First Time Cooking Chicken....

aggieljh

So after the last smoke in the BGE did not go as well, I decided to do some chicken yesterday.  I was a little nervous, because it was the first time I have every tried to do anything with chicken other than grill some breast on the old gas grill.

I bought two whole fryers from the local grocery store each about 4 pounds, and decided to try them as beer can chickens.  I know there are debates on here about how effective they are, but I decided to give it ago.  Before I gave them a go, i re-calibrated my dome thermometer, loaded some charcoal and some apple wood chips, and preheated the egg to 400 degree dome temp, and coated the chicken with Weber's Beer Can Chicken rub.

I put the chickens on, one with a Modelo, and one with a Shiner Bock and inserted my Thermopro probes.  The smaller one hit 165 IT at the breast in about 50 min, and the larger one took about 1:05 to hit 165.  I left them a few minutes until the thighs read about 180 and pulled them off.  

It was done much quicker than I thought they would be, and the rest of dinner wasn't ready yet, so I put then in the oven on warm for about an hour while we threw some potatoes on the BGE to bake.  I guess i went way to early putting them on since the last time I tried to smoke a pork butt, it took wayyyy longer than I anticipated at the temp I was shooting for.  

After about an hour, i put them back on the grill for about 7 min on each side in hopes of crisping the skin up, but it didn't really help.  

I didn't get any good pictures, but I thought the chicken was really good.  My wife and mother in law really liked it as well.  I was also surprised at how much better the dome temp stayed a consistent 400 degrees, as opposed to the pork butt I tried a couple weeks ago, where i felt i spend all day messing with the temp to try and get it to hold at 225.

Next time I may try to spatchcock them, and adjust my timing a little so that they are not done so early before we eat..but I will call this cook a success.

Ima_good_egg

It gets easier the more you cook on it. Congrats on the chicken!

bgebrent

Try spatchcock.  You can't really get crispy skin with beer can as you're steaming it the whole time.  Also, I prefer to pull chicken when the breast is at 155 and thigh 170.  Insures moist meat.  Good luck.

Hntnhrd

I have switched from beer to pineapple. Cut the meat off the core but leave the base attached. Slide the chicken on it. Throw a few chunks of pineapple in the neck and a couple chunks of butter. Pull when 170 in the thighs and I run around 275 to 300 degrees.  A little fruit wood mixed in with the lump. This was for thanksgiving and a turkey but you get the idea

Dinah_Moe_Humm

Hi.  I do this chicken cook at least once a week.  It's simple and easy.  Pre heat to 400.  Plate setter, legs down, indirect. I line a high sided roasting pan with aluminum foil.  Cut up some root vegetables:  Potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, fennel, garlic (with the top cut off), toss with oil and s/p.  Coat the chicken with any you want on it.  Place the vegetables in the pan and put a v rack with the chicken on top of the vegetables.  Open a nice bordeaux and let it breath while everything is cooking. Cook chicken to 165.  In about an hour or so, dinner.  

Raise the roasting pan off the plate setter. 

Killit_and_Grillit

Listen to @bgebrent (and 29 more behind me who will tell you the same thing.)

Spatchcock. It's simple. Cut out the spine, let it sit in the fridge 24 hours. Season on both sides.  375-400 raised direct. 165 breasts-180s in the thighs. Don't flip it don't touch it don't nothing. 

Its as as easy as it gets and little mess. 

lousubcap

When you go spatch, cook with the legs to the back hinge as the BGE is hottest in that area.  

aggieljh

Killit_and_Grillit said:

Listen to @bgebrent (and 29 more behind me who will tell you the same thing.)

Spatchcock. It's simple. Cut out the spine, let it sit in the fridge 24 hours. Season on both sides.  375-400 raised direct. 165 breasts-180s in the thighs. Don't flip it don't touch it don't nothing. 

Its as as easy as it gets and little mess. 

how much do you raise your grill?  I assume you cook it breast side up?

bgebrent

I have my grid at felt level, nothing wrong with a little higher.  Skin side up, legs to the rear(hotter) of egg.

CtTOPGUN

 It is not unusual to have difficulty running an Egg at 225*. Try 250*/260* and it gets much easier to control without fancy equipment. Most BBQ cooks work quite well at that slightly hotter temp.

   Jim