Cooking time for a rotisserie chicken over charcoal


 
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Jeff Kolodziejski

TVWBB All-Star
Looking for a little advice! I am using my 22" One touch with the rotisserie attachment and I am going to cook a chicken that is almost 6 lbs. Wondering what an average cooking time might be. Im sure there are lots of variables like amount of briquettes and all, but just looking for a ballpark number. I was thinking about 1.5 - 2 hrs?

Thanks!
 
yea, at this point its done when its done. don't overcook it. a little red near the bone is ok. i imagine around 1:45-2 hrs.
 
At 375 lid temp, indirect with a 2.5 Kg (6 lb) brined chicken starting off at room temp, I would test at 1 hour 30 and expect it to be finished at 1 hour 45 maximum

Cheers
 
Jeff - I did two 4 lb chickens on my Weber kettle with Rotisserie last weekend. If I had my cell phone in the house I would post some pics.

I cooked the chickens at about 275 and took them to about 300 right at the end. It took just over three hours.

Like Kevin said, if you're going to be cooking at 300 - 350, I'd say less time - maybe 2 - 2.5 hours.

I pulled the chicken from the bone and chopped it for sandwiches for an office luncheon.

One thing - I used one charcoal holder (not a charcoal lighter - but the little half moon shaped sheet metal charcoal holders) full of charcoal and a couple of chunks of pecan. I filled the charcoal holder almost full, then added about half-dozen lit briquettes and the pecan. That came up to temp pretty quick and I closed the bottom vent down to about 1/3rd open to hold that temp.

It was my first time to use the rotisserie on my kettle, but that is going to be my go-to way to cook whole chickens and pork loin roasts.

Pat
 
Jeff
See the difference between Pat's cook at 275 and mine at 375 I did mine the week before I took mine off at 1 hour 45 and it was perfect. I wrapped mine in foil and put it in a cooler and covered it with a towel for about 45 minutes.
Starting Temp Cooking Temp Finishing Temp and resting temp all make a difference so does where the fire is situated. I move my charcoal baskets closer to the centre for the first part of the cook.

Regards
 
Thanks again to all those who took the time to respond. I kept the temp in the kettle around 300-325. I took the chicken off at about 1:45. While it looked just a SLIGHT be over done by looking at the color of the skin, it actually was just about right! I put the coals on either side of the kettle, while the chicken rotated in the center. I assume this is the standard way to do it, but I am a novice with the rotisserie. Cant wait to make another one!
 
did you throw any woodchips on it? I'm questioning the value of the rotisserie since the chicken cooks so even on the WSM... I wouldn't even consider doing a whole chicken on the kettle. soooo...... i was thinking I'd probably run a hot, smokey fire & spin it for ~2 hours.

So how was it - better than the $5.99/$7.99 birds @ the grocery store I'm sure.

Pat, do you prefer smoked chicken on the WSM or the Rosisserie over the kettle?
 
Good work Jeff pleased it turned out so well. Keep a bbq log, it will help you do them right every time. The skin will be a little darker with a 1 3/4 hour cook. I found it is better to cook a couple of small ones with a 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hour cook, however we are always retricted to what "Her Indoors " purchases.

Cheers
 
I cook smaller ones as well. Never cared much for big chickens. If I can find them I buy them < 3 lbs, 3-3.5 if necessary -- but never go over 4.

I nearly always cook chicken on the kettle, rotissed or not, not the WSM. Most I do take an hour at the most but I cook at 450-500 in most cases. Quite easy to do on a kettle.

Good job Jeff!
 
I did not use any woodchips, I havent tried those yet. I would imagine woodchips from apple trees, or cherry might be best as this type of wood doesn't burn well? Suggestions?

And the chicken turned out much better in my opinion than the store bought ones!
 
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Apple & Cherry are both pretty mellow... I've only over-smoked a couple of times - Turkey once, don't recall the other. I think it was done with Mesquite. IME, anything including Hickory can be used quite liberally with little fear of over-doing it. Now I gotta go get a chicken to spin... a rotisserie kit came with the OTP I got on Saturday. Kinda excited to try it out now.
 
Good luck with the chicken. Estimate would be 1.5 to 2 hours but as I'm sure you know temp is what calls it not time. I also had a rough time years ago when I figured a little mesquite was good so alot would be better. Even the dog wouldn't eat the steaks I made. I've learned so much here since then.
 
What I did was keep it around 300-325, and had the coals piled on either end while the chicken rotated in the middle. I left the top vents open, and the bottoms about 1/3 to 1/2 open. As mentioned, mine turned out good.
 
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