Devo, First of all, you are initially "smoking" - not barbecuing. You are smoking moist raw meat in an oxygen-deprived atmosphere well within the accepted "Danger Zone" for two hours. This is not barbecue "cooking". This is
inviting trouble. Again, please try to understand this:
Once toxins have formed in the food, cooking will NOT destroy them. That is fact - not my imagination.
You wrote:
To give you a fast run down it is a greaseless fryer and cure is not needed at such high temps
.
Not needed? Once again,
when toxins have formed in food, cooking will NOT destroy them - no matter if it`s greaseless, oil less, steam less, or whatever-less.
If strains of pathogenic Salmonella, Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, or Clostridium Botulinum, Clostridium Perfringens Campylobacter Jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella, Bacillus Cereus, and many others
have formed toxins in the meat, cooking will not destroy them. That is scientific biological
fact my friend.
You asked:
I have to ask you when you cook chicken in your oven do you add cure?
When I cook a chicken in my oven, I don`t cure it first because I don`t smoke it RAW for two hours (a.) IN THE DANGER ZONE , and (b.) in an anaerobic atmosphere. And because the chicken is raw, it is also(c.)
moist. These three conditions comprise the milieu specifically to be avoided to prevent inevitable bacterial growth produced under these conditions. If I were to cook a "smoked chicken", the answer to your question would be "hell yes, I`d cure it before I smoked it" -
(ref.) The
first rule of basic sausagemaking - page 20 of "Great Sausage Recipes And Meat Curing" by
Rytek Kutas states:
"Don`t forget this one cardinal rule: IF IT CAN`T BE CURED, DON`T SMOKE IT."
The fact remains that you are placing raw meat in an anaerobic atmosphere for two hours where conditions for the development of several types of bacteria may develop, including
clostridium botulinum. Smoke cuts off oxygen.
Strike one. Next, the well-known "Danger Zone" is universally accepted as 40°F. to 140°F. (4°C. to 60°C.). You state that your smoker is 55°F.
That is 15° into the Danger Zone.
Strike two. The meat is moist.
Strike three.
You stated:
I really think you should do some research on just what a big easy is and the high temp it cooks at.
The College of Agriculture at Auburn University in Alabama has stated that
once the temperature reaches 50°F (10°C.), bacteria will double twice as fast every time we raise the temperature by merely 5 degree increments. I did my research on this subject during my 6th year of school. My thesis was published. I suggest we summon the opinion of the F.S.I.S. on this matter as it is clear you have controversial issues with my assessment. I would love to hear what these boys would say about you smoking raw chicken.
Whether you agree with me or not, the fact remains each year in my country, food borne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses and 325,00 hospitalizations. Of this number, more than 5,000 Americans painfully suffer the clearly evident indications and symptoms of
preventable food contamination, breathe their last breath, and agonizingly
die!
I`m not trying to be controversial. I am simply spelling out known data and I support
proven medical facts. I would reflect your own words toward you in saying,
"I really think you should do some research".
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon