New WSM

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After finding this site and learning about the WSM, I used the july promo and ordered a cooker.
It ar4rived friday. I started a fire this morning and ran it about three hours at 250* at the lid.
I just loaded two butterflied chickens(learned this from the site, cool!). Per the chicken page I marinated one in WB italian dressing and the other I used a William-Sonoma poultry rub. I am planning on a lid temp of 350* for about two hours or 170* in the breast.
Would appreciate any advioce or info to the contrary.
Keeping my fingers crossed,

Jimmy
 
If doing chicken i leave the water out of the pan to get the higher temp needed for crispy skin. Just line it with wide foil makes for an easy clean up. Bryan
 
Sounds all good, except pull the chicken off when it hits 160* in the breast and rest it, covered with foil for 15-20 minutes, before serving. Residual heat will bring it up to 165* which is perfect. Taking it to 170 will most likely produce a dried out result.
 
Thanks for the quick replies.
I didn't use water in the pan. I just covered it with aluminum foil.
doug, thanks for the temp advice, I will remove the chicken when the temp reaches 160*.
AJust checked it and the lid temp is 300*
fingers still crossed,

Jimmy
 
In the future, if you try brining the chicken, you'll find a little leeway on overshooting the finishing temp as pertains to dryness. Do you happen to know if the ones you are cooking now are "enhanced"? If so, you will enjoy that same leeway.
 
Doug,
I don't know if they are "enhanced" or not, I picked them up this morning at Fred Meyer. They are Foster Farms brand. I didn't think about brining them. I have brined turkeys in the past, but they were cooked in the oven.
I did smoke one turkey in a Brinkmann that I use to smoke salmon. That was more work than I cared to put into smoking a turkey(add coals to increase temp, remove coals to lower the temp), I was a basket case by the time I pulled it off the smoker. My wife did say that it was the best smoked turkey she had ever tasted. I told her if I ever smoked another one it would be after I bought a WSM.
If the chickens turn out ok, I will try ribs next, and then I would like to try a pork butt(I think). I think that's what you use for pulled pork sandwiches.
I'm new to this type of cooking, but I'm sure if you guys can put up with me I'll eventually get the hang of it.

Jimmy
 
Check the wrapper they came in for wording like "enhanced with a solution of up to X% of". Same goes for turkeys-- non-enhanced ones will typically have wording like "all natural". "Self-basting" is another clue to enhanced poultry. Enhanced poultry is technically already brined.

Turkey on the WSM is killer, and will be as easy as the oven.
 
Doug,
I looked on the package and found nothing indicating the chickens were "enhanced". The wrapper had a note stating "100% Natural, raised with no additives. May retain up to 4% water.

I pulled the chicken off the smoker after 1 hr. 45 min. at 161* in the breast. The chicken was more moist than any I have ever cooked on my gas grill. It tasted ok. I'm sure I should have marinated it longer than 3 hours. I used apple for the smoke wood. It had a heavy smoke flavor; I'll cut back on the wood next time. It can only get better!

I used a $10 Weber themometer through the top vent and a Polder in the breast. I am thinking about adding a thermometer in the side just below the top grate. I believe I read last night that the sensor is in the last two inches of the stem. If I use a six inch stem, will this alleviate the problem of higher readings from the heat rising up the side of the smoker around the water pan?

Jimmy
 
"All natural" is a good sign. The percentage of added solution is typically much higher than 4%, so I would have to say yours was not. A little smoke goes a long way with chicken, so cutting back next time would be a good idea. The sensor in a digital probe thermometer is at the very tip, and, in a bi-metal thermometer is also in the inch or so closest to the tip-- a 6" stem, therefore, is the way to go for what you are looking to do.
 
Jimmy, my 2 cents worth. Enhanced meat is NOT a good thing. If you want to enhance something you can brine it.That way you have control over salt & all the nasties they put in enhanced meat. Bryan
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