Roast chicken & more questions

Shary

We bbq'd a large fryer (about 5lb.) the other night using one of those beercan substitute devices. I plunked the crucified bird on a drip pan and we put it in the egg. The chicken turned out terrific, very juicy, crisp skin, etc., but it seems like it took an awful long time to cook--2.5 hours at about 325, but up as high as 400 at times as we got both antsy and hungry. Toward the end of the cooking time the egg started to lose temp. I am wondering if I didn't put in enough lump, or if the egg is too small (size medium) for a 5lb. chicken, or if the drip pan diverted some of the heat away from the chicken...or all of the above. This website is really great. I'm learning a lot from it. Thanks for all your help.

Trouble

Shary,
I think my chickens that are in that size range take about 1.5 or two hours. There are a lot of factors...it makes a big difference if everything is up to temp or if you put in a cold plate setter and drip pan along with a big cold chicken. Also, you will find a big time difference in 350 v 325 as a cooking temp. I use 350 dome and sometimes the bird is done much more quickly than I anticipated. It's one of those cooks with a bunch of variables, but as you experienced, the egg makes it pretty forgiving.[p]As to specific questions...your egg isn't too small; could be that you ran low on lump--what was left?; the drip pat etc. only diverts heat away from the bottom so that your chicken doesn't burn it's butt. That is the right way to go and you'll find the relationship between temp and times in fairly short order. [p]Tastes good, though, doesn't it?

AndyBoy

Shary,[p]I have had my BGE for less than a month so I am no expert but we did a chicken following the Weber Grilling Book for Carolina pulled chicken. We did a rub and pulled the chicken from skin and bone when it was done. We made a bbq sauce for the chicken and added cole slaw on top served on buns and it was wonderful. I have a large BGE and we cooked the chicken for just under 4 hours at 250 and it was perfect. I pretty much filled the fire box 3/4 full of lump and there was still charcoal left over. I think you could add more charcoal and not use the drip pan. We didn't use one are it worked really well. Good luck.

AndyBoy

Trouble,[p]So do you always use a drip pan for chicken? I found that at 250 one wasn't needed since the dark meat is closest to the fire but it takes longer to cook anyway. I want to get a drip pan because the last time I cooked duck breast there was a lot of flare up and really too much smoke. I am still learning but it is a lot of fun.[p]Andy

Trouble

AndyBoy,
For a whole chicken, I do. And I don't use any kind of stand...beer can or otherwise. I like to put some lemon quarters and white wine in the cavity. More white wine in the drip pan. I've always placed my fruit and herbs in the chicken cavity so I missed that flavor the first time I used a chicken stand. I also find that it's a bit easier to move the bird from the cooking grid to a dish without having to deal with a top-heavy arrangement.[p]Just my way. I suppose you could put wine/herbs or something in a can for the same results.[p]Joyce

Trouble

AndyBoy,
I missed something in your post...You want to get a drip pan. Lots of folks have different ideas about this. I always use a pan that is resting on an inverted plate setter, above which is the main cooking grid. It's a $5 pan from some -mart store.[p]Until you find just the right thing, you can buy disposable aluminum foil pans at the supermarket (these are good for really messy stuff too). When I'm in a pinch, I just use a double layer of foil and turn up the edges. Lots of different things work. Best of luck and happy egging to you.[p]Trouble