Active Time

　　1 hr

　　Total Time

　　14 hr (includes curing and smoking)

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 3 pounds

　　6 cups cold water

　　4 whole star anise

　　6 (1/8-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger

　　1 (3- by 1/2-inch) strip fresh orange zest

　　1 cup kosher salt

　　2 1/2 tablespoons Insta Cure No. 1 (curing salt)

　　1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

　　1/4 cup soy sauce

　　1/4 cup hoisin sauce

　　3 cups ice cubes

　　5 whole chicken legs (with thighs attached; 3 lb)

　　

Special Equipment

a 1- to 2-gallon plastic storage tub; a 22 1/2-inch kettle grill with a lid and a hinged top rack; a 12- by 8- by 2-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan; 6 cups hardwood sawdust (3/4 lb; not from treated wood); charcoal briquettes; a chimney starter; long metal tongs; an instant-read thermometer

　　

Cure chicken:

Step 1

Boil 2 cups water, star anise, ginger, and zest in a 1-quart saucepan, covered, 5 minutes, then cool infusion, uncovered, to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Stir together kosher salt, Insta Cure, and remaining 4 cups water in storage tub until solids are dissolved, about 3 minutes, then add brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and cooled infusion (with solids). Add ice and stir until cure is cold (ice may not melt completely; keeping liquid cold slows salt absorption).

　　

Step 3

Add chicken to cure and weight down with a large plate (to keep submerged). Chill, tub covered with a lid or plastic wrap, 4 to 6 hours.

　　

Step 4

Rinse chicken and pat dry, then discard brine.

　　

Prepare grill and cold-smoke chicken:

Step 5

Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Remove lid and top rack from grill, then center disposable roasting pan on lower rack and add 1 1/2 cups sawdust to pan.

　　

Step 6

Light 6 charcoal briquettes in chimney starter. When briquettes are fully lit (covered completely with gray ash and glowing), transfer with tongs to sawdust, spacing evenly.

　　

Step 7

When sawdust begins to smolder, replace top rack and arrange chicken legs on rack about 1 inch apart. Cover grill with lid, then insert thermometer into a vent hole in lid to monitor air temperature, which should be 80 to 120°F. (If temperature rises above 120°F, remove 1 or more briquettes or uncover grill slightly until temperature falls. If temperature falls below 80°F or sawdust stops burning, light 1 more briquette and add to sawdust.)

　　

Step 8

Smoke chicken, adding 1 1/2 cups sawdust to roasting pan and stirring with tongs every 1 1/2 hours to ignite unburned sawdust, 6 hours. (Chicken will not be cooked.)

　　

Bake chicken:

Step 9

Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 11- by 17-inch roasting pan. Transfer smoked chicken, skin sides up, to pan and bake until the thickest part of a thigh registers 170°F on thermometer, about 25 minutes. Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until ready to serve.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　•Chicken can be cured, rinsed, and patted dry 1 day ahead of cold-smoking and chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap.

　　•Chicken can be cold-smoked (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking.

　　•Baked smoked chicken keeps, chilled, 1 week, or frozen 2 months.