Whiskey Chips and the Performer

[Hub]

This morning it hit me that I hadn't cooked for fun in a long, long time.  Also, I haven't fired up the trusty ol' Weber Performer for over a year, at least.  Well . . . that's ended.

My goodie bag at the Jack included a nice big package of their whiskey barrel shreddings (which smell suspiciously like another product of theirs of which I am fond).  So, I made a quick trip to the store and bought an uncooked butt portion ham and some nice big skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts.  Powdered down the breasts with some Plowboys Yardbird rub and hit the ham with just a little Obie-Que's Sweet Rub.  I fired up one basket about half full of charcoal and added a handful of the chips.  Now, the test will be to see if I remember how to keep a nice low/slow fire going.

So far temp is running around 250 at the dome top as measured by the hood ornament.  Chow is starting to get smoky:

 

[drholly]

This looks like fun... watching...

[Hub]

Man, I didn't realize how spoiled I am by my pellet cookers!  I've been tending the fire about every thirty minutes, adding charcoal and adjusting the vents.  Temps on the hood ornament have ranged from maybe 200 on up to 250.  Pulled the chicken breasts after 2.5 hours and they were around 130 internal.  I'll probably finish them on the grill grates on the Memphis to crisp the skin and add a little glaze for esthetics.  The ham is still "baking" with some chips occasionally.  My plan is to pull it after  about five hours and refrigerate it for finishing in the oven later (tomorrow night).

Hub 

[sliding_billy]

Remember, you're cooking for "fun." 

[ACW3]

From the title, I thought you were doing some flavored homemade chips, as in tater chips!!  Still looks good!

Art

[muebe]

Hub that should be a good ham and chicken when done!

I just fired up the PBC for some chicken legs

[Hub]

I forgot to post a "post mortem" on the cook . . .

The chicken (finished by quickly grilling and crisping on GrillGrates on the Memphis) was extremely moist and juicy with a nice amount of smoke but no creosote effect.  I glazed it with some thinned down Head Country sauce.  The Jack Daniel's barrel chips are sweet and mild.

The ham is sliced and in the freezer to be "awakened" for Thanksgiving.  The bits that I sampled while bagging it were moist and tender like the chicken but had a bit more smokiness since this was the 2nd trip to the smoker for the pig meat.  Saved the drippings from the foil and will re-heat using them to keep moisture.  The next ham I do will be in the PBC to see if it is greatly different.

Hub

[Savannahsmoker]

Looks good, did you go the 5 hours for the ham?

[Hub]

Looks good, did you go the 5 hours for the ham?

I wasn't watching the time precisely like I would in a contest, but 5 hours would be very close.  I'm going to re-heat it to 160 on Thursday just in case it didn't get done all the way on the smoker. 

Hub

[HighOnSmoke]

I think I am getting spoiled too with my pellet grill.  I find myself wanting to use it more and
more and my Performer and WSM rarely get used nowadays.

[Hub]

Follow on . . .

Because of the timing, I froze the ham until Wednesday night (Thanksgiving eve), thawed it, and warmed it in the oven on Thursday before our meal.  I don't know if the freezing helped or hurt it, but it got rave reviews.  It had just the right smokiness and was moist in spite of all the cooking and heating steps it went through.

As mentioned earlier, I'm going to try a variation in the PBC and if that goes as well, I'll post a recipe.

Hub