Cold-Smoked Chicken Legs in a Chinese Cure

Ingredients

• 3 cups ice cubes
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 3- by 1/2-inch strip fresh orange zest
• 6 cups water
• + 12 more ingredients
• • long metal tongs
  • 2 ½ tablespoons Insta Cure No. 1 (curing salt)
  • 1 instant-read thermometer
  • charcoal briquettes
  • 1 22 1/2-inch kettle grill with a lid and a hinged top rack
  • 1 1- to 2-gallon plastic storage tub
  • 5 whole chicken legs (with thighs attached; 3 lb)
  • 6 1/8-inch-thick slices fresh ginger
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 1 chimney starter
  • 6 cups hardwood sawdust (3/4 lb; not from treated wood)
  • 1 12- by 8- by 2-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan

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. Stir together kosher salt, Insta Cure, and remaining 4 cups water in storage tub until solids are dissolved, about 3 minutes, then add b...

View full recipe at Epicurious