Wingin' It

As I wrote in my last newspaper column, one of my edible objectives for 2007 was using the new smoker I got as a birthday present back in November. Chalk it up.

Despite some minor difficulties, I think I'll be using it quite often. Then again, it's hard work keeping that fire going. It's even harder on a 28-degree night. I can see smoking being a lot more fun on a 70 degree spring afternoon. While I knew starting my maiden smoking at 4:30 p.m. with minimal planning wasn't the best idea, I plowed ahead anyway. After all, I had a column to write. Six and a half hours later, fork hit mouth. Dining (alone, with the Spoonstress already in bed) at 11 p.m. wasn't what I'd imagined.

The goal of this late-night smoke session was recreating pulled pork with an alternate protein-source for the upcoming Musical Meats column I'm writing. I smoked a whole chicken and two turkey legs.

Were it not for an embarassing meat thermometer mishap (I took the bird out of the smoker to take its temperature--really silly in hindsight. I think I'll blame it on my hunger, although the cold probably didn't help), the poultry would have been amazing. Because the thermometer issue led to overcooking, it was a little dry. But it was still smoky and tender.

Of the two, the chicken was the tastiest. It held the flavor better and produced two of the best wings I'd ever had. Granted, I'm no wing connosieur. In fact, I can't remember the last ones I ate. But for some coincidence of anatomy, this body part retained more of the moisture.

I'm not saying I'm ready for nationals or anything, but it's a start. And next time I'll get an earlier start.