Smoked wings at home: cold and hot smoking
Recipes may differ from each other, as each experienced owner of a smokehouse brings the nuances and shares the developments. So in this article, we, based solely on their own experience, describe several techniques and recipes.
Cold-smoked raw smoked wings
We need to prepare such wings:
- chicken wings;
- spices (we used salt, Red pepper, paprika, кмин, cardamom, dried garlic and marjoram) - You can experiment;
- press;
- cold smoking smokehouse.
To begin with, I will describe, which is our smokehouse design. It's small (1*1m) construction of red refractory bricks and clay, has a flue on the roof with a diameter of 25 cm, without bottom. Instead of a bottom hole, leading into the trench, on which the smoke is fed into our smoking chamber. The trench is reinforced with sheet metal and has a length of about 8 meters. It has two fire exits - at a distance 8 meters (for the cold) and 1 meters (for hot) from the working space of the smokehouse.
The first recipe involves the use of cold smoke, but first you need to do some manipulation of the wings.
Wash the wings several times and dry them with napkins. Putting them in a deep container, generously sprinkle with salt and other spices, stirring evenly. It is necessary, so that a layer of spices covers the wings on all sides. When this procedure is complete, you need to put the wings under the press. To do this, take a flat kitchen object (cutting board, lid from the pan or frying pan) smaller diameter, than a container with wings, cover the top and press down with a load. We used two dumbbells of 3 kg, which turned out to be very convenient - dumbbells are not high and do not take up much space in the refrigerator, where we determine our capacity.
So, in the refrigerator under the pressure of chicken wings should be close 5-6 days. This will allow the meat to be evenly salted and marinated.
The day before the scheduled smoking day, we take the wings out from under the press and dry them. This time we do not use napkins - string marinated wings on an elastic nylon thread or wire and hang in a warm place. Do not forget to put napkins under them - they will drip a lot of marinade.
How to marinate and salt chicken for smoking
After drying, we place the connection with the wings in the smokehouse, close the door tightly and start the smoking process.
There are a few nuances:
- the process of cold smoking is much longer, than hot (smoking wings will take you close 12 hours);
- ideal to use as fuel juniper branches or sawdust from fruit trees (we use fruit tree branches);
- you need to watch from time to time, so that the hearth does not ignite, and evenly smoldering - it will get as much smoke as possible and will not raise the temperature in the smoking chamber;
- remember, that every time looking into the smokehouse, you increase the smoking time by 10 minutes - try to do it less often.
Across 10-12 hours chicken wings can be considered ready - they have acquired a pleasant brown hue. These will not be those wings at all, what we used to see on the shelves - the aroma of smoked meat will be unforgettable, and the taste of chicken will remind you of balyk.
Steamed cold smoked wings
Truth, like any smoked meat, the wings are a little stiff - you need to understand this fact. We, by trial and error, improved the recipe - added heat treatment before smoking.
In that case, we need, among other things, sleeve for baking. If you are the lucky owner of a steamer, this process is much easier for you - you need to steam the wings until semi-finished and you can hang them to dry. We used a sleeve: laying in it some of the wings (close 5-6 things) and tightly tightened screeds, placed it in a pan of boiling water and "cooked" about 30 minutes.
Then everything happens according to the same scheme: we dry, hang in the smokehouse, we smoke. Now, when the chicken wings have been pre-trained, you don't need 10 hours - six will be enough. Of course, you need to take into account the temperature outside - more time is needed in winter, than in summer. Such wings will be tender and soft. They are perfect as a snack to beer or as a snack.
Hot smoked wings
The recipe for hot smoked chicken wings is impossible - the only limitation in its use may be the lack of the smokehouse itself. No pre-preparation required - just marinate the meat with your favorite spices and the next day you can start the smokehouse. Usually, chicken wings are smoked at a temperature of about 100-120 degrees Celsius, watch out, so that the mark on the thermometer inside the smokehouse does not fall below 80 degrees and in a few hours you will be able to enjoy the wings of your own cooking.
How you and I managed to see, the process of smoking the wings is not complicated. The only thing, what is required of you is time and desire, in the presence of a smokehouse, of course. Picking up the right recipe for smoking, you will be surprised, why not do it before, because it's so delicious, natural and useful.
