Yes to the airflow. Yes to the smaller birds. Try and stick with the broiler/fryers for even cooking. As Kevin said the 2.5-3 lb range is ideal. What happens with the bigger roasters is the white and dark meat doesn't cook even like the smaller fryers do. This also applies to fried chciken as well.Originally posted by K Kruger:
Yes, packing the top restricts airflow and that the chickens were larger certainly adds to the time. (I prefer chickens of 2.5-3 pounds. They can be hard to get but I then try to stay under 3.5.)
It's best to get the leftovers on a wire rack which will promote faster and all around cooling. Once cooled down to room temp, about an hour, place in a open zip bag on the top shelf of your fridge right in the zone where the cold air blows out. Leave the bag open for about another hour or till chicken is fairly cold and seal up. You don't want to close the bag up too soon. One it builds up a lot of moisture and two it slows the cooling process down. Left overs should be eaten within 3-5 days.Originally posted by t wright:
one more question...sorry bout that...
some of the leftovers have cooled off...some are still pretty hot...at what point is it good to put it in a ziploc and put in the fridge...also, how long till it goes bad in fridge? (can you tell i'm a newb?)
Yes, It can go much longer than the 3-5 I posted but I was being cautious. As Kevin said it depends on several factors. I have no problem eating chicken that was smoked and cooled properly after 7 days. My cats are still eating leftover smoked turkey breast from 2 weeks ago. It's not slimey nor does it smell bad. Not sure I would eat it, but trust me. If it was bad they wouldn't be eating it. I'm not saying to eat 2 week old poultry I'm just saying.Originally posted by K Kruger:
Same thoughts, B and me.
Though shelf life can be pretty good (smoke helps), as I note, quality can suffer sooner, as Bryan notes with his suggested 3-5 days.
Originally posted by David Lohrentz:
I realize that a lot of people rub their meat the night before, but I don't think it is necessary or worth the hassle when making Q.