Worst Parted Chicken Ever ! ..... stumped ...

Unknown

.. Never have made really good grilled chicken parts, but nothing as bad as today's effort. Not the chicken's fault ... nice Sanderson Farms fryer ... cut up. Washed, dried, fridge for 3 hours uncovered. Brushed with some 'The Silver Palate' Lemon Basil Grilling Sauce .... much like an Italian dressing .... then seasoned lightly with S&P and Red Rooster rub. No reason to believe these steps could cause any issue whatsoever.
Set-up Lg BGE for indirect (platesetter with water/drip pan) then standard grate with wings, drums, thighs, then grid extender(GX) with breasts. Put chicken on at dome of 360*F (I rotated my dome CW almost 90* away from front firebox opening and it is consistently only about 15*F above standard grate level temp. Temp remained very constant throughout the 40 minute cook, rising slightly (380*F) near the end. Inserted remote probe halfway through and cooked until breast measured 165*F. Pulled and checked thighs (main level) and they were 180*F. Pulled all pieces, placed on hot platter and served almost immediately. [p] Visually all looked OK, but just a 'bland' light brown color. Texture was awful ... soft, skin very soft .. not edible. Meat had virtually no taste. Last of season corn-on-the-cob was marginal. Deli macaroni salad had way too much mayonnaise and little to offer. White wine and decent coffee helped end things on a nicer note. What the HE.. happened ?? [p] I have cooked several whole Sanderson Farms chickens of similar weight and most have been pretty good. A recent spatchcocked version was also good, and had one poor attempt at a tandoori spatchcocked whole chicken but the taste was fine (just stuck to the grill and lost much of the marinade). So how could this parted chcken effort be so bad? [p]1) What about the water in the drip pan? I don't see why this would be an issue but I'm open to ideas. [p]2) Why would 360*F not produce a more cooked skin in 40 minutes? [p]3) Is indirect just a poor way to go for parted chicken? I recently saw the post here with pics of indirect tandoori parts and they looked great.[p]4) Fire was a combo of R.O.lump, R.O. briquettes, and a few Pecan chunks. It was burning clean and glowing red when the chicken went on. [p] I had even skimmed through Dr. BBQ's (Big-Time BBQ) book, Paul Kirk's book, and Peace, Smoke and Barbeque for various ideas. I thought I was at least in the ballpark, but the result was just terrible.[p] Please toss me some critical bones and don't be too polite. I really must learn to do consistently good parted chicken![p]Thanks,
Tom B (EggSport)

Car Wash Mike

<p />Tom B. (EggSport),
I played around with legs this weekend. Put them in buttermilk for 1 hour, then used Shakin The Tree and Jamancian Firewalk.

The Buttermilk does a great job of keeping the rub on.
Cooked on a raised grid at 225 until done. Yes, I started with 6 but new neighbor boy, told me they wouldn't be any good so he got a couple.[p]Mike

stike

Tom B. (EggSport),
seems to me the water is your biggest culprit.
the egg a great "moisture retainer" by itself. some folks find crispy skin difficult as it is, let alone with all the moisture introduced by a steaming pan of water.[p]

thirdeye

<p />Howdy Tom,[p]I'm wondering if not cooking raised direct was the root of your problems. I do pieces with skin at least 6 or 7 inches above the coals. The top picture is more like 10 inches above, but I'm also working the color on the fatty and the lamb at the same time. For wings, I cook closer to the fire, but still direct.[p][p]Second would be the water in the drip pan, it was working against you. Third would be overcooking the breasts, try taking them off at 150°-155°. I typically flavor brine breasts, so that may be something to look into.[p]~thirdeye~[p]

Unknown

<p />I agree...
Dump the water pan for yardbird, 325°ish, direct on an upper grate if you have one. If you want crispy skin then dont put things on the chicken that have water in them. Try butter or olive oil.
This chicken was a whole fryer that I carved up a little... a pretty big 5.5lb`er with chris's rub samples... the tree one. [p]

Eggecutioner

Tom B. (EggSport),[p]I will also agree that the indirect cooking method always gives me rubbery skin. I don't like rubbery skin. So I cook all my yard bird direct now, on a raised grid. I had to do some experimentation to get the temperature and time right. I have to admit I like my chicken well done, so this may not apply to you.[p]I forget again who came up with the cornstarch dusting idea for chicken but that is what I always do now. Piercing the skin to give the fat a place to escape is really important. to get crisp skin. I run the egg at about 300-325 degrees dome temperature. That gets the fat to render. The chicken always seems to take about an hour. That may be because I keep opening the egg and fiddling and rotating the chicken parts. For the last 15-20 minutes I raise the temperature to 400 degrees or so. I fiddle with it a whole lot for the last few minutes making sure nothing scorches.[p]E

tach18k

Tom B. (EggSport), I say the water pan gots to go, enough steam in the Egg may have melted off the seasoning, I do my chicken indirect on the grate all at the same level at 325. Cook time is at least an hour or more.
Why did you move the dome CW??

Unknown

Car Wash Mike,[p] Thanks for this ... the buttermilk soak makes sense versus the oil and I will try it next. Going direct at a lower temp also seems like a good approach.[p]Regards,
Tom B (EggSport)[p]

Unknown

stike,[p] Definitely the first change I need to make. Now I need to wrestle with direct and indirect. Can't be lazy so I will try each way, but direct seems like the way to go.[p]Thanks,
Tom B (EggSport)[p]

Unknown

thirdeye,[p] Good reinforcement for issues I was considering for next cook. This was like falling off a horse and I need to get back in the saddle right away. The water pan is definitely gone. Better job of monitoring breast temp for sure. I'm also giving a lot of thought to removing skin and using appropriate rub to enjoy the outer layer and avoid more fat (skin) than necessary. I'm not 'weird' on this, just trying to keep it at a minimum.[p]Thank-you,
Tom B (EggSport)[p]

stike

Tom B (EggSport),
you can do them indirect, sure, just DRY indirect.[p]good luck.

Unknown

jiarby,[p] Your result looks terrfic! I can do the upper grate easily and will try direct at that temp. [p]Thanks for helping.
Tom B (EggSport)[p]

Unknown

tach18k,[p] Very consistent thoughts with what I've been reading but I'm glad to hear that the indirect at 325*F and more time also works.[p] I felt I was measuring too high a differential between dome and 'standard' grate temp so I rotated the probe away from effect from lower front air damper. Fortunately an easy viewing window (from the house) looks in from that side.[p]Regards,
Tom B (EggSport)[p]

fishlessman

Tom B. (EggSport),
ive given up a long time ago on assorted parts. i just cook whole, spatchcocked, or just similar parts. either all wings, or all thighs are my preference. i cooke these parts direct at about 275 plus or minus, on a raised grill with the lump not much higher than the holes in the fire box. thighs need to get up to 200 internal to taste right for me, if you cook them slow to those temps they are still moist and the skin will start to crisp. ive done a large batch of thighs every saterday for the last 2 months to eat cold while fishing on the boat. had to really burn out the egg this weekend as the insides were getting thick with the grease from these cooks, it smoked heavy for several hours

thirdeye

<p />Tom B (EggSport),[p]Since you mentioned skinless, I actually prefer bone-in skinless chicken, except wings. And it's not just because of the lower fat without the skin. When the rub is in contact with the meat (instead of the skin) you get more flavor. Many people peel the skin anyway, regardless of how nice a job I do on it. [p]Skinless pieces can be cooked direct or indirect. I do add more oil to the basting sauce to make up for the loss of fat from the skin. There is a skinless page on my site.[p]~thirdeye~

thirdeye

fishlessman,[p]Are you SURE that grease was not from all those fatties?[p]~thirdeye~

Celtic Wolf

Tom B (EggSport),[p] Stupid Question: Besides me what is a CW? [p] WARNING: Senior Moment in effect!!

Unknown

ClockWise

Sandbagger

Eggecutioner, thanks for the tip on the orange lemon brine. It worked great. I used lemonade instead, as I had some handy. Added a little salt to help with that moving juices around thing! I'll be making it again. T[p]

Unknown

thirdeye,[p] Lots of info in those few short lines ! [p]1) That was my major issue with cooking skin ON ... all that good seasoning and cooking flavor goes away if skin is not eaten. [p]2) It took me a little time to recover from the 'beating' I took on Brethren forum when I posted about mopping. NO PROBLEM ... I realize most were totally focused on low & slow brisket and butt cooks NOT grilling or 'in-between' cooks. I am mentally 'reset' and reading what I can about basting, mopping, spraying, etc. related to grilling or medium temp direct cooking.[p] Thanks for continuing to help. I really am enjoying the learning after so many years doing the 'ignorant' week-end charcoal hotdog/burger/steak cooks with little understanding of what I was doing. This really bad result will definitely help me step things up a notch by taking time to learn what works.[p]Regards,
Tom B (EggSport)[p]

Unknown

fishlessman,[p] Thanks for your perspective .... which I can really relate to. I was having such good luck with my whole and spatchcocked cooks that this one really set me back. I know that dealing with the different shape and size parts is not rocket science, but it is definitely easier to work with comparable pieces and get reliable results. [p] This has been a serious learning experience![p]Regards,
Tom B (EggSport)

thirdeye

Tom B (EggSport),[p]...This really bad result will definitely help me step things up a notch by taking time to learn what works[p]And learning what works for YOU. It's like learning a new recipe. It lets you make one dish. Learning technique lets you make your own recipes.[p]~thirdeye~

Unknown

Eggecutioner,[p] The cornstarch point is noted. I also want to try the temp rise in last several minutes since I know the comp guys (most using large steel cookers) tend to move parted chicken to a hot grill to finish it before turn-in. I just need to learn to manage the BGE fire properly so there is enough fuel to support the increase at the end.[p]Thanks much,
Tom B (EggSport)[p]

fishlessman

Tom B (EggSport),
ill probably get some flack for this, but i dont cook breasts any more. i had real good luck on my old kettle with breasts, but not on the egg. ive given up on them, but the egg makes thighs incredible. for breasts on the egg, i like the whole chicken attached to them

Unknown

fishlessman,[p] You certainly have lots of experience and credibility here. I hope you do get 'some flack' ... in terms of others agreeing or sharing their thoughts on how they get around the problem ... with 'specifically' breasts. Otherwise, I can always relate to the notion of 'the whole chicken attached to them' .[p]Regards,
Tom B (EggSport)

AZRP

Tom B. (EggSport),
I posted this experimental cook with breasts last week, it really was good. -RP
[ul][li]http://www.biggreenegg.com/wwwboard/messages/298471.shtml[/ul]

Unknown

AZRP,[p] Thanks, I responded but comment went to your previous post.
This sounds good and is on my short list now.[p]Regards,
Tom B (EggSport)

Eggecutioner

Sandbagger,[p]Your welcome. I can't really take the credit. I just tried to duplicate the flavor of Kenny Rogers Roasters flavor. I think The Gambler came up with the original idea.

Eggecutioner

Tom B (EggSport),[p]I think piercing the skin is really important too.[p]E