techniques for a whole chicken on a genesis silver c?


 

Tony C.

TVWBB Wizard
i've never done a whole bird on the gasser. actually all i ever do on it is hot dogs,brats,burgers, boneless breasts etc. however i find myself out of charcoal and we are moving next weekend so i don't plan to stock up until then so i figure now is the time to learn to cook for real on the gasser.

i figure my 3 options are spatchcock(or halved) over direct med/low heat, beer can in the middle with front and back burners going or just whole laying on its back in the middle with front and back burners on.

i am leaning towards spatchcock but am worried about flare ups. i am not too experienced on the silver C.i have burned a few burgers on this thing. it was given to me by my boss and i have never been a propane man but use it for quick cooks.

edit..

i also plan to throw a cunk of apple on the back vaporizer bar. i do that with breasts and it works good for getting a little smoke flavor.
 
Tony,I'm the opposite. I can cook up a storm on a gasser,and am learning to use my OTS for other stuff! Just keep the heat kind of medium low,and it should be fine. Let us know how it turns out.
 
Tony I have the same gasser and have cooked on it for 10 yrs. I have had very good success with beer can rack in the center with front and rear burners a tick above low and center off!

I just use the can rack to hold the bird nothing in it, IMO it adds nothing.

Enjoy!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Glenn W:
Tony I have the same gasser and have cooked on it for 10 yrs. I have had very good success with beer can rack in the center with front and rear burners a tick above low and center off!

I just use the can rack to hold the bird nothing in it, IMO it adds nothing.

Enjoy! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

i don't have a can rack, but was thinking of putting the canned chicken in a foil pan to help it sit flat(i have the Stainless Steel grates) and also it will catch the drippings. i might go this route.
 
I think any indirect method would work.

I'd probably do whole bird along the middle, with the back being sacrificial.

If I were spatchcocking, I'd probably also split the bird into halves so that I could line them up along the middle, with the middle burner off.

Flareups can be a problem since you can't douse the flames like you can on coals. The chevron bars help a lot, but you still need to be careful, especially as the bird gets near the end and juices are running fast. The best anti-flareup method is prevention; don't get too hot. I agree with the others; middle off, outsides a bit above low.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I think any indirect method would work. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
It does. I never bother with a can - just chuck 'em on the grate, indirect, temps > 400?, till done. Or I rotis.
 
I have a brinkman gas grill. I've done tons of indirect. On a two burner I light the upwind side and leave the other side off. I put a foil pan under the grate under the meat.

My new 5 burner I light all 5 to heat up the grill. Then I run just the two outside burners on low and and it stays about 300-325 on the lid temp. I put foil pan under the center rack and chicken on top. I go whole chicken or half chickens with a nice BBQ rub and mop.

I put unsoaked wood chips in a foil pack with a *TINY* hole in the foil right on the heat plate above the burner.

For spatchcock I put the center burners on low and ususally don't have flareup as a problem.

I like the Raichlen recipe for spatchcock with basil and olive oil marinade--wife loves it.

I agree with beer can nonsense. It's a cheap way to stack a bunch of chickens in a kettle. My high school son invites his buddies over for BYO-chicken parties where they each show up with a $3 chicken and like to play with beer cans-and take a gulps or two out of the can before they stick it in the chicken.

But I prefer to smoke roast half chickens for crispy flavor.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
I never bother with a can - just chuck 'em on the grate, indirect, temps > 400?, till done. Or I rotis. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

simplicity at its finest. i think this is what i have decided on for a first attempt on the genesis. i have a little of weber's kickin' chicken left that i plan to use on it. i love that stuff on whole birds.i will probably even leave out the drip pan because i plan on giving her a good clean down mid week before we move next weekend.
 
whole bird laying on it's back over unlit middle burner. other burners were set to almost medium with a big chunk of apple on the back burner.it ran at about 375º for an hour and a half and the breasts were 160-162º and the thighs were over 170. i faced the legs towards the crossover bar as that is always the hot side of the grill. it is nice and juicy except for the wings, i should have tucked them but didn't so they got kind of crunchy. i have half a dozen thighs i plan to do wednsday night, i will practice direct then and might try to spatchcock one direct next time.
 
Not for Nothin', but when I find myself in a 'grill emergency', the local grocery stores usually have the really small bags of Matchlight on the shelf. I just make sure I don't cook 'til the coals are VERY grayed over. No gas required.

...just sayin'
 

 

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