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Meat Hanger.. Whatcha Think?

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Today is the day.  I have had this meat hanger for at least six months and am finally going to use it. There used to be a great South African butcher in Leeds Market.  He "retired" but was forced to continue making and selling sausages and smoked chickens from his home because his customers demanded it.  I no longer work in Leeds and so I wrote to him to ask him if I was on the right track with my plans to brine and then smoke some whole chickens.  This is five years after he was meant to have retired (he is now 74) and he was up bright and early this morning to continue our email conversation.  It seems like I am on the right track.  

I aged the chickens in the dry ager for a week to build flavour.  Then I wet brined them for 18 hours.  One of them in a lemony coriander and fennel brine and the other in a beery, hot sauce brine.  They have just gone into the heat soaked KK at about 140C.  Smoking over a mix of apple and a little pecan.

Photos to follow....

 

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22 hours ago, C6Bill said:

@tekobo    How did the skin render ? They look good. 

The skin on the smoked chicken rendered beautifully.  I did not eat the chicken immediately and I think that helped.  Cooling the chickens down slowly and then refrigerating them meant that the moisture was retained and when we cut into them to make sandwiches for supper, the breasts were moist and delicious.  You also got that "chicken jelly" near the bones and beneath the skin which added to the taste.  The smoke flavour was good but I might try this again without extra smoke.  Also plan to try tandoori and suya whole chicken.  Options abound!

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@tekobo just a couple of questions relating to using the Meat Hangers for the chickens. Did you put a drip pan under the chickens to avoid flare ups / messy clean up? I’m guessing you also own a rotisserie set up. Do you like the ease of the meat hanger over the rotisserie? It looks like the clean up and set up of the meat hanger would simpler. I’ve been on the fence on the meat hanger but may have to pull the trigger soon. 

All the best,

Paul

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44 minutes ago, PVPAUL said:

@tekobo just a couple of questions relating to using the Meat Hangers for the chickens. Did you put a drip pan under the chickens to avoid flare ups / messy clean up? I’m guessing you also own a rotisserie set up. Do you like the ease of the meat hanger over the rotisserie? It looks like the clean up and set up of the meat hanger would simpler. I’ve been on the fence on the meat hanger but may have to pull the trigger soon. 

All the best,

Paul

Hi Paul.  No, I did not use a drip pan.  The set up is as per the photos - I didn't move or remove anything for the chickens' photo shoot.  On low and slow cooks I put the smoke pot directly over the fire.  That acts as my shield and I rarely use a drip pan for such cooks.  No flare ups at all.

I like rotisserie chicken for the crisp skin and the fact that the meat is "rarer" than it is for the low and slow smoked chicken.  That said, I think you could cook hot and fast with the meat hanger, e.g. for a tandoori cook, but I have not tried that yet.  Chances are you will need a drip pan for that but it depends on whether or not the longitudinal splitter could be used to keep the fire away from the drips.  It is relatively easy to move the hook on the hanger to turn the chicken if you want a bit of the kiss of the fire on both sides.  

And yes, set up and clean up with the meat hanger is easier.  No motor to haul out, attach and plug in.  That said, I have no problem with cleaning the spit rotisserie.  I just put the prongs in the dishwasher and run a sponge down the spit itself.  

Edited by tekobo
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I know that I sound like a broken record but don't forget about our "friend", Powdered Brewers Wash (PBW), for cleaning stainless steel gear, like rotisserie parts and I'm sure that it would do a similar job on the hanger.

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@tony b this stainless steel comes up clean very easily in the dishwasher and also with a short soak in soapy water.  PBW is worth the soaking time and cost when it comes to getting grill grates nice and clean but I don't find that I need it for things like rotisserie forks.  

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