chicken legs, but ...

[addicted-to-smoke]

Fired up my new mini WSM for some chicken legs. And an 18er for some corn. Things looking good, everything assembled.

Except I noticed a funny looking wispiness coming from the smoker,




Oh crap I can't cold smoke chicken, sorry.




So the chicken will start on the 18 and finish on the smoker. If it ever starts up. I'd loaded it with charcoal but only lit a few coals, for some reason. If I had more room on my deck to maneuver I'd just remove some coals and get them going with a chimney. But I may be cramming everything onto the 18er, which is sitting there wondering why it's not cooking any food.

Live and learn.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Chicken has @jfbincypress ' PB&J sauce as a marinade. (Was I supposed to use this as a dipping sauce? It's too thin for that?)

½ cup natural peanut butter
1½ cup grape jelly
1 cup grape juice, or grape Gatorade G2 in my case
½ cup vinegar

And then, just because, I rolled them in gluten free (rice based) bread crumbs.




Corn husks got pulled back @chuck s style and wiped with a butter, "gahlick", white pepper, himalayan salt mix,




I'm seriously considering microwaving the corn unless the mini WSM kicks in very soon, because the chicken's probably about half done and I'm starving.

[jfbincypress]

I personally leave out the juice and keep it the consistency of a medium BBQ sauce, then shake the wings in them like you would any other sauce.

What you did sounds good, though. Let us know how you liked it?


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[addicted-to-smoke]

I will, thanks.

With the white smoke gone from the mini WSM and the lid saying "275" and slowly climbing I figured the hell with it, chicken's mostly done, so they can finish down low and slow for all I care. Here's a shot at the transfer,



I'd blended everything, but the grape jelly wouldn't quite blend, so it looks like the meat's kinda blowing its guts out. Ah well ...

[addicted-to-smoke]

I could just barely smell the peanut butter when they were off the grill and thought that was interesting. The kids almost wouldn't eat them because the marinade stained them purplish pink. "How do we eat around the salmonella?" And then they complained the chicken was too sweet (and I agreed.) The crumb coat did its job of retaining juices but when they leaked out drippings at the plate it was weird.





So this was an interesting experiment for the chicken recipe but I won't repeat it, at least not like this. 

I dig the mini WSM. Or at least the idea of it. Hope to learn how to use it for next time, as either a grill or a smoker. Tonight it never got hot enough for grilling, I suppose it can't? And it didn't stay warm long despite being loaded with charcoal and two decent sized apple wood chunks. I saw a 50 degree temp drop; it seems starved for air despite the tuna can holes not getting clogged (there are 8 holes in it.) I have an 18 WSM so the basics should be the same, right?


The corn however, was GREAT.

[Jason]

If you want to cook chicken in the mini, don't use anything between the meat and the fire. Start with more lit coals next time, just like your were thinking. I can't wait to see corn around here like that!   

[Travis]

Sounds like it turned out ok. Got to try something new and got a couple of laughs too. Good deal


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[Troy]

Man, great photos,  and enjoyable read!

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[addicted-to-smoke]

Thanks guys. I do try to make best of weird challenges, even if they are ones I necessarily bring upon myself!

If you want to cook chicken in the mini, don't use anything between the meat and the fire. Start with more lit coals next time, just like your were thinking. I can't wait to see corn around here like that!

@Jason I now recall reading about no barrier for grilling or quasi grilling on the smoker. Is it because the clay absorbs heat? I DID notice the bottom of the SJ bowl was pretty darn hot. Glad I had a barrier pad underneath it. In contrast, the 18.5" kettle I was also running, nearly stayed cool just outside below its bowl, despite the grill temp on it being easily hotter.

[chuck s]

Man I do miss your experiments.   This one sounded good ... but you say it was too sweet... who woulda thunk of PBJ chicken!!   
Oh I do long for some more of that "gahlick" Corn..... Perfect face on G's face.... "What the ...."

[chuck s]

BTW - can't wait to see your new Toys.... I think your gonna need a bigger deck! 

[addicted-to-smoke]

yesterday ...



Some of those will likely leave the fold. I ditched my grillzebo, the cover was ruined and no one makes a cover for it. So I moved yours into another position.

[MikeRocksTheRed]

@addicted-to-smoke -  Intersting that the clay might have absorbed too much heat.  I use the steamer insert that came with my IMUSA pot and have not had any problems.  I think I usually start with 8-10 lit coals to get it started.  If you have problems in the future getting up to temp, you could alway pull the put off for a few minutes to let more coals get cranking.  I'll have to pay closer attention next time I use my mini to see how long it takes to get up to temp.

[Travis]

Got a nice setup there ats. Didn't know Atlanta had hills. Of course, I'm in Illinois. A bunch of farm fields here...


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[addicted-to-smoke]

North Georgia ... South GA is flat like FL.

Travis in these neighborhoods there can be 100ft of elevation change from the street to behind the back yard where a little creek bed is. A very few houses in the neighborhood have level yards. When I moved here I was sure bulldozers had been outlawed, because I could no evidence any hill had ever been flattened. All part of living in the foothills of Appalachia.