Help! - Chicken still not done.


 
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Musky-Hunter

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I put a couple chickens on over 3 hours ago and I'm only at 150f. I gave up and put them in the oven a few minutes ago. I thought I read somewhere that if chicken takes too long to get up to temp it can make you a bit ill. Is this true? Should I abandon these and go to KFC?
 
You should be within a reasonable margin of safety. Does point up, however, the benefit of doing poultry "high and dry" in the WSM-- you don't have to worry and you get done a lot sooner, with as good if not better results.
 
IMO chicken can be done quite, juicy and flavorable at low/slow, but not in 3 hrs. I do halves and normally take 4 1/2 hrs. Of course, if you want crisp skin, then you need to go to the higher temp. I did some on the kettle tonite, and they certainly were not better than low/slow, but they were good. They do absorb more smoke flavor with the longer cook.
 
I usually do mine butterflyed with the breast bone removed. I didn't get good results using the beer can method (could have been all the beer we drank since it was the 4th of July) so I butterfly them now and it usually takes 5 - 5 1/2 hours for a 8-10lb chicken to cook. Least that's my experience. The shortest time I have had was 4 1/2 hours for a smaller 5-6lb bird. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Good Q'ing and Good fun and cold beer rock.
 
I did a butterflied chicken today on the WSM. I went with the water pan empty and two chimneys of Kingsford. Cooked for 1.5 hours to a breast temp of 165*, I wasn't impressed. The skin was like rubber and even at 165* it wasn't quite done. I probably messed it up by dumping one lit chimney on one unlit and not letting it all ash over. I'll probably try one more time with two fully lit chimneys. If that doesn't work I'll go back to the kettle for chicken. It's a sure thing everytime on the kettle.

Bob
 
If crispy skin is your goal, even the WSM at 350* is not the answer-- it's indirect heat will not do it for you at any temp.
 
Ive been reading and posting on this Board for quite a while and always thought cooking chicken with the empty foiled lined pan was done, primarily, to get the crisper skin. I don't use that method and I still hold the belief that the 250 yields a juicer meat and the longer cook gives a little more smoke flavor to the meat. I discard the skin anyway. I guess this shows how you can misinterpret what you read.

Paul
 
Low and slow......Beer cans or butterfly!!! This is not a grill!! Prepare your meal, start early and wait untill its done to eat.!!!

p.s. i have never had a bad chicken...Always moist... Always indirect (on a weber) and I like my beer can chix or butterflies on the WSM!!!
 
I'd have to chime back in again and say I have never really had a bad chicken on the WSM. I just butterfly them and remove the breast plate and some of the other bone. I even found that cutting it completely in two between the two breast is better in some cases. I makes it easier to turn later on when it's nice and tender and falling off the bone. By the time I hit the 5hour point it is always falling off the bone and still juicy. Also found that putting ribs on above them works good too...adds more moisture from all the drippings. dang.......now I'm getting hungry. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
 
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