Tea Smoked Chicken
- 3 pound whole chicken
- 1 teaspoon ground Szechwan peppercorn
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fivespice powder
- 1/2 cup black tea leaves
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup raw rice
- 2 to 3 chunks fresh ginger
- 2 to 3 large strips of orange zest
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- Scallion brushes
- Wash the chicken and pat dry inside and out with paper towels.
- Combine Szechwan peppercorns, salt, and fivespice powder in a small bowl.
- Rub the seasonings into the outside and inside cavity of the bird.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
- Fill the lower part of a steamer with enough water to come within an inch of the cooking rack.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil, place the chicken on the rack, and cover the steamer.
- Steam the chicken for 45 minutes, keeping the water at a boil and replenishing it as it boils away.
- Line a large wok or a heavy Dutch oven with tightfitting lid with heavyduty aluminum foil.
- Combine the smoking mixture ingredients and spread over the foil in the bottom of the pot.
- Turn the heat under the pot to high and place a rack about 3 inches above the smoking mixture so that the chicken does not touch it.
- Place the chicken on the rack, breast side up.
- Line the inside of the lid with more foil, leaving an excess of 3 inches around the lid.
- Cover the pot tightly and crimp the foil down so the lid fits securely and smoke doesn't escape.
- After you detect smoke, smoke the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the smoke subside, about 5 minutes.
- The chicken should be a rich, golden brown on the outside.
- Lift out the smoked chicken and transfer to a cutting board.
- Immediately brush the sesame oil lightly over the outside.
- Allow chicken to cool, about 10 minutes.
- To serve, cut off the wings and legs.
- Divide the body of the chicken in half lengthwise by cutting through the breast and backbone.
- Lay the halves flat on the cutting board, skinside up, and use a cleaver to chop through each half, bones and all, into 3 to 4 equal pieces.
- Chop the wings and legs into pieces as well.
- Arrange the chicken pieces on a large platter, and garnish with the scallion brushes.
chicken, ground szechwan peppercorn, salt, fivespice powder, black tea leaves, brown sugar, rice, ginger, orange zest, sesame oil, scallion
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tea-smoked-chicken-recipe.html (may not work)