Am I going crazy? (Smoked chicken problems)


 
J

JayORear

New member
New member here, feel like I'm going crazy about something, need some advice.

For the last five years or so, I've been using my Weber (22.5") and this recipe: http://blogs.seattletimes.com/allyoucaneat/2008/05/16/grill_it_whole_captain_baysmit/ to create some of the best smoked chicken I've ever had. Every dinner/party guest agrees--this is incredible. During the summer, I make it at least once a week, and twice a month or so in the winter.

Over the last two months, I cannot seem to get the chicken smoked/cooked through properly. I've followed the exact same recipe, and used the exact same set-up as I have for years, but my Weber suddenly seems to not be holding heat (?!?) It takes almost 2 hours for the chickens to reach internal temperature, and the skin barely gets browned. Two nights ago, I pulled them (I cook two at a time) off after 2.25 hours, and the skin was hardly even beige.

Like I say, there's absolutely nothing different about my setup. It's making me nuts. What are some factors that could be causing this? Something about the weather? Something with how I'm using my vents? A bad seal between the lid and the kettle? I'm using the indirect method (obviously), with a full chimney of lit charcoal. I've even gone so far to wonder about the chicken itself, but that seems like a stretch.

Ask me anything you like; I'd really like to get to the bottom of this.
 
Dittos what Fred said. If you've done this cook before and you're doing it like you've done before, the only real variable is temperature. The bottom line, is everything exactly like before? Defuser the same? Vents the same? (for the most part) Same fuel? Are the chickens much the same? (fresh or frozen) Using the same stands? Filled or empty?
 
ChuckO said:
Dittos what Fred said. If you've done this cook before and you're doing it like you've done before, the only real variable is temperature. The bottom line, is everything exactly like before? Defuser the same? Vents the same? (for the most part) Same fuel? Are the chickens much the same? (fresh or frozen) Using the same stands? Filled or empty?
Click to expand...

I've never used a thermostat, diffuser, or stands. Always Kingsford charcoal. Bottom vent open all the way, top vent slightly open. Always fresh chickens, placed right on the rack. The temperature outside (the weather) has been quite hot lately . . . would that affect anything?
 
I duno....It's hard to say what's wrong without seeing what's wrong. Sounds like you've got your method down. Something has changed, once you figure that out, you should be back on track.
 
I was also going to say it was bad Kingsford until you said "top vent slightly open". ??

If that's always been the case, then maybe your kettle lid must've gotten dropped or something and now it fits? That sounds crazy, but I'm just saying...I can't maintain chicken roasting temps in my grills with the top vent only slightly open.
 
I think that the top vent is the clue we're looking for here. I ALWAYS open the top vent all the way when running chicken on my OTG.

It looks like you are using a Weber grill and cooking indirect (22.5") but you don't really say.

Open that vent up and try again. I'll bet that's the answer!

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
I always have my top vent fully open and regulate my temps with the bottom vent (except if I get a runaway temp situation). The chimney affect is what you need to get heat flow to the food.
If you have been doing it the way you say and have been successful then I have no answer except maybe bad fuel.
 
Thanks for the input, everyone. I'm beginning to think it's the charcoal. I've been making my way through a twin-pack of large Kingsford bags that I picked up at a Home Depot a while ago, and now that I think about it, I think all of these sub-optimal cooks have come from this fuel. I'll be picking up a fresh bag this weekend and giving it another shot.
 
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