I had a bunch of major goals for my cook today. Number 1, it was to be cooked by indirect heat not over the coals in alfoil as my previous cooks have been. Number 2, I used a dry rub on the chicken. Number 3, I monitored the temperature of the inside of the chicken from the start, rather than using a potato to gauge the heat.
I think I'll have to build my own temperature gauge for the hot plate as it really is quite different from the middle of your food. I've got a spare Arduino, just need to get a thermostat and temperature probe capable of handling very high temperatures. Anyway, more on that next time.
I smoked the chicken for about 1.5 hours, flipping it at the 45 minute mark. Then when the probe was spot on with it's internal temperature of 83°C, I moved the chicken over to the coals side, so I could help brown up the skin some more. The olive oil and dry rub really helped to give the chicken a nice, crispy skin. And yes, my wife approved.
The dry rub consisted of:-
From the smell of the dry rub, I was a little worried the pepper might overpower the flavour, however, it didn't -- it was just right. I didn't do much to the vegies, except used my own garlic butter that I fried up in a pan prior to wrapping them in alfoil. I grabbed a handful of Serrano chillies from the backyard and put them on towards the finale of the cook. They ended up like little roasted capsicums that were packed with heat, so all and all, a nice addition.
I think I'll have to build my own temperature gauge for the hot plate as it really is quite different from the middle of your food. I've got a spare Arduino, just need to get a thermostat and temperature probe capable of handling very high temperatures. Anyway, more on that next time.
I smoked the chicken for about 1.5 hours, flipping it at the 45 minute mark. Then when the probe was spot on with it's internal temperature of 83°C, I moved the chicken over to the coals side, so I could help brown up the skin some more. The olive oil and dry rub really helped to give the chicken a nice, crispy skin. And yes, my wife approved.
The dry rub consisted of:-
- 1 Tablespoon of Iodised Salt
- 1 Tablespoon of Ground Pepper
- 3 Teaspoons of Paprika
- 3 Teaspoons of Oregano
From the smell of the dry rub, I was a little worried the pepper might overpower the flavour, however, it didn't -- it was just right. I didn't do much to the vegies, except used my own garlic butter that I fried up in a pan prior to wrapping them in alfoil. I grabbed a handful of Serrano chillies from the backyard and put them on towards the finale of the cook. They ended up like little roasted capsicums that were packed with heat, so all and all, a nice addition.