Cooking chickens whole?
- Thread starter Stephen T
- Start date
Rich G
TVWBB Honor Circle
S-
Unless I buy chicken parts from the store, the only way I cook 'em is whole. I use a Willy's Chicken Sitter (Google ought to pull up a link), which is just a ceramic version of the beer can method (albeit with a wider base for stability.) I cook at least one whole chicken and usually more pretty much every time I fire up the WSM. As long as I have the heat, I can always use leftover, smoked chicken in something later if it isn't the main course.
2-3 hours (depending on size) at 230-250 works well for me.
Enjoy.
Rich
Unless I buy chicken parts from the store, the only way I cook 'em is whole. I use a Willy's Chicken Sitter (Google ought to pull up a link), which is just a ceramic version of the beer can method (albeit with a wider base for stability.) I cook at least one whole chicken and usually more pretty much every time I fire up the WSM. As long as I have the heat, I can always use leftover, smoked chicken in something later if it isn't the main course.
2-3 hours (depending on size) at 230-250 works well for me.
Enjoy.
Rich
adam clyde
TVWBB Pro
Hi Stephen -
I cook whole chickens quite often, but I do it so I can fit more in at once (do 6 at a time). There's no need to turn or flip them at all. They turn out wonderfully. (plus, I use the carcases to make smoke stock )
If I'm only doing one or two, I actually like to cut them in half, removing the backbone. Or, you can butterfly them. Doing that reduces the cooking time. You just can't fit as many on at once. Not sure if it matters much, but I always do my chicken cooks at high heat.
- Adam
I cook whole chickens quite often, but I do it so I can fit more in at once (do 6 at a time). There's no need to turn or flip them at all. They turn out wonderfully. (plus, I use the carcases to make smoke stock )
If I'm only doing one or two, I actually like to cut them in half, removing the backbone. Or, you can butterfly them. Doing that reduces the cooking time. You just can't fit as many on at once. Not sure if it matters much, but I always do my chicken cooks at high heat.
- Adam
Rick Soliman
TVWBB Pro
90% of the time I cook them whole I think they turn out more tender this way.
adam clyde
TVWBB Pro
sorry guys. not sure how I missed the questions above. Sorry about that!
Yes, I get three per rack. They touch, but I haven't found it to be a problem. The way I see it, the only real problem with them touching is that the skin doesn't get browned or crisp in the spot where they touch. But since I'm not carving and presenting them at the table whole, it doesn't seem to be any problem. Also, after cooking they do shrink a bit, so by the end, they are only barely touching if at all. Just arrange them for the most optimal fit and you'll find it isn't so hard to do.
Also, I haven't found there to be any problems caused by reducing airflow by stacking the chickens close together. I cook on high heat (350) and the minimal touching doesn't seem to change the cook time or the evenness of the cook. I've had very favorable results.
Oh, and size... they are usually 3.5 to 4 pounders. They certainly aren't big old 5-6 pounders.
Hope that helps!
- Adam
Yes, I get three per rack. They touch, but I haven't found it to be a problem. The way I see it, the only real problem with them touching is that the skin doesn't get browned or crisp in the spot where they touch. But since I'm not carving and presenting them at the table whole, it doesn't seem to be any problem. Also, after cooking they do shrink a bit, so by the end, they are only barely touching if at all. Just arrange them for the most optimal fit and you'll find it isn't so hard to do.
Also, I haven't found there to be any problems caused by reducing airflow by stacking the chickens close together. I cook on high heat (350) and the minimal touching doesn't seem to change the cook time or the evenness of the cook. I've had very favorable results.
Oh, and size... they are usually 3.5 to 4 pounders. They certainly aren't big old 5-6 pounders.
Hope that helps!
- Adam