Chicken Cookin

It's dinner time and you have several farm fresh chickens left right - well maybe not as many as you hoped for, but a few...  Now with a few months behind us from the big chicken day...  and sporadic emails coming back from customers telling us that the chicken is "the best they have ever had" I thought it might make sense to share OUR top three methods or recipes for making chickens - as of right now (our top three favorites change over time):

#3 - parts the bird and reserve the spine for stock. Heat about 1/2" of oil in pressure cooker. Dredge breasts and thighs and legs in herb flour (dry herb and spices that you like). Fry the dredged parts in oil for about 6 minutes, turning chicken to evenly brown. Pour off some to all the oil - add the chicken back in and then add about 1 cup water.  From there add some carrots and potatoes and whatever else you want. Put the top on the pressure cooker and cook at temperature for about 15 minutes. VERY YUMMY! (make stock with the spine as illustrated here)

#2 - CAREFULLY split the chicken down the breast and flatten it wide open, put your favorite herbs and rubs and whatever on each half (thyme and lime are my favorites) put on grill LOW - bone side down, turn over and place over indirect heat (or else the flareups will ruin the bird) and finish off. Very very good this way when you toss some wood chips on the grill at the beginning.  We learned this one in the Cayman Islands.

#1 - This has been done once and that's what we took the picture of.  We just did this on Sunday when the smoker was running to make some jerky and preserve some peppers.  To make the chicken - split the breast carefully with a big knife from neck to stomach, pull the bird open and place bones up in the smoker.  We used no rubs, flavors, salts - nothing goes on the bird.  Using only one batch of wood - 200 degrees - one tray of water. Let the wood finish and the water dry out - let go for a total of 6-7 hours.  No messing with nature on this one.  The water keeps things moist as the skin toughens up - then when the water tray in the smoker is dry the bird is sitting in a skins worth of juices taking it's time to slow cook.  Honestly - most succulent and moist chicken we have EVER had.  The taste was no less than Kelli's words "Amazing".  Kelli won't stop raving about it.  A very simple low involvement chicken that simply lets the meat, the natural Omega 3 rich fats and the smokes shine through.

Comments

[Jeph Remley]

Wow, that last one (first one?) sounds and looks even better than the two I spatchcocked and grilled for the big summer cookout: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_c6kU38aQbb8/SnuXjMXRjkI/AAAAAAAAQh4/wxvsaOBtzRs/s1600-h/IMG_0688.JPG Too bad we're out of chickens!

[Andy]

The pic is of the one from the smoker. Kelli is STILL talking about it. It was amazing.
We think we might do something like that for Christmas Eve this year... you up for it?

[Jeph]

We won't be up there til after xmas this year. We alternate years where we are, and this year we'll be here with Brett's family for xmas and will likely drive up the next day? Looks like we'll miss out on the kick-ass festivities/food for Christmas Eve at Chicken Thistle Farm....

[Andy]

Well - we are disappointed (very) - but understand. Maybe we will do something food wise when you are up anyhow!