Harbin Smoked Chicken

Harbin Smoked Chicken

　　Ingredients & Recipe: Main ingredient: Choose plump, tender hens.

　　Auxiliary ingredients: Standard recipe for preparing the broth includes: 100 kg of water, 8 kg of granulated salt, 3 kg of (original) soy sauce, 50 g of monosodium glutamate (the soup should have a concentration of about 5 degrees Baumé; if too light in color, add more soy sauce; if too bland, add more salt), 400 g of Sichuan peppercorns, 400 g of star anise, 200 g of cinnamon (these three seasonings are placed together in a white cloth bag and replaced after every 10 boils), 250 g of fresh ginger (sliced), 150 g of green onions (cut into sections), 150 g of garlic (peeled) — these three are also combined in a white cloth bag, with the fresh ginger replaced after every 5 boils and the onions and garlic replaced after each boil. Once the broth is prepared, heat it in a pot.

　　Preparation Method:

　　1. Slaughtering: After slaughtering the chicken, thoroughly remove all feathers and internal organs. Bend the chicken feet and place them inside the cavity, and tuck the chicken head under the wing.

　　2. Soaking: Place the slaughtered chicken in cool water to soak for eleven to twelve hours, then take it out and drain all moisture.

　　3. Contraction: Immerse the chicken in boiling broth for 10–15 minutes to contract it. After removal, drain all blood from the chicken and skim off any foam floating on the surface of the broth.

　　4. Cooking: Return the contracted chicken to the broth and cook. Maintain the broth temperature at around 90°C. After three to four hours of cooking, remove the chicken once it is done.

　　5. Smoking: Arrange the cooked chickens in a single layer in a smoking rack, then place them in a smoker or smoke stove. To prepare the smoking source, mix 1.5 kg of white sugar (brown sugar, syrup, or raw sugar can also be used) with 0.5 kg of sawdust. Stir well and place the mixture in the smoker, then ignite the bottom of the smoker to burn the sawdust and sugar mixture, producing smoke. Smoke the cooked chickens to dry and color their outer layers. After 20 minutes of smoking, remove the chickens — they are now ready to serve.