The idea of cooking food in a flower pot may sound weird, but it actually works, and this particular technique satisfies my need for bizarre gadgets. I first saw this on The Food Network, where Alton Brown was discussing meat smoking, and as he does, he presented a way that an average person could do it at home.
Now there are several “barbeque pit” restaurants here in Jacksonville and to be honest I have never been a big fan. Most of the time the meat is bone dry and the only way to make it palatable is to smother it in sauce, and even then it just doesn’t work for me. Smoking meat at home can be a challenge because what is really needed is a smoker that allows the cook to control the heat precisely while applying smoke to the meat over a long period of time. That just isn’t going to happen with charcoal, and because of the characteristics of propane gas it will prevent the smoke from adequately penetrating the meat, it just won’t turn out very well. Probably the best commercially available home smokers that I have seen are referred to as “eggs” These are large, glazed terra cotta pottery cookers that can have electric heaters or may use wood or charcoal. They are more than a little pricy ranging from $300 – $600 dollars, a lot of coin for something that most people will only use occasionally. Enter Alton Brown’s Flower Pot smoker. It is a relatively simple apparatus that can be assembled for about 40 – 45 dollars. Plus if it doesn’t work out, at least you have a couple flower pots for your patio. The reason for using the pots is that the terra cotta is earthen stoneware that readily absorbs heat and distributes it evenly. This results in more even cooking of the meat and reduces the possibility of it drying out.
First the parts list:
You will need a large standard terra cotta flower pot and a terra cotta dish that is large enough to fit over the top of the pot. Some people have tried to use two flower pots, setting one on top of the other but this will create too large a space inside and you will not be able to get it hot enough to cook effectively. I lucked out and found a 14″ pot and a shallow bowl that actually fit snugly into the top. If you cannot find some terra cotta to use as a lid that has a drain hole, you can drill one using a masonry bit at low speed.
The key item is a hotplate. Most hotplates have thermostats in them that shut the heat off if the base of the plate gets too hot. Because we will be using ours in an enclosed space, the base plate will almost certainly get hotter than normal, so a hotplate with an automatic shutoff will not work. I found a perfect one at Walgreen’s for $9.99. It had two small handles on the sides but after breaking them off, it fit perfectly into the bottom of the pot. It also has a temperature control which will help to adjust the heat. Next you will need something to hold the wood chips and catch the drippings. The bottom of my pot is somewhat smaller than normal but I was able to find an enameled camp bowl that fit perfectly. You will need a meat thermometer to measure the temperature inside the pot. Finally I bought a replacement charcoal grate for a small Weber grill to hold the meat. You will also need three bricks or three sections of 2 x 4 to hold the pot off of the ground.
I guess before we put this all together I need to say something that should be common sense. Do this outdoors, not in your kitchen. Smoke is going to come out of this thing and you are using an electric appliance in a way that it was not designed to be used.
Assembly is straightforward. Arrange the bricks or 2 x 4s in a triangle small enough for the pot to sit on. Place the hotplate in the bottom of the pot and feed the cord through the drain hole. The bowl or pie pan for the drippings and wood chips will sit directly on top of the hotplate. The grate will go in next, then your meat, the lid, and finally the thermometer goes in the drain hole of the lid. The temperature control on a hotplate is not calibrated so do some experimentation to see how yours works. You want to maintain a steady temperature of 250⁰. It will be hotter when it is empty than when you have meat in it and the outside air temperature also affects what the interior temperature will be.
Okay, let’s cook.
I have cooked beef brisket and chicken in this device and they both turned out great. For this article I’ll talk about how to do chicken because that is what I am making in it as I am writing this. First of all this is not the type of thing that you are going to cook a giant rack of ribs in. It just isn’t big enough; this is more of something that you can use to prepare a meal for a family of four. My chicken recipe:
One 4 – 4 ½ pound whole chicken
Chili Powder
Black Pepper
Dark Brown Sugar
Wood Chips
Soak the wood chips in water for half an hour before cooking. I prefer apple wood for chicken and hickory or mesquite for beef and pork. I also like a locally produced chicken rather than a national brand. The big guys put too many phosphates in their chicken and inject them with salt solutions and God knows what else for God knows what reason. I just don’t like the way they taste. Unwrap the chicken and make sure there are no giblets in the cavities, if there are, remove them. Wash the chicken in cool water and pat dry. Pierce the chicken’s skin all over with a skewer to allow the spices to penetrate. Mix a half cup of brown sugar with four tablespoons of the chili powder, blending with a fork. Rub the chicken thoroughly with this mixture. Sprinkle liberally with the sea salt and pepper. You can cook the chicken immediately or place it in a large zip lock bag and let stand in the refrigerator overnight.
The hot plate that I am using gives a good temperature with the control knob turned three quarters of the way up. Place the bowl on top of the hotplate and put a good handful of the chips inside it. Put the grate in and place the chicken on the grate. Cover with the lid and insert the meat thermometer in the drain hole. Now this is not the kind of cooking that someone who’s into instant gratification should do. I have found that a chicken takes about 10 hours to cook. Occasionally check to make sure there is still smoke coming out of the pot. If it has stopped open the pot, remove the chicken still on its grate and add more chips to the bowl. You may have to do this two or three times, but halfway through the cooking process you can stop watching for the smoke. Removing the chicken from the pot during cooking can be tricky. Barbecue gloves will work, but I use two pairs of channel lock pliers. You will know the chicken is done when the legs and wings move freely in their sockets, then let it go another hour. When it is done take it off of the heat and transfer it to a plate, cover with aluminum foil and let sit for an hour. It will continue to cook and the juices will redistribute through the meat.
Now for the sauce. The key to any good smoked meat is a good sauce. This is a variation on one developed by Rachael Ray for her “30 Minute Meals”. To make it you will need:
¼ Cup of red onion, minced
Olive Oil
¼ Cup of catsup
⅓ Cup of frozen concentrated orange juice
One smoked chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. (These can be found in the International Foods aisle.)
½ Cup chicken broth
One tablespoon yellow mustard
One tablespoon brown sugar
One tablespoon chili powder
⅛ Teaspoon of black pepper
Pinch of salt
In a small pot drizzle the olive oil two turns around the pan and sauté the onion until just translucent; add the chicken broth to. Mix the other ingredients thoroughly with a hand blender and add to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for at least thirty minutes. It will cook down somewhat and get a bit thicker.
Let’s eat!
When the chicken is ready it should almost literally fall apart with very little effort on your part. Remove the skin and pull the meat from the bones with forks, shredding it into small chunks, be careful to remove the small bones. Serve by putting a good amount of the meat on a soft bun and drizzle with the sauce. Add cheddar cheese slices, red onion, and shredded lettuce. A four pound chicken should serve four people comfortably.
Everyone’s cooking can benefit from a little experimentation and this is a good way to add a new twist to your outdoor cooking repertoire.
