Whole Chicken

EggHeadinFlorida

I'm going to cook a 2lb chicken on the Egg tomorrow. Few questions, do I go direct or indirect? If indirect, what dome temp do I want and about how long for the cook? If direct, what dome temp and for how long? I'm going to be making the grill grate extender with the carriage boots, so it will be about 5" taller.. I also have that fancy porcealin sittin turkey vertical roaster that I will fill up with beer..

Mickey

Just a suggestion. First are you sure you have a 2 lb chicken (I am a fan of small chickens)? Cut the back out (Spatchcocked), cook it direct at 375/400 raised. If this chick is really 2 lbs I haven't got a clue on time, but if 3.5 to 4 a little under an hour. No tray, drink the beer.

Mickey

This is on aMini. Just to show you what it looks like.

six_egg

The best advice I can give you about this cook or any other is use temperature not time. Most know time but cook by temp. I have seen Mickey post about temp over time before. He knows what he is doing.

berndcrisp

2 lbs. sounds more like a large Cornish game hen, which are also great on the egg.

rturner223

I cooked a 2 pounder last week at 350 and reached temp in 35 mins. Started cold. Large egg.

EggHeadinFlorida

Sorry, it's a little over 4lbs.

Little Steven

I like to do them indirect and inverted on the stand

 

Mickey

THis is large Cornish game hen about 2 lbs.

 

SaltySam

I'd like to ask a couple follow-on question to this thread.   For a whole bird, where are you taking the temps?  Breast or thigh?  My last spatchcocked chicken was cooked to 160 breast temperature, and the white meat was fantastic.  However, there were portions of the darker meat that didn't seem as done.  I've cooked another one with the probe in the thigh, and cooked to 170.  The dark meat was spot on, but the breasts were a little overcooked and mealy.

Any tips?

Eggcelsior

SaltySam said:

I'd like to ask a couple follow-on question to this thread.   For a whole bird, where are you taking the temps?  Breast or thigh?  My last spatchcocked chicken was cooked to 160 breast temperature, and the white meat was fantastic.  However, there were portions of the darker meat that didn't seem as done.  I've cooked another one with the probe in the thigh, and cooked to 170.  The dark meat was spot on, but the breasts were a little overcooked and mealy.

Any tips?

white- 160 finished

dark - 180 finished

I pull at 5 degrees below finish for the rest.

I have not spatchcocked on the Egg; only the oven. I stick the probe in a thigh and then spot check once it gets to 160 with the Thermapen.

Did you rotate the bird? Mine usually finishes at the same time.(Egg can have hot spots)

SaltySam

I've done the beer butt (minus the beer) method, where the chicken sat up, with legs pointed down.  I've also spatchcocked it, but didn't rotate it, since it was indirect. 

I see that @Little Steven does his inverted.  Does that help even out cooking time?  It would make sense, since you're getting the dark meat higher up in the dome. 

Little Steven

That was the reason I started doing them this way. I consistently get 15* to 25* difference between the white and dark meat. Another benefit is that the fat from the back end bastes the front

SaltySam

Awesome.  I look forward to trying that method now.  Thanks for the help!

Little Steven

You need a narrow neck on the stand. The BGE stand works well. You may still have to clip out a bit of the backbone to get it started.

EggHeadinFlorida

I think my first chicken turned out awesome. 2.5 hrs at 380deg. The dark spots are the rub. She was moist I must say

Skiddymarker

@EggHeadinFlorida - are you sorry you asked? 

Point is there are lots of ways, all good, go with your gut and enjoy!

I like 'em spatched direct at 350-375 and indirect at 400-425. 

Cook time is around an hour for 3-4#. 

billyray

SaltySam said:

I'd like to ask a couple follow-on question to this thread.   For a whole bird, where are you taking the temps?  Breast or thigh?  My last spatchcocked chicken was cooked to 160 breast temperature, and the white meat was fantastic.  However, there were portions of the darker meat that didn't seem as done.  I've cooked another one with the probe in the thigh, and cooked to 170.  The dark meat was spot on, but the breasts were a little overcooked and mealy.

Any tips?

Ice the breasts for about 20 minutes before you put them on. I usually end up with thighs @ 180 and breasts @165.

Mickey

EggHeadinFlorida said:

I think my first chicken turned out awesome. 2.5 hrs at 380deg. The dark spots are the rub. She was moist I must say

Sorry but I am not grasping something. You are saying you cooked a 2lb bird for 2 1/2 hours at 380? I cook 13lb turkeys at 380 for 1&1/4 hour. And 3&1/2 lb chickens 50 to 55 min. All spatchcocked, all direct. Is you temp been tested?

burr_baby33

My "go to" method for chicken is spatchcock. I cook the thighs to 175 + rest and it is consistently excellent. BUT, when I feel a little creative I love to debone and stuff the bird using the Pepin technique. I sit the iPad by the cutting board starting and stopping as I go. Pepin can debone a chicken in two or three minutes...takes me about ten. I like to serve it to guests, it has a WOW factor. Tastes great and looks fantastic on the platter.

Eggcelsior

burr_baby33 said:

My "go to" method for chicken is spatchcock. I cook the ths to 175 + rest and it is consistently excellent. BUT, when I feel a little creative I love to debone and stuff the bird using the Pepin technique. I sit the iPad by the cutting board starting and stopping as I go. Pepin can debone a chicken in two or three minutes...takes me about ten. I like to serve it to guests, it has a WOW factor. Tastes great and looks fantastic on the platter.

+1
I love doing this. Never on the egg yet. I do it like he does and stuff it then wrap in the skin. My favorite way to do chicken.

EggHeadinFlorida

Sry. A few posts up I said it was a little over 4lbs. I don't think their would be much bird left at 2lbs for 2.5 hrs lol

Mickey said:

EggHeadinFlorida said:

I think my first chicken turned out awesome. 2.5 hrs at 380deg. The dark spots are the rub. She was moist I must say

Sorry but I am not grasping something. You are saying you cooked a 2lb bird for 2 1/2 hours at 380? I cook 13lb turkeys at 380 for 1&1/4 hour. And 3&1/2 lb chickens 50 to 55 min. All spatchcocked, all direct. Is you temp been tested?