Slightly confused by high meat temp very quickly

masplin

Hi.  UK Egg newbie so will try to explain in both units.  I have been cooking whole chickens on my egg for a year or so. Normally I cook them indirect, breast down, at about 175C   350F. Typically the time I calculate for putting in the oven (20min lb +20) is correct for the egg as well for meat temp 70C 160F.

Today I cooked a bird I would have put in the over for 1h 55min so I was expecting similar in the egg.  This time I had it breast side up, indirect. Temp on grill nice and steady at 175C/350F with a remote digital meat thermometer stuffed in the thick part of the breast. I was therefore surprised to see the meat temp shoot past 70C/160F in under an hour and keep climbing. I tried re positioning the thermometer, but similar result. I didn't believe it could be cooked so quickly,so after 1h 30min I used a really accurate meat thermometer  and every where was nearer 80C/175F.  Cut the joints and juices seemed to be clear so took it out. On eating I would say a little bit overcooked, but not too bad.

So the question is does it makes sense that a bird would cook faster on the egg than in the oven at the same temp?  Did it make some difference the breast was up instead of down?

I understand using temp is the correct way to cook not time, but obviously helps with preparing other parts of the meal to be roughly in the ballpark!!!!

Thanks for any advice.

Mike

SGH

masplin said:

So the question is does it makes sense that a bird would cook faster on the egg than in the oven at the same temp?  

It sure does my friend. Why does it cook faster you ask? Convective flow. If you were to cook a chicken in a convection oven, the time would relate much closer to the cooking time in your BGE.