Made chicken breast for first grillon 22.5" Weber One Touch, not so good


 
K

Kyle-Toronto

New member
I'm moving, and left my natural gas grill behind. I wanted to go with charcoal to get a better smoke/flame taste on my food. Even on my mom's cheap propane BBQ she would get a nice flame taste on her chicken breasts, but I just couldn't get that on my gas grill. So I bought a Weber One Touch.

I made boneless skinless chicken breast tonight, wasn't too good. It went okay but need to improve. First I brined it too long so it was salty.
I made about five breasts. I filled my Weber chimney about 3/4 full and let the charcoal start going pretty good. Once it was lit fairly well I dumped it inot the grill, on one half of the side. I closed the lid for about ten minutes, but now I'm thinking I shouldn't have done that? Took the lid off and put the breasts right over top of the charcoal for about 3-5mins per side, crisps the tips a bit. I then moved them to indirect heat. Well about 20-25mins in it got to about about 145-150 then just seemed to stop. So I threw them back over the charcoal, which wasn't giving off a ton of heat any more and finished them on there. Put some sauce on with about ten minutes left.

It turned out okay, but not great. No better than my natural gas grill, which also would have been a lot easier and less time consuming. And the chicken turned out rubbery. It was juicy, but not a mmm juicy, but a I hope this is cooked juicy/chewy.

I'm guessing I need a full chimney next time. I know it's my first try and it takes some practice, but I'm disappointed that the end result was no better than my gas grill.
I did not use any wood. Also I have a WSM, but I'm not looking to slow cook, just looking for somethign I can hopefully make in about 30mins.

Any tips to make this chicken really good?
 
Couple of thoughts:

What were your vent settings? Generally for short cooks, even indirect, the vents should be wide open.

What brand of charcoal was used? A full chimney may be better.

Also, any time you feel that the fire has died off a bit, take the top off for a minute or 5, the extra oxygen really helps get it going again.

I find those boneless breasts cook much better if they are butterflied and pounded flat, but that should not affect gas vs charcoal.


Don't get too down, there is definitely a learning curve going from gas to charcoal, the results will be worth it
 
I try not to water brine anymore-I find it affects the texture of the meat which may account for the chicken turning out rubbery. I just salt the chicken and let it sit for a couple of hours in the refrigerator. Being that the chicken was skinless I might try cooking it indirect the entire time. After all, there is no skin to get crisp. Maybe a few seconds over direct heat to get some grill marks if that’s what you are looking for. If you do cook over direct heat remember to place the thicker part of the breast over the coals and the thinner “tail” of the breast off the coals and into the indirect side. This part of the chicken will dry out sooner because it is thinner.
 
I have the Kingsford blue.

You're right maybe not brine next time, maybe that was the rubbery texture. Should I add wood? Still would lke a better taste.
 
Boneless/skinless = blah, imho.
Myself, I'd cook them with skin & bones. Nothing says you have to eat the skin. Or gnaw the bones. Both add a ton of flavor to the meat.
Be sure your fire is right.
I like a reverse sear: cook them indirect first.
Don't forget some smoke wood in your cook.
 
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I agree with Steve, I'll brine a turkey but nothing smaller, I think that's what made them rubbery. Also maybe it's just me but BSCBs cook so fast that it's almost a waste of charcoal to cook them on. I use my gasser it's quicker and I can't tell much difference it the flavor.
If you want great chicken use bone skinned pieces on your wsm, remove the water pan and a full lit chimney of KBB and all the vents wide open, chicken on the top rack. The juices dripping down on to the coals will add great flavor and the flames are to far down to burn the chicken.
But like stated there is a learning curve to charcoal so don't give up.
 
If I do breast I slice them thin, I get about 3 fillets from a whole breasts and then marinate in dressing, my favorite is Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette. This gives me thinner pieces which char perfectly about 3-4 minutes a side on high heat or vents wide open, the dressing also adds some moisture being it has some olive oil and the breasts need it. I have moved more to boneless thighs and I also agree with comments about boned skin-on breasts more flavor.
 
Agree with above: i cook boneless skinless (cutlets here in NY) mostly for use on a ceaser salads or for chopping up for other recipes. If they're thick, i pound flat or slice thinner to promote even quick cooking.

If im grilling chicken to eat on its own, its skin on, and bone in. Without the skin and bone, white meat breast has very little flavor which is why marinate, sauce, or rub is required.

As far as pieces: wife likes bone in breast, and they're fine, but i like thighs better as i feel there's much flavor and they cook much more evenly and quickly.

Thick Bone in breasts should to be cooked indirect, as its tough to cook evenly over high direct heat without overcooking outside and/or undercooking inside.
 
Thanks, I'll try again. I'll try in direct then finish direct, and use a full chimney next time.
I'll also try them on WSM.
I'm going to marinate them in a dressing maybe italian next time and see if that turns out better.
 
GGross said:
If I do breast I slice them thin, I get about 3 fillets from a whole breasts and then marinate in dressing, my favorite is Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette. This gives me thinner pieces which char perfectly about 3-4 minutes a side on high heat or vents wide open, the dressing also adds some moisture being it has some olive oil and the breasts need it. I have moved more to boneless thighs and I also agree with comments about boned skin-on breasts more flavor.
Click to expand...

I have also marinade using Zesty italian dressing. I have tried a brine recipe on whole chickens called Tip Piper Slaughterhouse poultry brine with a lot of success; google it and give it a try sometime.
 
3/4 full weber chimney is fine. i use the baskets, vents wide open. i sear both sides first, then cook indirect. i check the temp a few times. what was the internal temp when you took them off?
 
George Santos said:
I have also marinade using Zesty italian dressing. I have tried a brine recipe on whole chickens called Tip Piper Slaughterhouse poultry brine with a lot of success; google it and give it a try sometime.
Click to expand...

If im doing a quick mid week cook, especially for using in chicken ceaser salad , italian dressing is my go to marinade for quick prep.
 
How could this thread get to 12 posts before someone mentioned Roadside Chicken? :cool:

Bone in, boneless, breasts, thighs, charcoal, gas....it doesn't matter. If you want chicken with flavor, read the Roadside chicken thread and follow the original recipe (post #1).
 
Jeff F said:
How could this thread get to 12 posts before someone mentioned Roadside Chicken? :cool:

Bone in, boneless, breasts, thighs, charcoal, gas....it doesn't matter. If you want chicken with flavor, read the Roadside chicken thread and follow the original recipe (post #1).
Click to expand...
Jeff,
Sounds like you like RSC, so I'm pretty sure you will like Wicker's, try it using RSC procedures.
 
I do a lot of chicken thighs and never brine. Usually about 1/2 chimney over some used coals and I can do indirect and maintain 350-400° no problem. I usually have the bottom vent open about 3/4 to full and the top full open.
 
Kyle said:
I'm guessing I need a full chimney next time. I know it's my first try and it takes some practice, but I'm disappointed that the end result was no better than my gas grill.
Click to expand...


Sounds like some of the issues I had with my 22" kettle before returning it for an 18" model.

The 22" kettle is a great grill, but I thought it took too much charcoal to get any appreciable amount of heat. There are probably ways to circumvent the excess coal problem, but I wanted to try the smaller grill first.

The 22" kettle is a heck of a smoker though, and I miss it in that regard.
 
Charlie L said:
If im doing a quick mid week cook, especially for using in chicken ceaser salad , italian dressing is my go to marinade for quick prep.
Click to expand...
I like the bottled Italian dressing as well, with some extra salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and grated parmesan or romano cheese added in.
 
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