Getting ready for baby #3

[adam clyde]

Going to be having our third girl in nearly as many years here in the coming week. Crazier days ahead.

So, to prep a bit, I'd like to smoke a whole heap of stuff, foodsaver and freeze it so it is ready for easy meals in the coming weeks.

I bought six 4.5 pound chickens from costco today that I'm planning on doing. Will be brining tomorrow and probably smoking on Sunday. Then plan to cube some and shred other to food saver so wife can do her casserole magic.

Couple of questions... I usually (make that always) do half chickens (spine removed, split in two). However, I'm going to need the space, so I think I'll do them whole, three on each rack.

I don't really love low & slow chicken. I like them to be done 350-ish - especially when they are only 4 pounders. To get it that hot, I usually wouldn't do water in the pan. However, I'm concerned that without anything in the pan, I'm going to be torching the bottom chickens, while the top ones cook much longer.

Would you rotate halfway through? Do in two batches? Scrap the high heat method for low and slow?

Finally, when you are doing whole chickens without one of those thrones, would you flip at all? And would you cook breast side up or down? I'm leaning toward breast up, so it doesn't cook too fast.

Thoughts?

 

[K Kruger]

Would you rotate halfway through? That would depend: If, when you place your chickens on the lower rack, there is still lots of airflow space in between the birds, probably not. The temps shouldn't be all that far apart after the cook gets going. Differences in finish times should be minimal. If the airflow between the birds is inadequate, rotate.

Do in two batches? I'd consider it, definitely. It's not all that much more time and you can switch cooked for uncooked quickly.

Scrap the high heat method for low and slow? Nope.

Finally, when you are doing whole chickens without one of those thrones, would you flip at all? No. But you can rest breast down if you wish.

And would you cook breast side up or down?
I'm leaning toward breast up, so it doesn't cook too fast.Yes, up. Crack the joint where the leg meets the thigh. That'll help with more even cooking in that area.

And congrats on the new baby.

 

[Paul G.]

If you really like the chic cooked at 350, you might not like the low/slow with water in the pan. I think you have a valid concern about the problem on the lower grate with the enpty pan. There is definitely a radiant effect from the foiled lined pan. If you don't do 2 batches, then rotating may not be a bad idea.

How do you find time to cook with all those babies

- congratulations on #3.

Paul

 

[adam clyde]

Thanks Kevin and Paul.

Paul - about the radiant heat from the water pan... I think I'll take it out altogether. What I'll probably do is just monitor the temp of the bottom chickens and remove them when done, then keep the top ones one until done. Thinking a little more about kevin's point, that after it gets going, the temp difference between the top and bottom grate makes sense.

Kevin... looking at your recent post makes me wonder if I should do a flavor brine instead of my normal salt/sugar brine. I think I'll do some that way, and some the other... see the differences. I want a few that are neutral, since I don't know exactly how I'll ultimately use the chicken.

All hail the foodsaver (I'm borrowing on from a friend).