Hot-smoked chicken

Method

1. For the brine solution: combine salt and water in a non-metal container and stir until salt dissolves.

2. Using a fork, prick the chicken all over down to the bone to assist brine penetration. Immerse the chicken in the brine solution for 2 hours, then remove.

3. Dry the chicken for 24 hours in a cool, airy place. Make a loop of kitchen string, insert it under the wings and hang the other end from a hook. Hang the chicken in the smoker.

4. Cold-smoke the chicken for 48 hours, making sure that the internal temperature of the cold smoker does not exceed 25C. (This step can be omitted, if preferred, and you can move straight to Step 5.)

5. Hot-smoke the chicken for 2 hours 30 minutes at 85C.

6. Serve chicken with piccalilli and sourdough bread.

Cook's notes: By omitting the cold-smoking, you are essentially using the hot smoker as an oven, which is known as smoke roasting. The chicken will be tender and juicy, but only mildly smoky as the smoke doesn't have much time to penetrate the flesh. Hot-smoked chicken that has been cold-smoked first has a more pronounced smoky flavour and is drier and firmer. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for 6 months.

Piccalilli is a pickle of chopped vegetables and hot spices, available from delicatessens and gourmet food shops.

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Ingredients

1 whole chicken
kitchen string

For the brine solution

530g Salt
2 litres water

To serve

piccalilli
sourdough bread

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