Oh, no, dirtgirl, I don't mean undercooked!! I know what that is (had an Aunt you don't want to know about)! The "wet" taste thing is more about it being very moist without the roasty flavor. Or maybe it's without the wine flavor--this is all memory. I haven't taste tested or anything. Though to be sure I should try both water poached and wine poached. I think the chicken breasts I have for tomorrow are going to be breaded and baked, however, not sent to the test kitchen. ;) The ch'ck'n'd'mplns (bad dialect, but it's not "chicken and dumplings" all spelled out) I was talking about is a stewing chicken served in gravy with softball sized dough balls. The d'mplns are pretty good, and the gravy is very chickeny and great (though could use some seasoning), but the chicken tastes...wet. It's cooked. Actually, I think my grandmother's boiled chicken was similar in texture, but it was very salty so wet wasn't the dominant impression. None of this matters. I'm just talking about one dish made by one person that I don't like. Okay, please understand that the bad chicken cooking is from the other side of the family!! ROTFL!!

Thanks, Teresa, I don't think I've ever seen a chicken pie recipe without vegetables, that looks really interesting and efficient, because Bud and Makayla wouldn't have to pick out the pieces of veggies, LOL. Ruthanna, the chicken pudding looks good, I'm going to try a couple of these as meals when Elery's family comes. I'll have 11 visitors for 5 days over the 4th of July weekend, so I'm going to have to find things that I can bake ahead or multiply to get enough servings. The following week is Fair Week too, so Bud and Makayla are spending the night tomorrow night, the fair entries will just have to be baked and frozen, then thawed for the fair. (shrug) Just as well, they're getting too complacent about all those ribbons every year, make 'em work at it this time! Ryse, where are you that you need to move to Tennessee for a better climate? I live in North/West Michigan and I really like to process chickens in the fall, far fewer flies and I don't rush so much to get the birds on ice like I do when it's warmer here. sleevendog, the traffic cones actually worked pretty well, but they weren't quite deep enough. Hey, I'm creative! I didn't have enough room to partially freeze all those halves before packaging, that was part of the problem, I think. On another food related note, the second calf of the year was born today, hooray. I left Mama to tend it and didn't bother them by getting close enough to determine whether it was a heifer or bull, I'll know soon enough. Oh, and Elery and I had chicken on the grill last night. No salting or pre-brining, because I wanted to see just how it was. Elery cooked it slowlyl on the cooler side of the grill and it was moist, juicy and delicious. I'm happy. Annie

I have had success with enduring's cookie sheet method. It does concern me that you baked it an hour more and it was still wet in the center. Something may be wrong with the recipe, have you made that recipe before? It could also have been too much or too wet fruit. If a recipe says one kumquat not 1/2 c diced Kumquat the lack in precision can be your ruin. I have my own chickens, hence fresh eggs. Some of the eggs I get are HUGE. I always try to use the smallest ones I get when I bake, which are still the size of a large grocery store egg, or reduce the # of eggs called for by 50%. A cake I made a few weeks ago which I have made many times didn't ever dry out in the center and I do blame it too much moisture in the dough caused by egg. It was a chocolate espresso cake and it did make a lovely batch of crumbs and pieces for which I have been finding creative uses.

Oh, a side firebox smoker. We have that one and have been smoking chickens a half dozen times a year for well over 10. If it has a temp gauge on the lid it is not that reliable unfortunately. Nice to have a stem on wire thermometer. It smokes much higher temp close to the firebox. I use timber splits and soaked slices of fruitwood so a bit different in method and heat regulating, but the process is the same...avoid opening! But you know that. Put the larger bird closest to the firebox. Not sure if i would stuff them. Your call. It adds density to the bird and may not cook/smoke evenly. We sometimes 'stuff' in half a lemon, couple apple slices, onion and some herbs. But most often nothing. Not really an issue about safety and un-cooked stuffing, as ours is always a cooked stuffing/dressing also, but not much of a cavity in a chicken. But it just might be soo much smoke flavor. It will slow down the cooking time. Make enough stuffing to have a side casserole baked in the oven? (i make my stuffing the night before and chill in the fridge as a 'kit'. All the saute veg, sausage, and wet ingredients in a bowl, the cubed toasted bread (dry ingredients) in a ziplock on top as a lid,...toss together with stock just before 'stuffing' to prevent getting soggy...and i do a casserole also) You mentioned you have smoked chicken before? So you are aware the meat of the bird is often very pink, especially close to the bones. The chicken is cooked, the juices run clear, the temp is correct...but we still have had guests think the meat is raw. Smart to point that out ahead of time. I successfully smoked a few weeks ago, snowing and windy. The worst conditions. (coulda noodle-whipped the weather man)...rolled and tucked the smoker to the less windy side of the barn and had the firebox into the wind to help with the heat draw. I did spatchock one chicken on a fat bed of wild thyme on foil closest to the firebox. Just to make sure we would have a meal in time. A double stacked sirloin, a whole chicken, 4 pork tips, smashed potato packet and a veg packet at the far end. We ate on time, all went as planned, but tricky. The spatchock and the sirloin can off well ahead of the rest. I smoke chicken at a higher temp, 275ish, rather than low and slow like ribs. The pork tips i wrap in a parchment, then foil, packet, with small opening at top. They slow braise for a couple hours, then i open wide and get lots of smoke and still have the juices. At the far end, away from the firebox, the temp is much lower. (especially when it is snowing). I smoked a turkey a few years ago, along with a traditional one in the oven. Worked out nicely with just fruit, garlic and onion in the cavity loosely. Also at a higher temp. I've read that low and slow smoked birds can dry out close to jerky but i have never had that happen even when i used to smoke them at a lower temp. Just a bit dry.