A crock of pulled smoked chicken is the original white meat’s answer to pulled pork. And because it’s chicken, it has endless uses in sandwiches, casseroles, soups and stews, tacos, and burritos. The key is having the chicken cooked, pulled, and ready to go; then you can bid farewell to that dried-out supermarket rotisserie bird. An hour in a simple saltwater brine adds moisture and freshens up the bird. We limit brining time for smaller cuts like chicken pieces and pork chops to an hour to keep the salt flavor under control. When we brine for longer periods, we usually go lighter on the dry rub or switch to Cheater No-Salt Dry Rub (page 47). To us, the best pulled chicken is all dark meat or a light and dark meat combination. If you use breast meat only, the meat will be stringier and noticeably drier. There’s nothing you can do about it except brine first and add sauce at the end.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 servings
Ingredients
For the Simple Brine
Preparation
Step 1
To brine the chicken, Place it in an extra-large 2-gallon sealable plastic bag set in a large bowl.
Step 2
POUR the salt and sugar into a 1-quart plastic bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Add 3 cups of cold water. Cover tightly and shake vigourously to dissolve the salt and sugar.
Step 3
POUR the brine over the chicken. Seal the bag and blend by gently massaging the bag. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Step 4
Just before cooking, Drain the chicken, discarding the brine. Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry. Place in a large slow cooker (at least 5 quarts), sprinkle with the dry rub, and add the bottled smoke. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Step 5
REMOVE the chicken. When cool enough to handle, remove the bones and skin. Shred the meat with your fingers. Use in your favorite Two-Timing Cheater chicken recipes (see chapter 8).
