Author Topic: Help me make the best chicken ever today!  (Read 3072 times)

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Offline Paul Hart

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Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #-1 on: March 25, 2015, 08:27:56 AM »
  I'm picking up two whole chickens right now. As soon as I get home I'm unpacking them, patting them dry, salting, and Putting back in the fridge until later this afternoon. Start it hot hot hot and run it with one rebar out? Crack the lid at what, 10 min before its done for crispy skin?
What ther tricks have you learned?
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« on: March 25, 2015, 11:33:59 AM »
I think if you go overnight with the skin salted and uncovered you might have better results. When Wendy does chickens in the oven, she cranks the oven up to 500 to crisp up the skin first and then turns the oven down to 350 for the remainder of the cook.

How about keeping the lid cracked for the start of the cook and see what happens.............
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Offline 1Bigg_ER

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2015, 12:09:59 PM »
If you want the best chicken ever then you'll need at least 2 days.
Dry brine uncovered for at least 2 days. 3/4 to a teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of the bird. DO NOT RINSE before cooking
cooking. Rub it with high heat cooking oil like peanut oil, ghee.

Start HOT on the PBC, >400 degrees.  Use one rebar and take the other one off  completely.
If the PBC settles at around 360 you won't have to crack the lid open at all.
If you crack the lid from the get go, you rush risk flaming.

Here's what I have noticed. The bigger the bird, the more fat there is under the skin. So crispy skin might be tricky to get if your bird is >4 lbs.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2015, 01:47:04 PM by 1Bigg_ER »
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Offline viscera912

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2015, 01:26:29 PM »
only thing i would add, and i got it from bigg, was if you have lump coal use it!  i finally got the chicken i wanted when the temp was sky high.

Offline brentwoodkris

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2015, 02:37:47 PM »
only thing i would add, and i got it from bigg, was if you have lump coal use it!  i finally got the chicken i wanted when the temp was sky high.

If I ever run out of my KB supply, I might try lump coal someday...but I'd have a cook a LOT more to run out before the next sale hits!
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Offline 1Bigg_ER

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2015, 03:18:06 PM »
only thing i would add, and i got it from bigg, was if you have lump coal use it!  i finally got the chicken i wanted when the temp was sky high.

If I ever run out of my KB supply, I might try lump coal someday...but I'd have a cook a LOT more to run out before the next sale hits!

Buy a bag for a chicken cook, trust me on this one.
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Offline Paul Hart

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2015, 04:34:51 PM »
If I stay above 360 do you think I'll be good at 1:15 like you always are?
Just lit the chimney
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Offline Paul Hart

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2015, 04:35:16 PM »
Should I split them or hang them whole?
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Offline 1Bigg_ER

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2015, 04:41:04 PM »
If I stay above 360 do you think I'll be good at 1:15 like you always are?
Just lit the chimney

Start checking at 50 minutes.
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Offline 1Bigg_ER

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2015, 04:43:00 PM »
Should I split them or hang them whole?

I prefer hanging them whole, protects the breast. If you split, they will cook much faster so start checking at 45 minutes
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Offline brentwoodkris

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Re: Help me make the best chicken ever today!
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2015, 05:48:51 PM »
only thing i would add, and i got it from bigg, was if you have lump coal use it!  i finally got the chicken i wanted when the temp was sky high.

If I ever run out of my KB supply, I might try lump coal someday...but I'd have a cook a LOT more to run out before the next sale hits!

Buy a bag for a chicken cook, trust me on this one.

Alright Bigg, I'll take your advice and pick up a bag next time I'm out perusing the grilling section!
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