Hi,

My wife picked up something called "Southern Hen" at the store today.
Never had it before. They are 6lb birds, and it says on the packaging
that they are great for deep frying or smoking. So I thought I would
smoke them. Anyone here been smoking something like this? Should I treat
them as very large chicken?

--
//ceed

On May 4, 7:23 pm, ceed > wrote:
> Hi,
>
> My wife picked up something called "Southern Hen" at the store today.
> Never had it before. They are 6lb birds, and it says on the packaging
> that they are great for deep frying or smoking. So I thought I would
> smoke them. Anyone here been smoking something like this? Should I treat
> them as very large chicken?
>
> --
> //ceed

Small turkey?

rob > wrote in news:1178340442.611243.170110
@o5g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:

>
> Small turkey?
>
>
Abnormally obese cornish hen?


--
//ceed

ceed wrote:
> Hi,
>
> My wife picked up something called "Southern Hen" at the store today.
> Never had it before. They are 6lb birds, and it says on the packaging
> that they are great for deep frying or smoking. So I thought I would
> smoke them. Anyone here been smoking something like this? Should I
> treat them as very large chicken?

I tried smoking a hen once. That was about 15 or so years ago. It was a
mistake I've not bothered to repeat so far.

Hens are tough old birds.

TFM®

"The Fat Man®" > wrote in news:463c6037$0$9898
:

>
> I tried smoking a hen once. That was about 15 or so years ago. It was a
> mistake I've not bothered to repeat so far.
>
> Hens are tough old birds.
>
> TFM®

I hear ya. The thing is that it specifically say they are perfect for
smoking and deep frying on the packaging. They even come with a sticker
containing smoking directions. Very simple directions though: Smoke for 6-7
hours at 225F. You think it's just a sales trick to get rid of bunch of
winged geezers?


--
//ceed

On May 5, 7:46 am, ceed > wrote:

> Smoke for 6-7
> hours at 225F. You think it's just a sales trick to get rid of >bunch of winged geezers?
>

Considering those instructions, I think you have your answer. An hour
a pound at 225 is a long haul for a hollow cavity bird that can get
uniform heat inside and out.

Robert

On 5 May 2007 04:51:39 GMT, ceed > wrote:

>rob > wrote in news:1178340442.611243.170110
:
>
>>
>> Small turkey?
>>
>>
>Abnormally obese cornish hen?

Humoungous quail?

-Chef Juke
"EVERYbody Eats When They Come To MY House!"
www.chefjuke.com

" > wrote in
ups.com:

>>
>
> Considering those instructions, I think you have your answer. An hour
> a pound at 225 is a long haul for a hollow cavity bird that can get
> uniform heat inside and out.
>
> Robert
>
>
>
Well, I had to do something to them, so I brined them over night. I
rubbed them with what I normally use for chicken and put them in with my
brisket (smoke from hickory and pecan). After almost 7 hours the skin
would make solid boots, but the meat got the immdiate reponse from my
kids "This is the best chicken we've ever had, Dad". I told them this was
hen, and theu said "Whatever, it's tastes like chicken" (which they also
say about pork, btw). It was actually quite good, not as tender a small
chicken, but with a nice texture without being tough, and it was moist. I
mostly eat dark meat, but the breast was really tender and moist when I
carved it. My theory is that the tough skin locked in the moisture,
combined with the brining it created an acceptable result.

Today I can't wait for my wife to make chicken salad sandwiches from the
leftovers. For me that's going to be the highlight. Always is with
chicken. Not too fond of it warm, but love it cold the next day.

--
//ceed

On 6-May-2007, ceed > wrote:

> " > wrote in
> ups.com:
>
>
> >>
> >
> > Considering those instructions, I think you have your
> > answer. An hour
> > a pound at 225 is a long haul for a hollow cavity bird
> > that can get
> > uniform heat inside and out.
> >
> > Robert
> >
> >
> >
> Well, I had to do something to them, so I brined them over
> night. I
> rubbed them with what I normally use for chicken and put
> them in with my
> brisket (smoke from hickory and pecan). After almost 7
> hours the skin
> would make solid boots, but the meat got the immdiate
> reponse from my
> kids "This is the best chicken we've ever had, Dad". I
> told them this was
> hen, and theu said "Whatever, it's tastes like chicken"
> (which they also
> say about pork, btw). It was actually quite good, not as
> tender a small
> chicken, but with a nice texture without being tough, and
> it was moist. I
> mostly eat dark meat, but the breast was really tender and
> moist when I
> carved it. My theory is that the tough skin locked in the
> moisture,
> combined with the brining it created an acceptable result.
>
> Today I can't wait for my wife to make chicken salad
> sandwiches from the
> leftovers. For me that's going to be the highlight. Always
> is with
> chicken. Not too fond of it warm, but love it cold the
> next day.
>
> --
> //ceed

Interesting thread this. Guinea Fowl comes to mind as
possibly
being called Southern Hen. Some of my kin had them around
when I was just a tyke. I can't remember too much about
them,
except they seemed a bit larger then chickens and way
smaller
then turkeys. Bodywise, and stripped of their feathers, they

looked like chickens.

I can't imagine smoking one for 6 or 7 hours, but then I
never
cook as low as 225° anyhow. I've not smoked any birds
without brining them first, except pieces. Brined in a
citrus
brine a la TFM® or Hound you'll get a right tasty bird from
just about anything that was still breathing when it was
killed. Your description of the skin doesn't jive with my
experience though. I get something you could use to make
a slingshot, but surely not boots, except maybe the uppers.

On a humorous note, I smoked some pieces saturday,
May 5th for the La Hoya fight. One of the neighboring
Puerto Rican boys made up a hot wing sauce for me
and we smeared that on liberally before cooking. I
burned the hell out of a few thighs, but we managed to
salvage the rest. I bought another ten pounds of hind
quarters and smoked them up as well. I guess there
was about 12 lbs of chicken all told when we got done.
I did some ribs too, but it was definitely an off day for
me. The ribs were underdone by a good hour, maybe
more. They vanished into that hungry hoard anyway.
Those folks sure like smoked animal parts. Oddly,
none of this gang has any previous experience with
smoked meat despite long experience with grilling.

--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)

wrote:

> On 6-May-2007, ceed > wrote:
>
>
" > wrote in
roups.com:
>>
>>
>>

snip

, but it was definitely an off day for
> me. The ribs were underdone by a good hour, maybe
> more. They vanished into that hungry hoard anyway.
> Those folks sure like smoked animal parts. Oddly,
> none of this gang has any previous experience with
> smoked meat despite long experience with grilling.
>
Brick, having lived for a time in PR, I can tell you why your neighbors
have no exposure to smoking meats.

There is no native source of aromatic hardwood in the region. The best
you can do it local charcoal, (and that is hard to come by since
briquettes have been available in the last 30 years.)

This is a fact for most of the tropics.

It may not be true of St. Thomas, as I scattered some mesquite beans
around back in the 80's (It's probably taken over by now.)

shawn > wrote:
> wrote:
> > On 6-May-2007, ceed > wrote:
> " > wrote in
> snip
> Brick, having lived for a time in PR, I can tell you why your neighbors
> have no exposure to smoking meats.
>
> There is no native source of aromatic hardwood in the region. The best
> you can do it local charcoal, (and that is hard to come by since
> briquettes have been available in the last 30 years.)
>
> This is a fact for most of the tropics.
>
> It may not be true of St. Thomas, as I scattered some mesquite beans
> around back in the 80's (It's probably taken over by now.)

And yet, the Lechón Asado I had, in Cayey, in the early 70's, is one of my
fondest culinary memories. Maybe it was the ambience? Me and my ex-wife's
uncle had driven up into the mountains outside of Cayey. We stopped at a
bar where there was an attached smoke room. There was a pig (or what was
left of him) on a spit over a smokey pile of charcoal. We ordered, the
bartender took a machete and went in and hacked off some meat for us. The
meat was delicious, tender and juicy, the skin crisp and tasty, and the
beer copious as many other customers insisted on buying beer for me. Good
food, great people, beautiful women and scenery. <sigh>

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

Nick Cramer > wrote in
:

> And yet, the Lech¢n Asado I had, in Cayey, in the early 70's, is one
> of my fondest culinary memories. Maybe it was the ambience? Me and my
> ex-wife's uncle had driven up into the mountains outside of Cayey. We
> stopped at a bar where there was an attached smoke room. There was a
> pig (or what was left of him) on a spit over a smokey pile of
> charcoal. We ordered, the bartender took a machete and went in and
> hacked off some meat for us. The meat was delicious, tender and juicy,
> the skin crisp and tasty, and the beer copious as many other customers
> insisted on buying beer for me. Good food, great people, beautiful
> women and scenery. <sigh>
>
>
This sounds very similar to an experience I had up in the mountains of
Tenerife (one of the Canary Islands): Whole roasted pig, San Miguel beer
(still one of my favorites), beatutiful women and scenery.


--
//ceed

On May 4, 10:23 pm, ceed > wrote:
> Hi,
>
> My wife picked up something called "Southern Hen" at the store today.
> Never had it before. They are 6lb birds, and it says on the packaging
> that they are great for deep frying or smoking. So I thought I would
> smoke them. Anyone here been smoking something like this? Should I treat
> them as very large chicken?

Cornish game ostrich?

6 lbs is a small bird. Perdue Oven Stuffers and equivalent average 8
- 9
lbs each. For barbecuing, I wish I could find bigger.

ceed wrote:
> My wife picked up something called "Southern Hen" at the store today.
> Never had it before. They are 6lb birds, and it says on the packaging
> that they are great for deep frying or smoking. So I thought I would
> smoke them. Anyone here been smoking something like this? Should I treat
> them as very large chicken?
Southern Hens seems to be a poultry processing company. I've seen 'em
in our local grocery store with the chickens.

As someone else mentioned, 6 lbs isn't that big for a fryer and it's
small for a roaster.

Yesterday, I smoked one about that size. Not that brand, the Kroger
house brand chicken was cheaper.

I've never gotten into brining.... with hypertension an issue in my
life, I avoid salt.

I cut the bird in half, rubbed it with salt and pepper (yeah, salt...
but not that much of it <g>). I fired up the offset smoker with
charcoal briquettes. As soon as the charcoal took off, I used it to
start some Aspen. I waited until the smoker hit 250F and the birds went
in, skin down. As I closed the smoker, I realized I hadn't rubbed the
bird with olive oil... so I cussed a bit and left the unoiled bird in
the smoker.

I kept the smoker between 225 and 275 pretty well. One brief excursion
to 320, and one to 200, both corrected quickly. About 2 1/2 to 3 hours
later, the bird was done.

The skin was crisp, very edible, and very delicious. The meat was
smoky, peppery and very moist. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never
had meat dry out in me in the offset smoker. So, I've kept my
barbecuing pretty simple.

My son had just gotten back from college, and he ate it like he hadn't
been fed since the last time he visited home. Of course, the big hit
for him was the mashed potatoes and gravy. He had thirds on chicken,
but fourths on the mashed potatoes and gravy.

Mike

Results of Google on "southern hens"

Southern Hens Inc. - Company Profile, Research, News,
Information ...
Southern Hens Inc. Private Company, Headquarters Location
329 Moselle Seminary Rd., Moselle MS 39459, United States
(601)582-2262, (601)543-0290 fax, ...
goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/product-compint-0000562075-page.html
- 24k -

Company Profile
Updated: 10-APR-07

Southern Hens Inc.

Private Company, Headquarters Location
329 Moselle Seminary Rd., Moselle MS 39459, United States
(601)582-2262, (601)543-0290 fax, Primary SIC: Poultry
Slaughtering & Processing, Primary NAICS: Poultry Processing
Description: Manufacturing: Poultry slaughtering and
processing
--
Brick(Google is your friend)