Need some suggestions on weekend chicken cook for 19 adults

Hogman348 · August 2013

Hi everyone,

I have been asked to cook (due to everyone loving the egg) for a bday party this weekend at a neighbors house. I will be cooking prior to the party which starts at 6, and then bringing the food over. To keep cost down they have decided they want to buy whole chickens. Sounds easy as i due spatchcook usually once a month.

They are expecting 19 adults with an even mix of men/women. I am looking for some suggestions on how much chicken or whole birds i may need, and the best way to prepare? I have a Large egg including + adjustable rig and rig extender so plenty of room.

If i can cook all the chicken in one session that would be the perfect scenario. I wasnt sure if I should cut the whole chicken up into quarters, or do them spatchcocked, beer can..etc.. basically im still trying to figure out how much room i will have.

Thanks for any suggestions on this bigger cook, its appreciated.

Eggcelsior · August 2013

I would break the chicken down into pieces. YOu'll be able to fit more than just the whole chicken.

Hogman348 · August 2013

thats what i was thinking also. thanks for your input

fishlessman · August 2013

cant find a pic but years ago chefwill did 7,maybe 9 beer butt chickens in one cook in the large, i think the birds were all 3.5 pounders

onedbguru · August 2013

depends on if they are standard size whole chickens or the "roasters" which tend to be bigger. We did 2 beer-can roasters (7-9lbs??) for 7 adults. Had one whole chicken left over. YMMV.

henapple · August 2013

What size egg and what type of rig?

Hogman348 · August 2013

Large egg including + adjustable rig and rig extender

next i need to figure out how much chicken. i think the whole chickens at publix are around 4.5 lbs avg. i can usually feed 4 with that so im thinking of using that as a scale for how much chicken i will need.

this should be interesting. I'll make sure to take some pics along the way!

JwgreDeux · August 2013

I also have a large, and have cooked many times for large gatherings and would suggest the following. I know you want to use all whole chickens, but I would do three whole chickens spatchcocked and as many breasts as you can fit. I can fit two large chickens spatched on the regular grate, and one spached on a raised grate surrounded by six large breasts. I do it indirect to desired internal temp. Some times I remove all chicken and plate setter, and put one bird at a time back on for a few minutes skin side down to really crisp it.

Each bird should feed 4-5 depending on male/female and each breast should feed 1-2 depending on male/female. So total that should feed 20-27.

Hogman348 · August 2013

JwgreDeux said:

I also have a large, and have cooked many times for large gatherings and would suggest the following. I know you want to use all whole chickens, but I would do three whole chickens spatchcocked and as many breasts as you can fit. I can fit two large chickens spatched on the regular grate, and one spached on a raised grate surrounded by six large breasts. I do it indirect to desired internal temp. Some times I remove all chicken and plate setter, and put one bird at a time back on for a few minutes skin side down to really crisp it.

Each bird should feed 4-5 depending on male/female and each breast should feed 1-2 depending on male/female. So total that should feed 20-27.

thanks a bunch. that seems like a great way to go. plus its possible more will want the white meat so having a few extra of those will go a long way.

Hogman348 · August 2013

Hogman348 said:

JwgreDeux said:

I also have a large, and have cooked many times for large gatherings and would suggest the following. I know you want to use all whole chickens, but I would do three whole chickens spatchcocked and as many breasts as you can fit. I can fit two large chickens spatched on the regular grate, and one spached on a raised grate surrounded by six large breasts. I do it indirect to desired internal temp. Some times I remove all chicken and plate setter, and put one bird at a time back on for a few minutes skin side down to really crisp it.

Each bird should feed 4-5 depending on male/female and each breast should feed 1-2 depending on male/female. So total that should feed 20-27.

thanks a bunch. that seems like a great way to go. plus its possible more will want the white meat so having a few extra of those will go a long way.

Thanks a lot for the help. I set up just as you suggested. Some guests really enjoyed having the non-bone breast option. This was the perfect amount of chicken + leftover lunch for me the next day. Got busy cutting at the end and forgot to take final picks.

While shopping for the chicken friday night, i browsed the spice isle. I found Weber Beer Can Chicken rub and used this on all the chicken. Damn was it good. Will definitely use it again. All the party guests raved about the seasoning and how moist all the chicken was. (+1 green egg!)

caliking · August 2013

Sounds like you hit a home run. Congrats!

Mkline · August 2013

talk them out of the Chicken and do a few butts instead. it would much easier.

JwgreDeux · August 2013

Hogman348 said:

Hogman348 said:

JwgreDeux said:

I also have a large, and have cooked many times for large gatherings and would suggest the following. I know you want to use all whole chickens, but I would do three whole chickens spatchcocked and as many breasts as you can fit. I can fit two large chickens spatched on the regular grate, and one spached on a raised grate surrounded by six large breasts. I do it indirect to desired internal temp. Some times I remove all chicken and plate setter, and put one bird at a time back on for a few minutes skin side down to really crisp it.

Each bird should feed 4-5 depending on male/female and each breast should feed 1-2 depending on male/female. So total that should feed 20-27.

thanks a bunch. that seems like a great way to go. plus its possible more will want the white meat so having a few extra of those will go a long way.

Thanks a lot for the help. I set up just as you suggested. Some guests really enjoyed having the non-bone breast option. This was the perfect amount of chicken + leftover lunch for me the next day. Got busy cutting at the end and forgot to take final picks.

While shopping for the chicken friday night, i browsed the spice isle. I found Weber Beer Can Chicken rub and used this on all the chicken. Damn was it good. Will definitely use it again. All the party guests raved about the seasoning and how moist all the chicken was. (+1 green egg!)

I'm glad it worked out for you. I learned that set up by trial and error. When my wife's family visits they always want chicken, so I've had to do it a few times. The egg really does chicken well, obviously better than a gasser, so guests will usually be quite impressed.

Hogman348 · August 2013

Mkline said:

talk them out of the Chicken and do a few butts instead. it would much easier.

I cooked for the same group of 15 people in the spring and I did an 11 lb butt for that party so i was asked to do something different. 2 hours cook time vs 14 was nice this round

henapple · August 2013

The guest are always right... When they bring Glenfiddich. @Aviator... Bought a bottle of 15 year this weekend for my friend building my AR... Of course he shared.

Need some suggestions on weekend chicken cook for 19 adults

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