Chicken experiment

[Ed Embry]

Tried cooking 1/2 chickens yesterday for the 1st time using a 3-2-1 type of method. Cooked them 3 hours on the cooker, foiled for 1 hour, and put back on the grill for about 15 minutes. The hour in the foil was too long, they were almost falling apart and hard to handle, but the taste was phenomenal. I'll definitely be working on this some more.
http://img157.echo.cx/img157/7016/chicken001medium3gs.th.jpg (http://img157.echo.cx/my.php?image=chicken001medium3gs.jpg)
http://img143.echo.cx/img143/7010/chicken002medium4pq.th.jpg (http://img143.echo.cx/my.php?image=chicken002medium4pq.jpg)

[gordo]

QBREW- I also practiced with some 1/2 birds yesterday, I just grilled them and they came out mucho better than the ones I did at my last cookoff.( cooked on the hot end of my pit ) Ive found if I leave them foiled too long the skin splits out, ( Didn't foil these ) I ran these alittle over 3hrs. and were some good eatin !!!,,,
gordo

[Ed Embry]

QBREW- I also practiced with some 1/2 birds yesterday, I just grilled them and they came out mucho better than the ones I did at my last cookoff.( cooked on the hot end of my pit ) Ive found if I leave them foiled too long the skin splits out, ( Didn't foil these ) I ran these alittle over 3hrs. and were some good eatin !!!,,,
gordo
Hey Gordo, you can definitely see that the skin split out on mine! I wish I would have had sense enough to foil a couple and not foil a couple for a side by side comparison. Oh well, next time.

[carnivore]

What Temp did you guys use??? 225?

[Oli]

I like to cook them as hot as I can...and real short on time....If i am doing them on the gas grill I am about 425-450 for around 30 minutes. On the smoker 350 ish for an Hour-ish..

Have foiled at 2 hour with apple juice, for another 2 hours.

[Ed Embry]

What Temp did you guys use??? 225?
I cooked these at 275-300.

[Mic]

Looks good QnBrew! Have ya ever done the brine'n thing wid yer chicken? I started doin it for my chicken on the WSM. 300* for a hour-ish. Very moist meat and the skin turns out a nice crispy golden brown!

BTW...Picked up the Patio Backwoods from my bud this weekend! I gotta a week ta practice on it before my gig in Atlanta! :shock: :wink:

Mic

[Ed Embry]

Looks good QnBrew! Have ya ever done the brine'n thing wid yer chicken? I started doin it for my chicken on the WSM. 300* for a hour-ish. Very moist meat and the skin turns out a nice crispy golden brown!

BTW...Picked up the Patio Backwoods from my bud this weekend! I gotta a week ta practice on it before my gig in Atlanta! :shock: :wink:

Mic
I've brined turkey and pork loins, but not chicken. May try that on the next practice. Good luck on your Atlanta cook. :)

[TexLaw]

Brining chicken is the way to go, QnBrew. Brine 'em and cook 'em fast.


TL

[Boss Hawg]

I tried the foil thing too...and the same thing happened so I backed off to 30 mins and it came out perfect! I also spray with apple juice.

[oregonboy]

I was going to marinate in lemon-garlic dressing then rub um and cook at 200 for 3 hrs. does it sound like it will work????it will be my first try at smokin chicken.any advice on my idea???? :roll:

[TexLaw]

I think you would do better to brine them and cook at 300 for 2 hours (or until the breasts hit 163, which might not take 2 hours.


TL

[Paul Taylor]

Hey Boss Hawg & Oregon Boy, 1st of all, welcome in ya"ll. There ain't no such a thang as a stupid question with exception of the one that ya never ask.

O/K on the chicken, what I do when I slow cook them is to cook untill ya get the meat temp to about 160 degrees & check for clear juices flowing. If it does that, you should be good to go.Check the joints & everything. That's what I do & I ain't had a bad one yet. Keep on keeping on.

Paul Taylor

[BBQ101]

:lol: I also have been working on brinned chicken thanks to some help from one of my Qbrothers ( :lol: ). I do not wrap the chicken. I smoke it at 250 to 275 for about 2 hours then move it over to the hot spot near my fire box to crisp the skin up. The chickens I cooked for my sons graduation party turn out so good they were the first to go. I am going to do some for fathers day. I will take some pics so you all can see how they turn out.

[oregonboy]

Ok i did my 1/2 chickens last sat in the smoker and the meat was really good but the skin was like leather. is that right?the skin was no big deal but i want to do it right. :o I left um in for 4hr at 220 with just some seasoning on the skin.

[Oli]

???? 4 hours that the start of jerky.... Hotter and shorter works better for me, Chicken is not a tough piece of meat, so it does not need a long time to tender up, it is pretty tender right out of the bag, smoke flavor and some heat is what they need.

[jshively]

Ok i did my 1/2 chickens last sat in the smoker and the meat was really good but the skin was like leather. is that right?the skin was no big deal but i want to do it right. :o I left um in for 4hr at 220 with just some seasoning on the skin.

Go 300 for 2 hours. If you want the skin crispy put them on a grate over a hot fire for like 15 seconds or so.

[TexLaw]

Yep, hot and fast is the way to go. I cook 'em at around 325 until the breasts read 163F.


TL

[oregonboy]

thanks guys! the maet was real juicy and tender but i need to try different things till i find my happy place :P