Bottom cooking grate and beginner's chicken recipe


 
P

Petra Z

TVWBB Member
Hi all!

I'll be inaugurating my new WSM tomorrow by trying the beginner's chicken (posted about that previously). The instructions mention that I place the TOP cooking grate in place. Does that mean I just remove the bottom cooking grate and leave it aside during the cooking? Sorry for the basic-ness of this question--I'm a smoker newbie!

BTW,some posters have suggested that I do the chicken on my kettle. I will do that next time, but I am just anxious to try my WSM and get used to using it!

Thanks in advance!
 
If you're not putting meat on the bottom rack you should remove it. Otherwise, the meat from the top rack will drip on it. No sense doing more cleaning than you have to.
 
Hi Petra-
I just smoked my 1st chicken yesterday, and I did it on the lower rack and took out the upper. It came out great. Good luck and have a great time.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jon K:
Hi Petra-
I just smoked my 1st chicken yesterday, and I did it on the lower rack and took out the upper. It came out great. Good luck and have a great time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jon, glad all came out great, but because of the variation across the bottom grate, you'll typically get better results using the top grate as your primary grate.

This is no big deal if cooking a couple of pork butts down there, but it's best to try to use the variance to your advantage, ie. turning chicken thighs towards the outside and breasts toward the center. I usually use both grates, but if only using one, it's definately gonna be the top one.
 
Did my first smoke today (the beginner's chicken) and it was fabulous! Weather wasn't exactly good (cold, breezy, rainy) but I wasn't going to put this off! My chickens were bigger than the recipe suggested (honestly, 4.2 lbs was the SMALLEST at the supermarket--can't remember the last time I saw a 3.5 chicken, except for the organic, free range variety [and I'll save those for once I'm more proficient with the WSM]). Anyway, no pics, but my BF said it was a huge success (and he was quite happy to take home leftovers).
 
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