OT: Spacthcock chicken on 2 grills

Griffin

Went to the store yesterday and the plan was to get a chicken to spatchcock. I saw that they were 30% off so I decided I'd get to and cook one on the Weber and one on the PBC. Looking back, I should have gotten three and done one in the Egg as well just to compare all three cookers.  The PBC settled in around 275ish so that chicken went on first, while I had the kettle around 375. Both were set up with 50/50 regular Kingsford charcoal and Kingsford apple charcoal with a chunk of cherry would. Both got 2 Gringos Chupacabra Cluckalicious rub.







The PBC finished a little earlier than the Weber. I had preheated the oven to 170 and then shut it off and put that bird in to stay warm. When the kettle one was almost done, I moved it over the coals to crisp up the skin. Then did the same to the PBC one.

PBC on the left, Weber on the right. 




The Bird on the Weber was definitely the winner. It was juicier and the skin had a better texture while the PBC skin was not enjoyable at all. Kinda rubbery. It wasn't bad, it was just not as good.

Suprisingly, according to Timehop, I cooked chicken on the PBC a year ago to the day and didn't like it and swore I would never do it again.

In my family's opinion, we all prefer chicken off the Weber. Even over the BGE. From here on out when chicken is on the menu, it will be done on the Weber kettle. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend. 

6baluts

- Enjoyed your comparison. I do not have my drum anymore, passed it along to my BIL.
- I often do comparisons on chicken between my Weber Kettle, PK and Hastybake Gourmet. The Hasty holds edge among those three according to my better 95%.
- Now here is where I will be flogged on this board. I would say upwards 70% of the time when chicken is on the menu I will roll out the Holland Grill (gasp now) a gasser. Incredible chicken cooker, crisp skin (like a potato chip), always juicy, with repeatable results everytime.
- My family, including extended family and strap hangers love everything off my BGE's, Kikuya or Primo but prefer the chicken off one of the charcoal grills utilizing briquettes or the Holland gasser. For sure it is NOT the kamados fault but the cooks. Need to up my chicken game on the ceramics.
- Once again enjoyed the post, and kind of glad I was not the only one who has experienced this.
- Almost forgot nice looking meal.

Botch

I'm guessing the 100˚temperature delta makes a lot more difference than the cooker used.  
And I'm thinking I need to pick up a chicken today.  

loco_engr

Nice post Jason . . . even though I don't have either one of the cookers you used, IMHO . . . still interesting.  

Photo Egg

Great write up.
Weber Kettle has been a grilling King for many, many years. And the cooking grill that many of us started with.

littlerascal56

Loved your post Jason. Neighbor uses his Hasty Bake, and I use my PK360 so we compare (and taste) each other’s cooks.  We are pretty identical on taste between grills.
BTW we both sold our Weber 26’s. As the Hasty Bake & PK are much easier to use, and produce great BBQ. Can’t loose by purchasing either grill!

6baluts

- As an owner of a Weber Kettle, Hastybake Gourmet and a PKO, I am not willing to say tthat the PK or Hastybake is easier to use than the Kettle.
- As @Photo Egg mentioned their is a reason that the Weber Kettle is synonymous with outdoor grilling.
- What I will say is that the pedigree of those 3 grills have withstood the test of time. Hastybake late 40's and both Weber and PK early 50's. It is always a good thing to have viable options at different price points on a long term grilling investment.

Photo Egg

6baluts said:

- As an owner of a Weber Kettle, Hastybake Gourmet and a PKO, I am not willing to say tthat the PK or Hastybake is easier to use than the Kettle.
- As @Photo Egg mentioned their is a reason that the Weber Kettle is synonymous with outdoor grilling.
- What I will say is that the pedigree of those 3 grills have withstood the test of time. Hastybake late 40's and both Weber and PK early 50's. It is always a good thing to have viable options at different price points on a long term grilling investment.

I had no idea Hastybake had so much history. Never heard of them before seeing posts on here a couple years ago. Cool

onedbguru

Nice comparison. Son gave me a Joetisserie for my XL a couple of years ago. Now we regularly do 2 chickens at a time, juicey and great flavor. Some goes in the freezer and some for dinner. I also do eye-of-round on it to a very rare, temp sliced paper thin for Baltimore Pit Beef sandwiches. 

xfire_ATX

Just cooked a Spatchcock Sunday on my new (to me) XL.  I still havent gotten the Rig from CGS so using the Platesetter.

I run at 400 at indirect (I like direct better but see above) and it takes about an hour.   Juicy chicken and crisp skin every time.   I actually snuck in some Fajita style breasts in the middle of the cook and even my picky a$$ daughter who came home for the AL vs TX game said "wow dad this is good chicken".

Footnote..
My wife keeps saying to just order the &^%$ parts but I know if I actually drive up to see Tom I'll end up with more stuff than she approved.  

Canugghead

Not a popular opinion here… Traeger is our go to for chicken, unless it’s rotisserie, high heat tandoori, or low n slow heavily smoked for salad.

Langner91

I need (ok, want) a Joe-tisserie and a PK.  Threads like this make it hard to keep my wallet in my pocket!

onedbguru

Langner91 said:

I need (ok, want) a Joe-tisserie and a PK.  Threads like this make it hard to keep my wallet in my pocket!

I have really enjoyed the Joe-T. In the past, we went to a Peruvian chicken place that does rotisserie chicken over charcoal and we really loved it, but since getting the Joe-T, we haven't been there in quite a while. We have also used it for a turkey breast. 
TBH, I probably would have never bought it on my own, but it was a Father's Day/B-day present from my son. Now I suppose I will need to get him one for his XL.  

Ozzie_Isaac

I have been known to put KBB in my egg on occasion.  Sometimes I want that nice memory inducing charcoal flavor.

I wonder if hanging the chicken whole would be better in the PBC?