Small acting up tonight...or maybe it was me

Firetruck

Tried the first spatchcock chicken since I got my small. I don't know what I've been waiting on. Anyway, I bought some bolts to rig up a raised grid. I figrued that would be best for a whold checken direct setup in the small.


I cut down a wine cork about 1/2 an inch to raise the thermometer out of the way. (Pay no attn to the pollen. I just wiped that thing down day before yesterday.)



I filled the lump about 1/2 way up the fire box, I figured that would be plenty to get the temp up to 400. It didn't. I decided early on to add a platesetter and drip pan because I was afraid of burning the skin before the meat got done. Then I got the bright idea to add some water to the pan to keep from burning the fat drippings. (can't seem to leave well enough alone)

I clipped the q2 pit probe to the dome probe which was now about an inch or so into the dome. The pit probe read 330 and the dome probe read 300. Some questions I have are, do I have the dome probe into the egg far enough? Would this account for the difference in temps? I could not get the dome any hotter until I removed the platesetter and drip pan (with some residual water left). Could the steam be what was keeping the temp down?

Long story short, the chicken finally finished, after going back to the original direct setup. The skin got nice and crispy and the flavor was fantastic. I had injected it with creole garlic and rubbed with shakin the tree.

I really shouldn't post the pic of the food, it was a very quick shot. I didn't take any time to try to make it look good, but here it is anyway.


SSL (sorry sooooo long)

Florida Grillin Girl

Jo Jo, I think your chicken looks great. Whatever you did, it was right!

Faith
Tampa, FL

Firetruck

Thanks Faith, it did turn out good in the end.

Florida Grillin Girl

That's really all that matters. Direct, indirect, drip pan, water in the drip pan.... who cares as long as you are watchful and monitoring it, which you obviously were.

A little known secret about the egg - you can't really mess stuff up too much on the it as long as you are careful!!

Faith
Tampa, Fl

Panhandle Smoker

My kids were acting up last night too, hard time comeing up to temp. I think it was a combination of a few things. It has been raining solid here for Three weeks so the lump is probably damp. I havent cooked in two weeks(out of town). I havent cleaned them in a while so I did not add fresh lump, trying to burn down so I could clean them both this week. They did fine just had to go a little longer. This week end they will be kicking overtime for Easter Dinner(Brisket and a ham). :woohoo:

Firetruck

I'm looking forward to a long weekend with the family too.

Gator Bait

Hey JoJo,

The bird looks fantastic!

I also like your idea with the wine cork, the stem on my thermometer prevents me from putting my dutch oven on a raised grate in my medium BGE. I'm going to have to research that a little. Thanks!

Gator

Firetruck

Thanks Gator, that's something I saw a while back on here. BTW I rechecked my thermo and it was reading 200 in boiling water

Crimsongator

Is your egg dusty? Do I need to come rescue it?

doccjb

Good lookin' bird.

My sympathies on the pollen. I only recently got the last of the Magnolia State's yellow dust off of my porch and Egg.