First Cook on the PBC - Chicken

[RG]

As I posted before, my main reason for getting a PBC other than the fact I wanted to support the company (love their story!), was to cook chicken. I got the PBC yesterday and indeed cooked up a chicken. I used the all purpose rub that came in the box and let'er rip. Not what I was expecting skin wise. I was hoping it would be crispy and while not rubber, it wasn't crispy. I will say that it was juicy as can be and had a strong charcoal taste, too much for my personal preference but as pointed out already by Hikerman it was probably due to not trimming some of the skin/fat off and it dripped into the coals making it taste so strong.

For a first time, it was not bad. I will be doing it again soon to try a few things out. Meanwhile, here what she looked like.

[TMB]

looks good from here and for a first cook really nice 

[Kona]

This was my first chicken...

[RG]

Kona, looks the same as mine. It was tasty but I think I can do better. I am going to try some other stuff on it too. I wish that you didn't have to fill up the basket with so much charcoal to cook, it seems like a huge waste just to cook some chicken. I guess I need to make sure that I have more stuff to cook on it the next time I fire it up. Maybe I am just used to my Kegs. Cook, close the vents when done to snuff out the fire, re use the remainder the next time you cook!

[hikerman]

Kona, looks the same as mine. It was tasty but I think I can do better. I am going to try some other stuff on it too. I wish that you didn't have to fill up the basket with so much charcoal to cook, it seems like a huge waste just to cook some chicken. I guess I need to make sure that I have more stuff to cook on it the next time I fire it up. Maybe I am just used to my Kegs. Cook, close the vents when done to snuff out the fire, re use the remainder the next time you cook!

RG, I'm spoiled too with the little amout of coal my PK eats. You can close off the vent below, ( i have a large flexible magnet that covers vent) take out both rebars and plug the holes up with wine corks. Doing this will salvage some coal, but most of the time I keep feeding meat to the PBC as long as it is chugging along.

[akruckus]

Good looking bird!

 I dry brine the chicken at least 24, usually 36, hours in advance of putting it on the PBC.  I also trim a lot of the excess skin and fat from the bird, and only use one rebar to make the PBC run a little hotter.  Cracking the lid for the last 10-15 minutes helps crisp the skin as well, while it is not like fried crispy it is bite through skin.  When I am done, I cork the holes to snuff out the coals to reuse for my next cook.

[RG]

All good tips that will be explored! Thanks guys!

[JimmyV]

I've had similar issues with the skin. The PBC definitely makes tasty chicken though. I tried cracking the lid for the last 15 minutes of my cook last time I made chicken but the skin turned out like plastic. You could barely tear it. Good luck.

[hikerman]

Our oldest and our SIL are here for Easter weekend and the large family gathering on Sunday. But for Saturday they requested PBC chicken. I hardly use my PBC anymore, and have thought about giving it away, but it can cook a lot of food at once, so for now I keep it for bigger cooks. They love the chicken cooked in it and SIL loves ribs. So as long as the chicken is going to be cooked in the PBC I will get a rack of ribs goung too. I normally cook ribs on the pellet grill as we like the flavor of wood in the ribs and it's a lower and slower cook too.
   Anyway, I'm experimenting with this chicken cook. I don't normally brine when I PBC chicken, I dry-brine. So tomorrow's meal is getting an 18 hour wet brine treatment with a new formula, for me. Tonight it will get rinsed and seasoned and allowed to air-dry in refridgerator until late Saturday afternoon. I will report back on the outcome. TGIF!

[Kona]

Kona, looks the same as mine. It was tasty but I think I can do better. I am going to try some other stuff on it too. I wish that you didn't have to fill up the basket with so much charcoal to cook, it seems like a huge waste just to cook some chicken. I guess I need to make sure that I have more stuff to cook on it the next time I fire it up. Maybe I am just used to my Kegs. Cook, close the vents when done to snuff out the fire, re use the remainder the next time you cook!

RG, I'm spoiled too with the little amout of coal my PK eats. You can close off the vent below, ( i have a large flexible magnet that covers vent) take out both rebars and plug the holes up with wine corks. Doing this will salvage some coal, but most of the time I keep feeding meat to the PBC as long as it is chugging along.

Where did you get your flexible magnets?

[hikerman]

Kona, looks the same as mine. It was tasty but I think I can do better. I am going to try some other stuff on it too. I wish that you didn't have to fill up the basket with so much charcoal to cook, it seems like a huge waste just to cook some chicken. I guess I need to make sure that I have more stuff to cook on it the next time I fire it up. Maybe I am just used to my Kegs. Cook, close the vents when done to snuff out the fire, re use the remainder the next time you cook!

RG, I'm spoiled too with the little amout of coal my PK eats. You can close off the vent below, ( i have a large flexible magnet that covers vent) take out both rebars and plug the holes up with wine corks. Doing this will salvage some coal, but most of the time I keep feeding meat to the PBC as long as it is chugging along.

Where did you get your flexible magnets?

Home Depot

[boyer513]

I always crack the lid the last 10 - 15 minutes to crisp the skin like mentioned above.

[smokeasaurus]

Great first cook...the start of many more......

[jjjonz]

I hardly ever fill it all the way with charcoal. No matter how much charcoal I use I always choke it down with magnets when finished. Next cook I just shake the basket, put more charcoal in basket, spray with fluid and light. Always works for me. Don't give up you will get that crispy skin on that chicken....since I got mine it and my mini WSM is all I use..... Well my old Weber Genesis if I'm I a hurry. lol

[Aclarke44]

For short cooks like chicken I use fire brick and block the coal basket halfway.   I fill the half basket and pull out 36-38 briquettes.   Light those in a chimney and pour over the top as usual (I always get the same temp as a full basket that way) I put the lid on and get the chicken ready.  About 15-20 min later I hang the chicken to cook.  With this method you can also hang the chicken so none or very little of the drippings hit the coals if that makes too strong of a flavor for you.   
Also if you want crispy skin you need to crack the lid to ramp up temperature.   I use a thermometer in my PBC and get it up to about or close to 350.  I do this for the last 20-30 minutes.

Here's a couple pics of the coal: