Chicken Thighs on Weber Kettle


 

Bruce Bissonnette

TVWBB Guru
Don't know if I'm in the right place, but here goes. Fired up the Weber 22 1/2 for indirect cooking, lit a chimney full and added two small chunks of cherry wood to each side. Kept bottom vents barely open top vent wide open. Had prepped the bone-in thighs with Montreal Chicken Seasoning 3 hours prior. Put them on indirect until internal temp hit 160, turning once, then I placed them in an aluminum pan and poured BBQ sauce over and cooked until internal temp hit 170, then I glazed them directly over the coals until they hit 180. Boy they were great, tender and had a nice cherry smoke flavor to them. Be careful not to burn the sauce, one came REALLY close, but that skin tasted great. (Stogie, sound familiar?)
 
Bruce...

LOL Sounds familiar! Glad you liked them!

I now prepare all my chicken using this method. No matter what cut of chicken...boneless, skinless breasts and thighs, quarters, etc. It works for all of them.

So credit goes to the right guy, this is how Jumpin' Jim won the annual KCBS Chicken category a couple of years ago.

It is hard to believe all the favorable comments I get when catering with these things. No one can believe how moist the chicken is and how flavorful.

I use Sweet Baby Ray's cut with pineapple juice for the sauce.
 
Bruce,

This sounds like something I might try...a couple questions:

What was your temp at the grate?
How long did it take to cook the chicken?
Did you light the coals by the standard method?
-----------------------
Mark WAR EAGLE!!
 
Mark,

I used a Weber Kettle 22 1/2 charcoal grill. I lit one full chimeny of coals then split them on each side of the charcoal grate with a drip pan in between. I really don't know the temp at the grate, when the coals were ready i put the chicken on and only checked the temp of the chicken. The chicken was done in about 1 1/2 hours total.
 
I used this method to cook 15 lb or so yesterday. 10 lb of dark qtrs the rest split breasts. Turned out wonderful
 
It sounds wonderful. I might be cooking for a large crowd in a couple of weeks, and I'm a newbie this year on the kettle. I've done 1 sided indirect for salmon, tri tip, and burgers, but not the two sided. How much chicken can you fit on the grill in the middle section? For the "soaking in sauce" portion of the routine the aluminum pan goes in the middle of the grate? Thanks!
 
Dave,

You can make two piles of coals or just one pile and use the other side for cooking. If using two piles you can probably get about a dozen or so good sized thighs on there.

When soaking, if using two piles of coals put the pan between them on the top grate.
 
Thanks for the info Bruce.
icon_smile.gif
 
Bruce,

When you say put them in a pan with sauce. Are you leaving the chicken in the pan with the sauce on the grill to simmer?

thanks
 
Wesley,

First of all I alpologize for not seeing your post, and responding eralier.

For what it's worth now, YES, put the thighs in the pan with the sauce ad place back on the grill.
 
Thanks Bruce,

I thought thats what you were supposed to do but wanted to ask anyway.

This sounds delicious!
 
Wow I just may try this. I have seen several teams do this in KCBS comps. on the food network, but just haven't gotten around to it yet....sounds wonderfully delicious.


Big Al
 

 

Back
Top