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Leena Smokes: a Delicious Dry-rubbed Chicken

Leena Smokes: a Delicious Dry rubbed Chicken

My bad-ass smoked dry-rubbed chicken half.

I love smoking meat so much. So little work (especially since 1. I own an electric smoker and 2. my husband LIKES to do it), so much delicious, smoky meat for the effort. Thus far on this blog, you’ve witness me smoke pork shoulder, pork ribs and drums of heaven, all with relative success and deliciousness. Oh, and let’s not forget my epic charcoal-smoked leg of lamb.

So on a recent Sunday, while on the hunt for something to cook for dinner that would provide us with food for a few days, I thought of the humble chicken. I could cut it into halves and slather them in delicious dry rub, then smoke them for three hours or so (for a 3.5 pound chicken). The results would equal some delicious dry-rubbed smoked chicken pieces for dinner, and another half of smoked chicken for us to shred and make into bbq sandwiches, quesadillas, enchildas…mmmm. Done and done.

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Leena (butchers n) Cooks: Drums of Heaven (Andouille-stuffed smoked chicken wings)

Leena (butchers n) Cooks: Drums of Heaven (Andouille stuffed smoked chicken wings)

The lengendary drums of heaven--andouille-stuffed smoked chicken wings.

I have thought about this day for a long time. The first and only time I made drums of heaven was in culinary school. My partner and a bad-ass chef taught me to butcher chicken wings so the bone was completely clean, but the skin and flesh still attached, creating a casing. We filled the chicken wings with homemade andouille sausage, and then smoked those suckers until they were golden brown. I remember they tasted amazing.

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Leena Cooks: How to make a kick-ass rack of ribs w/ an electric smoker

Leena Cooks: How to make a kick ass rack of ribs w/ an electric smoker

My first two rack of ribs--utter meaty goodness.

I love a nice rack of smoked pork ribs. The way the fat caramelizes into crispy chunks of deliciousness, the way the dry flavors the meat so much, you don’t even need bbq sauce, the way the meat just falls off the bone…and the general laziness that can ensure whilst smoking said ribs with an electric smoker.  Thankfully, Santa Claus knew how I lazy I was and that the electric smoker was more affordable (only $70) and more adapted for my environment.

Santa must know how much I like pork.

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Leena Eats: The Holidays 2009

Leena Eats: The Holidays 2009
The pork shoulder we smoked in our back yard on New Years Eve with our new electric smoker. Ain’t it purdy?

I love the holidays. Especially when they occur snow-free, like the year I spent in Australia. Although it is no Australia, California hosts a decent, snow-free holiday season. Any time flowers are blooming on Christmas day, you know it’s a good thing.

Leena Eats: The Holidays 2009
Flowers…growing in my back yard…in DECEMBER!!! Holla!

It means you can use a bbq or smoker in your back yard without getting frost bite or frozen snotsicles stuck to your face, like you would in my old home, Chicago. Smoked meat for everyone! And let’s not forget Nugget the cat’s annual holiday oufit:

Leena Eats: The Holidays 2009
We thought she might be Jewish. Judging by her response to the outfit (hiding under the bed), we’ve decided: she’s a communist.

More food porn and ridiculous cat outfits after the jump, recipe links at the end! Read the rest of this entry »

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