I am not certain about doing the chicken as I have a pretty budget bbq and have to crate my own version of a smoke box with some old roasting pans.

makespacenow, Apr 9, 9:08pm
I use a fish smoker (just a cheap one from warehouse though we do have posh BBQ :D )
I line the bottom with foil then sprinkle some manuka wood chips.(makes the cleaning up easy as you simply lift the foil)
then place the rack and place the marinated chicken breasts/butterflied chicken on that.
just use the meths underneath in the trays that come with the smoker
(our smoker was bought in warehouse sale for $ 39.watch out for sales)
I also use it to smoke veggies, and garlic - smoked garlic is great
also smoke salt and spices (gives steak that goes on bbq really nice taste)
depending on the pieces used you may have to do two smoking cycles or more
you can add tea leaves/cut some tea bags and sprinkle the content on the manuka wood chips.(earl grey gives nice smokey taste).

I had to start doing this as kids and husband developed love for the smoke chicken and frankly the supermarket ones were way too expensive to have more than once in a while . this way we can do it whenever at a fraction of the price and tastes even better . plus the smell while they are smoking is devine.

timturtle, Apr 10, 12:51am
Thanks makespacenow. So after two cycles is the breast is actually cooked ! I suppose you just check it. Also you mentioned marinades above, do you just marinate then drain and smoke! Thanks for your reply

makespacenow, Apr 10, 1:57am
Depends on the size of the breast.yes always check.you can always place in baking tray cover with foil and finsh in oven if you run out of meths.but average chicken breasts take two cycles.in my experience.
Depending on the marinade i just shake it.bit of moisture is ok.
Kids love:
3:2:1 which is the salt brown sugar/manuka honey cinnamon
or harrisa seasoning (mix own or equagold is great)
Just manuka honey
balsamic glaze black pepper and salt
lemmon juice
garlic smoked paprika
really imagination is your limit.
Place a garlic bulb in as well smoked garlic tastes fab.
I did want to pist sth else but my baby brain made me go blank.if i remember will post it.

makespacenow, Apr 10, 1:59am
Oh yes the balsamic glaze and harrissa make salmon great too
i smoke the salmon portions. .Kids love them.
Tried steak too with garlic and chilli but kids preger it as jerky (which i either make on lowest oven setting or pinch neighbours dehydrator).

sumstyle, Apr 10, 3:01am
Cool, thanks for that, MSN.I think I will give it a go on the bbq cos your method sounds really similar to how I do the fish.Apart from the meths/time to burn through the meths.

makespacenow, Apr 10, 12:31pm
I also smoke half tomatoes - cut side up and chilled then use them to make smoked tomato and chilling jam.fab with cheeses

timturtle, Apr 10, 4:53pm
Thanks for this MSN, with the balsamic glaze, how do you make this ! and am I right in thinking you just rub the spices on and then smoke ! I just got the smoker and am keen to try drum sticks to see how they turn out. Also Im not sure I understand the "3:2:1 which is the salt brown sugar/manuka honey cinnamon" can you explain further! sorry for being a pain!

Thanks again

makespacenow, Apr 10, 6:26pm
I rub the spices or pour over a generous amount of the balsamic glaze (either buy from good european deli or reduce balsamic vinegar in a pan)
the night before I want to smoke the chicken.
Drums sticks were not as nice as chicken breasts but when I make a whole chicken it always dissapears (I make it when we have bbq and funnily people always flock to the smoked chicken first).
3:2:1 is the ratio so 3 parts of salt, 2 parts of sugar/honey, 1 part of cinnamon.
you're not being a pain, we just experimented over the past year or so as we like smoke chicken but found the supermarket ones too expensive to feed our little waste disposals (as they would gobble down two of the double chicken breasts no problems and ask for more!).

timturtle, Apr 10, 7:12pm
Thanks for that Makespacenow

makespacenow, Apr 10, 8:11pm
My neighbour also smoked hard cheese, will ask her about that (she stole my idea and is now doing experiments :D )

cookessentials, Apr 10, 9:25pm
Chris Fortune does a wonderful book on smoking all sorts of tings. it's a fascinating wee book.
http://www.chrisfortune.co.nz/products

timturtle, Apr 13, 11:02pm
Just done my first batch, and am really pleased. I used a charcoal BBQ that looks like a fold over drum. And used an old sardine can to hold the meths. It took two tins of meths, but was really surprised how quickly they cooked really. I did 1 breast and three drums and a bulb of garlic. All in the fridge in a plastic box now. Thanks

sumstyle, Apr 16, 3:39am
I did mine on the gas bbq, making an improv smoker using a roasting tray a la thefreerangecook.com.

So I cooked it on high for 6 minutes, low for 12, then let it sit to cool.I used chicken tenderloins, and MSN's ratio of salt/sugar/cinnamon.Next time I would use a little less spice as I don't like cinnamon that much and cos I couldn't taste any of the manuka smoke perhaps!

V good - chicken only cost me $5.

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