Tonight's dinner (poultry and veggies)

[HankB]

Buckie had asked about grilled broccoli so I got some pix of that tonight. The pictures are not particularly good but the food was so I'm posting anyway. 

Today was a real rotter as far as getting anything done on the shed. It rained and snowed pretty much all day and it would have been very difficult to work in the wet clay. We did other stuff.

For dinner I made a chicken (one of the last that my son raised) a pheasant he got from a co-worker and some broccoli and asparagus. I searched for suggestions on the BBQ-Brethren forum for pheasant and all said that it was extremely important not to overcook it and that brining was a good idea. I split both birds and put them in a brine with 3/4 C salt, 1/2 C sugar, a quart of apple juice, juice from one orange and enough water to make half a gallon. They were in the brine for about 4 hours. I started a fire with two baskets of charcoal in the SS Performer and spread the coals out once lit (keeping a cool zone at one side.) I also threw on a few cherry chips for some extra flavor and color. Before putting the chicken and pheasant on I rubbed both with a Moroccan rub. The chicken went on first and even though I had closed the bottom vent down quite a bit, it was cooking too fast. I moved it to the safety zone to continue with an indirect cook. After about 50 minutes with the chicken at 150°F IT (and the fire considerably mellower) I put the pheasant on and continued the cook.



When the chicken hit about 160° I took it off to rest and put the broccoli on. When the pheasant hit 150° it came off to rest as well. If I was going to err, I was going to err on under done. We could always put the poultry in the microwave to finish it off if needed. )I told my son I prefer to think of it as "juicy" not "underdone."    )

With all the poultry off the grill, I had room for the asparagus which I've started to do skewered into a raft. Both asparagus and broccoli were brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with ginger citrus rub and grilled directly.



Between the requirement for flash (it was getting dark) and my inability to properly frame the picture, it does not do the veggies justice. But there is some browning of both broccoli and asparagus.

I'm happy to say that everything came out good. Both birds were done to a turn and had great flavor. The pheasant was juicy and everyone liked it. I'm pretty happy about that since it's the first time I've made game. Though I pushed the chicken a bit with high heat at the outset, it too came out great with juicy breasts and tasty dark meat.

Later this week I'll be making some venison. I hope I can do that justice as well.

[1buckie]

thanks, Hank.....pics are plenty good enough to tell what's up !!!

The chook looks bomb & seems the other bird ended out fine from your description.....

I'd just never thought of slapping broc on like that.....flopping & rolling in a basket, foil pouch, yeah, but straight up?  Good Show !!!

Different thinking on the asparagus, too !!!

[HankB]

I think I got the asparagus idea from Alton Brown. Of course everyone skewers shrimp and kabobs, but you can also do moinks (bacon wrapped meat balls) that way for easier handling.



As for veggies, when I'm home I like my CI grate which has narrow spaces. Keeps the food out of the fire.

[1buckie]

Peppers, check.....

moinks, check.........done mushrooms like that , too......

Won't put moinks or 'turds on skewers for 'away' cooks, as the rotating group I'm cooking for
knows the score & they'll go too fast that way........individual serving size only.....

Thanks for adding to the idea pool !!!!

[wolgast]

Awesome looking eats dude! 2 thumbs up!

[1911Ron]

Chicken and Pheasent looks great! the Moinks are the bomb!!!