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Octoberfest Chicken Halves

Dundee
Dundee Posts: 18
in Poultry
I have been looking for a good chicken recipe for my backyard Octoberfest.  My plan is to buy half chickens,  or whole ones and split them.   I want the skin to result in a crispy texture so it is delicious and edible, and the mix of white and dark meat to be moist.   I don't care for the beer can chickens, and I have a 3 tier rack so I can put 15 or so halves in the large BGE.  Anyone have a good recipe for chicken halves that result in great crispy pieces?  I have read about leaving it uncovered and lightly salted in the refrigerator for 48 hours.   That might be possible but not for 15 pieces.

So what is a good plan.  26 Oct at 4 pm, I have to be ready to serve.  Temp, direct or indirect, marinate, and such.  If anyone has a plan, I want this to look easy!

I ask because I have yet to produce a good result, but i am learning.


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Comments

  • RyanStl
    RyanStl Posts: 1,050
    I absolutely love brining chickens with cinnamon sticks.  I tried a spatchcock on the XL last weekend and I wished would have just pieced it out instead. I prefer indirect because I like to pick up more smoke and I don't burn the chicken. Plus it allows me to drink more beer.  Not sure about crunchy, but maybe direct would be best for that.
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    You are going to have a hard time getting crispy skin with that much chicken in the egg. You need air to be able to circulate freely to crisp the skin. You will also have chicken dripping on chicken keeping it from crisping.
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,137
    edited September 2020
    I agree with @Lit
    The Egg is so efficient because of the ceramics. Holds temp with very little heat airflow. This keeps more moisture in the Egg. But you never (easily) get the nice rendered, crispy skin you get with offset smoker or larger open pit. Especially loaded up like you are talking about above. I don’t think 48 hours drying in the fridge will do it either. It will help some but don’t think it will be enough to get what you want.
    My only suggestion would be to load them up and cook the best you can, then crank up the temp and char the skin on a couple at time just before serving or as needed.


    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    Which 3 tier do you have?  

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Dundee
    Dundee Posts: 18
    I agree with most of you in this thread, it may not be possible to get what I want easily.  So for now, I will consider Harry Soo's Championship Chicken with whatever rubs and sauces I can find.

    https://www.slapyodaddybbq.com/2016/05/harrys-championship-chicken-shortcut-recipe/
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  • Dundee
    Dundee Posts: 18
    Mattman3969 said:
    Which 3 tier do you have?  
    I don't know where I got it, but it is basically 3 shelves of smaller sizes that fits nicely in the dome.  It has a center post that each of the shelves slides onto and is held in place with a pin.  It is fine for chicken, but terrible for a large roast that needs to be centered.
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    I do quite a bit of bbq style chicken on the egg. You can achieve a nice bite through skin on multiple racks. You just have to move them around. These 1/4s were run at about 225° indirect for about 6hrs, mopped/spritzed every 30-45mins and had great skin texture.  It’s all about using the reflective heat from the dome to set the skin. 


    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Dundee
    Dundee Posts: 18
    Mattman3969 said:
    I do quite a bit of bbq style chicken on the egg. You can achieve a nice bite through skin on multiple racks. You just have to move them around. These 1/4s were run at about 225° indirect for about 6hrs, mopped/spritzed every 30-45mins and had great skin texture.  It’s all about using the reflective heat from the dome to set the skin. 

    Looks great, and as a matter of fact, I stumbled on this one in another poultry forum.

    https://tasteofartisan.com/smoked-chicken-quarters/

    It looks a lot like yours, I plan to try it on my 3 tiered cooker.  I assume yours were all cooked on the BGE and not pan seared as the link above shows.  Tempting either way.


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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    Everything was on the egg and no sear.  Crazy simple. Light fire, open chicken package, rub chicken with a mix of Bad Byrons and Dizzy Dust, chicken on egg,make the mop and spritz. No fuss.  

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Dundee
    Dundee Posts: 18
    Mattman3969 said:
    Everything was on the egg and no sear.  Crazy simple. Light fire, open chicken package, rub chicken with a mix of Bad Byrons and Dizzy Dust, chicken on egg,make the mop and spritz. No fuss.  
    I will give this a shot, I like crazy simple.  I will have to improvise on the rub and mop or spritz.  If you dont mind amplifying what your recommend when you don't have them, let me know.  Thanks 
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    This is where I started minus the brine.  Flavors are good 

    https://www.nibblemethis.com/2009/05/smoked-chicken.html?m=1

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Dundee
    Dundee Posts: 18
    Mattman3969 said:
    This is where I started minus the brine.  Flavors are good 

    https://www.nibblemethis.com/2009/05/smoked-chicken.html?m=1
    Awesome, it has a lot of good tips for the things  I would guess at.  You are da man Matt!  I will try it next weekend  and make a selection for the  Octoberfest on 26 September 
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