Whole Chicken Direct?

rvita

I'm still a newbie with my BGE. 

I'm looking to cook a whole chicken for my third BGE dinner, but all the recipes I find are for indirect cooking. I don't have the ConvEGGtor/plate setter yet (on a budget) so I'm not sure how to cook indirect. 

If I have the chicken in a pan on the grill, would it turn out ok? Would the temperature and time have to be different? 

Thanks in advance

Mattman3969

I think if I was in your shoes I would fill about half the firebox up with lump, get a 350ish fire going and cook the bird spatched at OEM level.   By loading a small amount of lump you are increasing the distance between the fire and protein. Basically doin what a lot of people do by raising the grid with bricks, beer cans or Woo type products.  You will be fine.  

rvita

Thanks, I'll try that!

PASmoke

@Mattman3969 is exactly right. If you don't have a plate setter that is your best bet! Good luck....,

Carolina Q

Agree. Also, spatchcock the bird. Cut out the backbone and open it up like a book. Place it on the grid with the legs toward the hinges. They can take the higher heat that's typically back there. A spatch'd chicken cooks more quickly and evenly. I generally flip mine over part way through the cook. Many do not. Enjoy! And Welcome!

lousubcap

May be too late to this party but here's a link regarding the spatch chix process and recipe:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/recipes2.htm#chicken  
And @Mattman3969 gave you a great way to setup and run the cook.

SemolinaPilchard

You may want to make one of these. Two pieces of flat bar from Lowe's or Home Depot and a few bolts and nuts. Just make sure to make it where you have a little space between it and the inside wall of your egg. When heated there may be some expansion. If so, that could crack the egg.

Mickey

Spatchcocked Turkey and Chicken on the Big Green Egg

(you cut out the backbone and cook opened)

I like a 11/12 lb bird. If I need lots of turkey I just cook a couple ( 1 & 1/2  hr cook app)

Chicken 3 to 3.75lb bird or birds. Under an hour cook. 

Or, just add a package of legs extra. 

I do not brine the turkey or Chicken. 

If time I like to leave uncovered in the fridge overnight (no problem if no time) 

I cook "direct" @ 400/425 on a raised grill "skin side up" and never turn over.

I will use a coffee rub. Use what you like.

NOTE PLEASE (A LOT OF SMOKE IS NOT YOU FRIEND)

I use about a single handfull of mixed chips: Cherry & Pecan. 

Cook to temp (not time) breast @ 165 and thigh @ 175

 

Coffee Rub (turkey, chicken, beef & pork)

Equal part: Instant Expresso Ground coffee..

Equal part: Brown Sugar..

½ part: Black Pepper..

½ part: Kosher Salt..

½ part: Garlic Powder..

¾ part: Ancho Chili Powder..

  Don't worry on exact, just close on measurement. I used to use turbinado sugar but we like with brown better. This is pulled from MollyShark, Hungry Man, & Richard In Fl then tweaked. I find the ancho chili powder is far less expensive in the bulk spice area than the bottled area ( have used both light or dark version). I make it starting with a half cup Instant Expresso Ground coffee and work from there as it seems to store well if sealed.

leo123

 Plate setter is great and worth the money. I should know because my wife broke mine today and I went out to replace it and it was $103 plus taxes and I payed that.
  It was in Canadian currency.

 I'm still not sure if I did the right thing. Maybe in the long run I should have replaced the wife.

  Time will tell.

rvita

Mickey said:

 

Coffee Rub (turkey, chicken, beef & pork)

Equal part: Instant Expresso Ground coffee..

Equal part: Brown Sugar..

½ part: Black Pepper..

½ part: Kosher Salt..

½ part: Garlic Powder..

¾ part: Ancho Chili Powder..

  

I've never tried a coffee run anything. Next time, I'm going to make this!

Mattman3969

@rvita - how'd your chicken turn out?  

rvita

It's in the egg right now! I'll let you know how it turns out. All the post definitely made the prep easier. I was a little nervous about this bird.

Little Steven

rvita said:

I'm still a newbie with my BGE. 

I'm looking to cook a whole chicken for my third BGE dinner, but all the recipes I find are for indirect cooking. I don't have the ConvEGGtor/plate setter yet (on a budget) so I'm not sure how to cook indirect. 

If I have the chicken in a pan on the grill, would it turn out ok? Would the temperature and time have to be different? 

Thanks in advance

It will be indirect but there needs to be some space between the chicken and the pan to prevent the bottom burning.. Like a rack or a trivet

Mattman3969

Can't wait to see it!!  Wishin the best for you.  

rmr62

I have done many a spatch but also have done whole birds raised direct with very good results.  The way I look at it, the retained back sort of acts like a platesetter in a sense.  Good results either way.  I would say try different ways and see which you like the best.  Hard to mess up chicken

rvita

Mattman3969 said:

Can't wait to see it!!  Wishin the best for you.  

 

So stoked on how this came out!

When everyone around the table took a bite, they all smiled and said "wow"! It was great! Nothing was left. 

Next time, I'm using a pair of kitchen shears! To cut out the spine, all I had to use was a pair of office scissors with a broken handle. It worked but took some muscle! Saving myself the hassle for next time. Already ordered a beefy pair of kitchen shears. 

I put half as much lump in the firebox and cooked it at 375ish. Maybe I didn't put enough lump though? At about 20 minutes left in cook time, the temperature suddenly dropped to 300 and I couldn't get it to rise again. It was steady temp throughout but then abruptly went down. Slightly more lump next time? 

I stuck to the cooking time, checked temp with and it was ready. Thankfully, I read something last night about leaving the chicken in the fridge for crispy skin. It was really great. 

Thanks for everyone's help!

lousubcap

Congrats on a great result.  Nailed it.  Probably too late, but no need for buying shears as long as you have a rugged knife or hatchet (my go-to for spatch turkey).  Regarding the lump concern-take a look and then go from there.  FWIW-

Mattman3969

The color on that bird is excellent.  Congrats on the good bird. 

As for your next cook, I'm really not trying to get in your wallet but I would seriously look at the woo2 from CGS.  It elevates your protein to gasket level meaning you can load more lump.  If you get real ambitious you could get the extender for the woo.   That's about another 4" up in the dome and 1 more level of cooking if you need it.  I never cook a chicken without the extender since I bout it.   Higher in done, more radiant heat = more crispy skin. 

rvita

@louscubcap I think the shears will be good. The knives I have are sharp, but I wouldn't consider them rugged. The cutting motion of the scissors was easy and I look forward to using kitchen sears for other recipes.

rvita

@Mattman3969

Thanks for all your help. 

The woo looks good. Looking at the website, it says that you can get an indirect setup going if you get their ceramic stone to go along with it.

Is there any pro or con to getting that set up versus the BGE Platesetter for indirect? 

Mattman3969

I use the PS with my Woo because I had the PS long before I knew about Tom and CGS.  If my PS broke tomorrow I'd order a stone and move forward.  As far as a difference I believe it would just be cost difference between the PS and stone. No performance difference that I could imagine.  

lousubcap

I will jump in while @Mattman3969 gears up for a response.  But given you don't have a platesetter then I would give strong consideration to the woo/stone set-up. FWIW-

rvita

@lousubcap
@Mattman3969

Awesome, I'll compare the two! Thanks!