Cold and hot smoked chicken breast, simple recipes

Smoked chicken will decorate any holiday table and more. It’s convenient to take it with you on the road, to work or on a picnic as a hearty snack. I suggest preparing hot smoked chicken fillet. I’ll tell you my technology, since a homemade barrel smoker recently appeared and we can cook all these goodies at home on our own.

There are two ways to smoke meat: hot and cold. Both options differ in smoking temperature.

1. In the cold version, the temperature is maintained no higher than 40 degrees, and the smoking process can take 8 hours or more.
2. In hot smoking, the temperature is maintained no higher than 100 degrees. Accordingly, cooking will take about 60-80 minutes. In this case, the source of smoke is located 1-1.5 m from the barrel. On the way to the barrel it is cooled to 50-60 degrees and the smoking process will take 5-6 hours.

Ingredients:

• chicken fillet 1 kg;
• Himalayan salt with herbs 3 tbsp;
• sugar 1 tbsp;
• turmeric 2 tsp;
• ground paprika 2 tsp;
• ground coriander 1 tsp.

Cooking time: 15-16 hours

Number of servings: 8

Rinse the chicken fillet well. Trim excess fat if necessary. Dip well with napkins.

Rub the aromatic mixture onto the chicken fillet on all sides.

After the specified time, remove the fillet from the refrigerator and free it from the film. Dab well with a paper towel.

Place on an iron hook and hang in the fresh air for 4-5 hours or indoors under a fan. During this time, the meat will dry well.

Transfer the dried fillets to the iron bars inside the barrel. Cover with a lid with a small hole to allow smoke to escape.

Cold smoked chicken fillet is ready. Remove it from the barrel and hang it outside until it cools completely.

How to choose a good brisket for smoking

An important role in the process of smoking meat is played by its quality and freshness. It is best to buy it in special meat stores. When purchasing from hand or at the market, you cannot be sure of its freshness.

For smoking, it is necessary to take fresh meat, since frozen meat loses its taste. Be sure to pay attention to the color of the fillet and its smell. The color of the meat should not be yellow, too bright or light. The normal color of chicken breast is beige without any blemishes. There is practically no smell.

Cold smoked chicken breast

Smoking chicken breasts in a cold smoker takes much longer than in a hot smoker. But in order to get a truly tasty delicacy, you can wait. After all, after processing with cold smoke, meat products still contain a large amount of useful substances, since the carcass is not subjected to heat treatment.

Interesting to know! The cold smoked chicken breast recipe can also be used for hot smoking. Agree, this is very convenient, because after the meat has been marinated, it can be divided into two parts and, if possible, cooked in different smokehouses (cold or hot type).

Cold smoked chicken breast

The peculiarity of a cold-type smokehouse is a long chimney through which already cooled smoke enters the pieces. That is why the smoking process lasts at least 3 days.

To ensure that your cold-smoked chicken breast turns out spicy and rich, you should remember to maintain a constant temperature and turn the pieces from time to time to ensure even penetration of smoke.

Beech chips for smoking

To get the right smoke, it is better to choose the following raw materials:

• beech or alder chips;
• sawdust from fruit trees (pear, apricot, apple).

Interesting! For real gourmets, you can make a mixture of several types of fruit tree chips.

Upon completion of smoking, the finished delicacy should be hung in the fresh air and after 6 hours it will be possible to prepare various dishes from the smoked breast.

Important! If you compare smoking chicken breasts in different types of smokehouses - cold and hot, then after processing with cold smoke the finished product is stored much longer.

How to marinate breast before smoking - recipes, tips

On the Internet you can find a large number of recipes for marinade for breast before smoking. The taste of the dish depends on it. It produces a dry type of marinade and using brine. The first method is faster - it takes only 12-22 hours. The second is more extensive in time - about 2 days.

Several marinade recipes

1) Dry method.

We wash and clean the fillet from fat accumulations. Lubricate it with spices, pepper and salt. Wrap in cling film/foil and place in the refrigerator for 12-22 hours.

2) Brine marinade.

Take 2.5-3 liters of clean water and boil it. The fillet must be washed and cleaned. Put 70-80 grams of salt, 50 grams of apple cider vinegar into the water; several bay leaves; 6-7 peppercorns; seasonings and spices. Immerse the meat in brine for 2 days.

Cooking the breast in the marinade

Usually, marinating accompanies cold smoking, but for the hot method such preparation is also useful. Since there is no effect of high temperature, the meat must be filled with taste. To do this, a properly selected bouquet of spices is added to the marinade.

It is important that the salt penetrates deep into the fibers, because it serves as a preservative. At low smoke temperatures, there is a risk of bacterial growth. Meat should be marinated without unnecessary haste, since everything is aimed at quality.

To prepare a standard marinade you will need two tablespoons of salt per 2 liters of water, a little vinegar, bay leaf, garlic, black pepper and sugar. All seasonings are mixed in water, and the resulting marinade is heated to high temperature. After the brine has boiled for about 10 minutes, it should be cooled. At home, preparing such a marinade is not difficult.

Chicken pieces are immersed in the cooled marinade so that they are completely hidden by the liquid solution. The workpiece should stand in the refrigerator for about 1.5 days before it can be sent for smoking. It is important to remember one point: chicken smoked using the cold method must first get rid of moisture. The algorithm is the same as for dry salting.

Hot smoked chicken breast will be ready in 20-30 minutes. With cold smoking, it will have to stay in the smokehouse for much longer. To prevent the meat from falling apart, it is advisable to tie it with twine. Once the sawdust begins to smolder, no air should enter the firebox of the smokehouse, otherwise this could result in the material catching fire. A smoke generator is convenient in this regard. With it, the process takes place automatically.

Smoking

There are two types of smoking - hot and cold. They differ significantly from each other - from the process to the shelf life of the product. A less time-consuming method is hot smoking. Chicken fillet prepared in this way will not be stored for long (only about 7 days). Cold smoking helps preserve all the beneficial properties of chicken. However, a significant disadvantage is the longer and more complex smoking process. Which one to choose is up to you. Let's look at the recipes.

Hot smoked chicken breast

For hot smoking, you need small firewood from fruit trees (apple trees, cherries, apricots) in the form of chips.

1) Place firewood at the bottom of the smokehouse and mix it with a teaspoon of sugar.

2) Place a tray over the firewood (so that fat does not fall on the wood chips).

3) Next, a grate is placed on which pieces of meat are laid out. There must be a distance between them. So that the smoke is evenly distributed.

We recommend: Cold smoking fish

4) The lid closes. The temperature with this method varies from 45 to 120. Important! Too much heat can dry out the meat. Therefore, it is better to use 60-70 degrees. Chicken fillet is smoked for about 1-2 hours.

Interesting recipe for home cooking:

1) Cut the chicken fillet into 2 parts.

2) Marinade recipe: mix soy sauce with ginger, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

3) The chicken breast is placed in the marinade solution for several hours, occasionally turning the meat. For the most pronounced taste, you can marinate overnight.

4) After time has passed, remove the fillets from the solution and dry them using paper napkins.

5) Heat the frying pan, lay out the pieces of meat and fry over high heat with olive oil on both sides. It is important not to dry out the fillet!

6) Mix rice, sugar, cinnamon and tea leaves. This is the smoking mixture.

7) Take a frying pan with a thick bottom, line it with foil, put the mixture on the bottom.

A grate is placed on the frying pan, with the smoking mixture underneath.

9) Initially turn on high heat, gradually reduce it. Place the chicken breast on the grill. The mixture emits a pleasant aroma. The chicken turns out tasty and spicy.

10) Smoke the chicken breast under the lid for 30 minutes. It must be turned over several times so that it does not turn out raw on one side.

Cold smoked chicken breast

Cold smoking of chicken breast can last several days. The temperature in the smokehouse is always the same - 40 degrees. The meat is smoked with cold smoke.

If you decide to use the cold smoking method, you must remember that the pieces of meat must be constantly turned over and monitored at the temperature.

Marinade recipes can be used the same as for hot smoking.

We recommend: How to make a flavorful brine for smoking meat

Preparation for smoking, dry salting

There are two ways to smoke chicken breast in a smokehouse. The first method is to process the meat with hot smoke, the temperature of which can exceed 100°C degrees. The second method is cold smoking. Hot and cold smoked products differ in consistency, taste and shelf life. Breast prepared using the second method can be stored for up to several weeks, while meat prepared using the alternative hot cooking method should be consumed immediately. It is also necessary to emphasize the preservation of nutrients and vitamins in the absence of heat treatment.

Regardless of how you decide to cook the chicken, you need to marinate it first. The easiest way to do this is to use dry salting.

• The semi-finished product is washed in water, then dried with a towel. The fillet is thoroughly rubbed with coarse rock salt. You can add black pepper or chopped bay leaf to the salt.
• The finished parts are placed in the dishes, and you will have to pick up a load on top as a pressure. The load should not be too heavy. In extreme cases, a jar of water will do.
• The breast will remain in this state for about a day. Then it is removed, excess salt is removed with a towel, and excess moisture should evaporate. It is necessary to dry the meat in a draft, and after 2 days you can smoke the chicken breast.

If you choose hot smoking, you will first have to build a fire in the grill. After a stable flame appears, a smokehouse is placed on the grill, where wood chips are poured in a thin layer. Chicken pieces can be laid out on sieves or hung on hooks. The main thing is that they do not touch each other, since the smoke should be able to cover the meat from all sides. During cold smoking, the smoke travels a certain distance before entering the smokehouse, while cooling down. That is why it will take about two days to smoke in this way.

Smoked chicken breast properties

Smoked chicken breast contains a lot of protein, which helps strengthen muscles, the musculoskeletal system, nails, hair and teeth. There is also iron, which is good for the blood; vitamins A, group B and PP.

The dish itself has a rich, pleasant spicy taste. Ideal as an appetizer for alcoholic drinks, or as a separate dish.

Smoked chicken fillet is well suited for both diet-conscious people and junk food lovers. This is a budget-friendly and very tasty dish, and also healthy if made at home.

Breast selection and preparation

You can buy ready-made fillets, because any store sells individual parts of chicken.
If you purchased a whole carcass, but want to smoke exclusively the fillet, then you should carefully separate it from the keel. There is no need to remove the skin, because after cooking it will be especially tasty and attractive.

You can buy ready-made fillets, because any store sells individual parts of chicken. When purchasing chilled meat, it is worth remembering that it has a short shelf life. Therefore, it is necessary to very carefully analyze the condition of the fillet for smoking at home.

• High-quality chicken fillet should be light pink in color. If there are stains or blood clots on the surface, this indicates errors were made during transportation or storage.
• It is worth assessing the smell of the fillet even if it is wrapped in cling film.
• If there is mucus or a strange substance on the surface of the meat, or there is an unpleasant odor, then it is better to refuse the purchase, because such fillet is spoiled.

If you have a choice between buying chicken fillet or rooster fillet, then preference should be given to chicken. Its meat will be more juicy, tasty and tender.

Benefits and harms

It’s difficult to make smoked chicken breasts an absolutely healthy product. They are dietary in themselves and contain vitamins and microelements that are beneficial to health. In addition, chicken fillet is very high in protein.

If you cook smoked chicken at home, without using liquid smoke, all its beneficial properties will be preserved.

Store-bought smoked breasts are usually prepared using liquid smoke. In this case, it can harm human health. People with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver are at particular risk. The harmful effect of purchased smoked meats on these organs is the strongest. It is also contraindicated for patients with kidney disease to eat this dish.

Preparing Chicken Breasts Before Going to the Smoker

In order for the finished product to be tender after smoking, with a pleasant taste and aroma, it must be marinated or salted. Several methods are used to marinate meat.

Dry method

It is used when it is not possible to allocate a lot of time to prepare smoked meats.

Salting breasts using the dry method

The chicken carcass is thoroughly washed, dried with a paper towel and rubbed with salt and pepper (add spices to taste if desired). The prepared pieces are tightly wrapped in cling film or foil and placed in the refrigerator for 12-20 hours.

Wet method

This option takes longer than the dry method, but after it the delicacy is more spicy.

To prepare brine for smoking, you need to prepare chilled boiled water (3 l) and add vinegar (2 tbsp), salt (80 g), black peppercorns (4-5 pcs.), bay leaf (2- 3 pcs.) and suneli hops (10 g).

Brisket in brine

Washed and dried meat pieces are placed in a container with ready-made brine and left in a cold place. After two days, you need to remove the chicken, dry it with a paper towel and hang it in the fresh air for 2 hours to drain off excess liquid.

There are many recipes for salting and marinades for preparing chicken breast, so let’s look at another popular salting option:

1. Add salt (1 tbsp), sugar (5 g), coriander (5 g), basil (5 g) and garlic to water (100 ml).
2. Mix the resulting mixture well. And so that the breast is thoroughly soaked in brine, you can inject the marinade into the fillet using a syringe and only then place the pieces in the liquid itself.
3. To enhance the aroma, add a couple of bay leaves and black peppercorns to the container.
4. We close the container and send it to a cold place for 48 hours if the marinade was introduced using a syringe, and for 5 days if the breast was simply filled with brine.
5. After the time has passed, the fillet is hung out to drain excess liquid and only then is it ready for smoke treatment.

Important! This recipe is more suitable for cold smoking.

Smoked chicken breasts prepared at home in any way will be much tastier and more aromatic than store-bought ones. This is due to the fact that here the meat product and all other ingredients are selected independently, and only good firewood is put into the firebox, which will give the smoked meat an incredible aroma and taste.

What is the calorie content of smoked chicken breast?

There is no clear answer to the question of how many calories (kcal) are in this dish. Depending on the cooking recipe, the calorie content of smoked chicken fillet varies. On average, this is 117 kcal per 100 grams. The composition includes 18 g of protein, 0 g of carbohydrates and 5 g of fat. It is worth noting that this store-bought product is higher in calories and fat.

Storage conditions for smoked chicken breast (where, how, period for different types of smoking)

If chicken fillet is prepared by cold smoking, it can be stored for a long time, about 2-3 weeks. The product must be kept in the refrigerator. Breast smoked hot can also be stored in the refrigerator for about a week, no more. Meat products cannot be stored at room temperature, as they will quickly deteriorate.

The best smoked breast recipes

Today there is a huge selection of recipes for smoking breast at home and it is not difficult to choose the most suitable option. To get a truly tasty dish, you should follow all the proportions specified in the recipe, especially if you do not have enough experience in smoking meat.

Hot smoked breast

When the breast is completely prepared for smoking, you need to perform the following steps.

• You need to add 5 grams of sugar to the wood chips and pour the resulting mixture in a thin layer on the bottom of the smokehouse. Sugar is required to make finished smoked meats more attractive in appearance.
• Next, a tray is installed to collect fat and juice. Otherwise, everything will drip onto the sawdust, which will make the smoked meat taste bitter.
• The fillet pieces are laid out on the grill so that there is a small distance between them. This way the breast will smoke evenly.

The fillet should be cooked for an hour. Then the finished smoked meats are hung in a cool place for several hours so that the pungent smell of smoke disappears.

Cold way

Cold smoked breasts will take much longer to cook.

Due to the fact that the smoke has a low temperature, all the beneficial substances will be retained in the fillet. It is worth noting that cold smoked breast will take three days to prepare at home. In order to make the finished smoked meats more tasty and aromatic, with slight spicy notes, it is worth constantly monitoring the temperature. Also, do not forget to turn the pieces of meat from time to time so that they are more evenly saturated with smoke.

With garlic

To prepare the breast according to this recipe, you should prepare the following components in advance:

• Liter of water
• 2 tablespoons salt
• A teaspoon of sugar
• 3 cloves garlic
• Spices for meat
• Favorite spices and herbs
• Ground black pepper.

The breasts are placed in a pan, garlic, salt, sugar and spices are added. Next you need to pour boiling water over the meat and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. When the breasts have cooled, they are brushed with a mixture of spices and ground black pepper, and then sent to the smokehouse.

Smoked breast with rosemary

Chicken fillet smoked at home will be an excellent addition to the holiday table. You can prepare incredibly tasty smoked meats by adding a small amount of rosemary.

• Chicken fillet
• Seasonings for poultry
• Salt to taste
• Rosemary
• Ground red pepper.

The meat is rubbed with spices, placed in a container and sent to the refrigerator to marinate under pressure for five hours. Afterwards, the breast goes into the smokehouse for 45 minutes.

Raw smoked chicken breast

To prepare such an incredibly tasty smoked breast, you will need the following ingredients.

• 3 tablespoons coarse salt
• A teaspoon of turmeric and paprika
• Half a teaspoon of ground black and red pepper
• 30 ml dry red wine
• 20 ml cognac.

The breast is sprinkled with spices and salt, wine and cognac are added. The meat needs to be mixed thoroughly and mashed a little. Then the semi-finished products are sent to the refrigerator to marinate for 12 hours. Then the raw materials are washed and dried, and hung in the fresh air for several hours. Ready-made smoked meats turn out incredibly soft and tender, but they spoil a little faster, so you need to eat them within 1-2 days from the moment of preparation.

Smoked chicken dishes - 10 popular recipes

Smoked chicken is delicious on its own. But do you know what a huge number of delicious dishes can be prepared with the addition of this product? Below are 10 recipes that you can delight yourself and your family with.

Ingredients:

• smoked chicken breast - 350 g;
• red bell pepper - 1 pc.
• medium sized carrot - 1 pc.
• garlic clove - 1 pc.
• fresh herbs;
• mayonnaise;
• sunflower oil.

Cooking process:

1. Grind all the vegetables: grate the carrots on a fine grater, cut the pepper into medium-sized strips, squeeze the garlic through a press, and finely chop the greens;
2. Separate the smoked meat from the bone and chop into small cubes;
3. Fry the carrots and bell peppers in sunflower oil for 5-6 minutes, then add the garlic. Mix everything well and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes;
4. Combine the chopped meat with fried vegetables, chopped herbs, and then add mayonnaise. Mix the resulting mass thoroughly and place in small portions on tartlets. The snack should be cooled before eating.

Minimum costs - maximum taste! Your smoked chicken tartlet is ready to serve.

Smoked quail

Ingredients:

• quail - 1 piece;
• salt;
• pepper mixture.

Cooking process:

1. The bird must be thoroughly washed and dried. If you want to smoke the quail in parts, then at this stage it should be cut;
2. Rub the meat thoroughly with salt and pepper, and then place it in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours (it’s best to leave it overnight);
3. In the morning, wrap the meat in gauze and leave in fresh air for about 2.5 hours;
4. Place oak chips at the bottom of the smokehouse. Install the grease trap and grate, place the quail, close the smokehouse lid and pour some water into the water seal, if equipped. Now it's time to put it on fire;
5. The smoking process lasts approximately 45 minutes. After this time, the meat must be removed from the smokehouse, cool slightly, and then served.

Smoked quail tastes very much like homemade chicken. Undoubtedly, the whole family will be happy with this snack!

Layer pie with smoked chicken

Ingredients:

• smoked chicken breast - 2 pcs;
• chicken egg - 2 pcs;
• hard cheese - 250-300 g;
• puff pastry - 600 g;

Cooking process:

1. Cut the ham meat into large cubes;
2. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater;
3. Beat the eggs until smooth using a mixer or whisk;
4. Mix all the above ingredients in a container;
5. Divide the puff pastry in half. Roll out the first part to the size of your existing baking tray. spread the prepared filling in an even layer. The rest of the dough should be rolled out and placed on top of the pie, carefully sealing the edges with your hands;
6. Place the baking sheet with the pie in an oven preheated to 180°C for 35 minutes. 5-7 minutes before it’s ready, brush the pie with melted butter, which will give it an attractive golden hue. Cool the resulting smoked chicken pie, cut and serve.

Shawarma with smoked chicken

Ingredients:

• lavash - 1 sheet;
• smoked chicken meat - 250g;
• Chinese cabbage - 150g;
• fresh cucumber - 3 pcs.
• cherry - 1 pc.
• salad - 2 leaves;
• white sauce - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Combine shredded cabbage, finely chopped tomato and cucumber, grated on a coarse grater, in a container;
2. Peel the smoked chicken meat and cut into small cubes;
3. Place a sheet of pita bread on the work surface of the table, brush one side with white sauce, and place meat, a mixture of vegetables and lettuce on top of it;
4. Fold the edges of the pita bread and roll it into a roll.

Your smoked chicken shawarma is ready!

Choi and smoked chicken salad

Ingredients:

• pak choi cabbage - 1 pc. medium size;
• smoked chicken breast 250-270 g;
• garlic cloves - 2 pcs;
• ginger - 3 teaspoons;
• soy sauce - 120 ml;
• half a lime;
• olive oil - 4 tbsp. spoons.

We recommend: Recipe for pita bread with smoked chicken

Cooking process:

1. Separate the pak choi cabbage into leaves, cutting them off from the white roots;
2. Rinse all leaves thoroughly under running water;
3. Prepare the marinade: place garlic cloves, ginger root, soy sauce and lime juice in a blender bowl to grind;
4. Pour the resulting mixture into a container, place the chopped choy cabbage leaves in it and cover with a lid. Marinating will take 8-10 hours, that is, the whole night. In the morning, the salad is ready to serve!

Pasta with hard cheese and smoked chicken

Ingredients:

• pasta - 250 g;
• smoked chicken breast - 250 g;
• hard cheese - 150 g;
• garlic 1 clove;
• Italian herbs seasoning - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Boil the pasta until fully cooked. A little secret: to avoid sticking, add 5 tbsp to the water during cooking. spoons of sunflower oil;
2. Chop smoked chicken into medium-sized cubes;
3. Grate the hard cheese on a coarse grater;
4. Rinse the finished pasta, add garlic that has been pressed through a press and sprinkle cheese on top. The resulting dish should be served hot.

Smoked stomachs and necks

Ingredients:

• chicken stomachs (necks) - 750 g;
• liquid smoke - 1-1.5 teaspoons;
• salt, spices - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Rinse the stomachs (necks) thoroughly and then boil them in boiling water without salt. Approximate cooking time: 60 minutes;
2. When the stomachs (necks) are ready, place them in a colander, allowing excess liquid to drain;
3. Make a mixture of salt, spices, broth and liquid smoke (1 teaspoon is enough) so that you get a paste. Mix all ingredients well with honey;
4. Carefully roll the stomachs (necks) that have dried after cooking in the prepared mixture, place them in a clean container, cover it with a plate, and place pressure on top. In this form, the container with stomachs (necks) should be placed in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours (preferably overnight).

Hot sandwiches with smoked chicken breast

Ingredients:

• bread (sandwiches are best made from loaf or white bread) - 3 slices;
• smoked chicken breast - 3 slices;
• half an avocado;
• hard cheese - 40 g;
• onion - 1 piece;
• spices - to taste;
• tomato - 3 slices;
• greens for decoration.

Cooking process:

1. Cut the avocado and tomato into thin slices, the onion into half rings, and grate the cheese on a coarse grater;
2. Place avocado, onion, smoked chicken slices on a slice of loaf, and sprinkle cheese on top;
3. Place the sandwiches in an oven preheated to 220°C for about 4 minutes until the cheese melts. If you use a microwave oven, the sandwiches will be ready in just 2 minutes;
4. Serve the sandwiches hot, garnished with tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Pancakes with smoked chicken breast

Dough:

• chicken egg - 2 pcs;
• wheat flour - 1 cup;
• milk - 100 ml;
• a pinch of salt;
• sunflower oil - 20 ml.

Filling:

• onion - 1 piece;
• smoked chicken breast - 300-400 g;
• vegetable oil - 20 ml.
• Ingredients for frying in egg batter:
• chicken egg - 2 pcs;
• salt, pepper - to taste;
• vegetable oil - 20 ml.

Cooking process:

1. Knead a not too thick pancake dough (so that it flows easily into the pan) from the specified amount of eggs, milk, flour, butter and salt;
2. Fry the pancakes in a hot frying pan;
3. Finely chop the chicken breast and peeled onion into cubes and then fry in vegetable oil for 5 minutes;
4. Place the filling into the prepared pancakes, folding them into envelopes;
5. The last stage of preparation is frying in egg batter. Beat the eggs with salt until foamy, dip the pancakes in it, and then fry in a heated frying pan with vegetable oil.