Page 6 - Barbecue News Magazine SEPT 2020

bbq proclamation
The Poultry Proclamation....
Ray Sheehan
Published Author BBQ Buddha Ray@BBQBuddha.com
What you need to know about one of barbecue’s most delectable proteins, before you fire up the pit.
"Poultry" can be defined as domestic fowls, including chickens, turkeys, and ducks, raised for the production of meat or eggs. The word is also used for the flesh of these birds used as food.
Choosing your cuts
Grilled/Smoked poultry is the kind of down-home comfort food that is found in backyards across the country in part due to its simple, yet extremely satisfying nature. Whether you prefer white or dark meat, choose bone in, skin on poultry, as the skin helps protect the meat from drying out and the bone adds flavor to the finished dish.
Keeping the meat tender
It is no surprise that the number one way to keep your meat tender is by cooking to temperature, thus avoiding an overcooked protein. Cook white meat chicken or turkey to 165 degrees and dark meat to 175-180 degrees. By cooking the dark meat to a higher temperature, you are giving the collagen a chance to melt and turn into gelatin which will keep the meat juicy and tender.
Why Brine?
Soaking your chicken, turkey, or duck in a simple combination of water, sugar, and salt before cooking can go a long way in keeping your bird flavorful, moist, and tender as it cooks. Try changing it up by using different herbs and spices in your brine.
As a rule of thumb, brine chicken or turkey pieces for about 2 hours, whole chickens 5-6 hours, and whole turkeys overnight in the refrigerator. Be sure to rinse the meat under cool water and pat dry before seasoning and cooking.
Poultry Brine
Ingredients:
1-gallon warm water
1⁄2 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup light brown sugar packed 1 large onion sliced
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Directions:
Whisk together the warm water, kosher salt, and light brown sugar in a large container until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the onion, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Refrig- erate until ready to use. Can be made up to 4 days ahead of time. Strain before use.
Seasoning Basics
For high heat grilling use a rub or seasoning that is low in sugar as it could burn up on the grill and impart a burnt flavor onto your food. Use a rub that is sugar forward when smoking as this will help to form a caramelized crust or bark on the exterior of the meat.
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BarbecueNews.com - 6
SEPTEMBER 2020