Carlos Gregory
TVWBB Member
I have tried several recipes for rotisserie chicken on my pit ...not one has come close to even Costco quality ...that's embarrasing to say ! I'm wondering if I should "submerge" the darn bird in a brine or sumthin' ?!
The Quest for a Perfect Rotisserie Chicken ...
- Thread starter Carlos Gregory
- Start date
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- Tags
- rotiserie chicken
Bob H.
TVWBB Hall of Fame
Carlos, please tell us more about how you are preparing the bird and we can probably help. Is your pit a Weber kettle with a rotisserie attached? What temperature are you grilling the bird at? It might be that Costco injects their chickens for flavor. This should be easy.I have tried several recipes for rotisserie chicken on my pit ...not one has come close to even Costco quality ...that's embarrasing to say ! I'm wondering if I should "submerge" the darn bird in a brine or sumthin' ?!
Pete in PG
TVWBB Pro
I think Bob's right in that Costco injects their birds. And that's easy to do. I just about always brine and like cooking the rotisserie with a combination of KB and lump. That taste better imo than anything at Costco. I use a better quality chicken too.
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
I hardy ever brine and never inject, but I do spatchcock whole chickens and cook on my kettle direct around 350*. If you don't over cook, the chicken will be tender. Can't help on the specific Costco taste because I don't shop there and have never eaten one of their birds.
Dwain Pannell
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I'm not sure Costco rotisserie chicken would be my point of reference for quality but I do recall Hänchen at German Beir Fests and Huli Huli Chicken on the roadside of the North Shore that I would consider worth replicating! Maybe it is the ambiance or environment that makes it taste so good.
I am going to try this one, maybe you'd like it as well: http://www.kitchenproject.com/german/recipes/Chicken/BlackForestOktoberfestChicken/index.htm
I am going to try this one, maybe you'd like it as well: http://www.kitchenproject.com/german/recipes/Chicken/BlackForestOktoberfestChicken/index.htm
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
My preferred method is to dry brine:
2 days before cooking, rub the chicken with abundant salt. Allow to sit on a rack in your fridge until ready to cook, then hit it with a little oil and cracked pepper. Rotisserie at 450+
Always amazing, imo.
2 days before cooking, rub the chicken with abundant salt. Allow to sit on a rack in your fridge until ready to cook, then hit it with a little oil and cracked pepper. Rotisserie at 450+
Always amazing, imo.
I'll chime in here since i feel like I've had success with this. I use a standard over the counter rotisserie rub on the chicken, no need to brine. I then inject with Tony Chachere marinades, truss the drumsticks and fold the wings under, no need to tie those up as they will stay put on the fold.
I think stick on my 3 burner Genesis with indirect heat only and let the Roti go for about 90 minutes. One thing to remember is to bring the grill to temp first and then slide on the Roti and then let come back up to temp and try not to play with the heat so that the bird doesn't burn.
Best of luck on any future cooks, no matter how you go.
I think stick on my 3 burner Genesis with indirect heat only and let the Roti go for about 90 minutes. One thing to remember is to bring the grill to temp first and then slide on the Roti and then let come back up to temp and try not to play with the heat so that the bird doesn't burn.
Best of luck on any future cooks, no matter how you go.
Been playing with this. Think I'm getting close to nailing it. Here's what I've been doing. (I like really crisp skin.)
Cut 4 slits down each side of backbone.
Using skewer or fork poke holes through skin along areas of fat pockets.
Loosen skin on breast and around drumsticks and thighs.
Rub chicken skin, front and back, with mixture of baking powder, salt and black pepper.
Let it rest in fridge uncovered for at least 30 minutes but I've gone a full day. (Longer didn't work out so well.)
The above steps are meant to draw the moisture out and allow the skin to crisp. They're from a video that's been posted on this site. Will see if I can find the link.
At this point I apply a flavored rub. Lately I've been suing Szeged poultry seasoning. Have used chili / paprika based rubs as well.
Rub the skin. Have also rubbed inside cavity and under the skin depending on how much of a seasoned flavor I've been going for.
Referecnce point is for a 3.25 lb chicken.
Take the bird out of the fridge. Put a bag of ice cubes into the breast cavity.
Let it rest for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
(The ice in the breast cavity makes the breast temperature lower than thighs after resting. Allows me to keep the breast from drying out while I get the dark meat to temp.)
Truss the bird. Spit it.
Here's where I'm still working things out.
Spun the bird at 325* until I had thighs 10* from target temp.
Turned up heat to 475* using a combination of outer burners and infra burner.
Pulled bird about 2* shy of target thigh temperature. Took a little less than 10 minutes.
Rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Net result: Fantastic crisp skin. Dark meat was dead on. White meat was just a tiny bit dry. Skin color was a little darker than I'd like.
Next time I do this I plan to spin the bird at 350* otherwise following the same process. Think that should fix the skin color and help me nail the white meat. Will post up after I give it a try.
Cut 4 slits down each side of backbone.
Using skewer or fork poke holes through skin along areas of fat pockets.
Loosen skin on breast and around drumsticks and thighs.
Rub chicken skin, front and back, with mixture of baking powder, salt and black pepper.
Let it rest in fridge uncovered for at least 30 minutes but I've gone a full day. (Longer didn't work out so well.)
The above steps are meant to draw the moisture out and allow the skin to crisp. They're from a video that's been posted on this site. Will see if I can find the link.
At this point I apply a flavored rub. Lately I've been suing Szeged poultry seasoning. Have used chili / paprika based rubs as well.
Rub the skin. Have also rubbed inside cavity and under the skin depending on how much of a seasoned flavor I've been going for.
Referecnce point is for a 3.25 lb chicken.
Take the bird out of the fridge. Put a bag of ice cubes into the breast cavity.
Let it rest for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
(The ice in the breast cavity makes the breast temperature lower than thighs after resting. Allows me to keep the breast from drying out while I get the dark meat to temp.)
Truss the bird. Spit it.
Here's where I'm still working things out.
Spun the bird at 325* until I had thighs 10* from target temp.
Turned up heat to 475* using a combination of outer burners and infra burner.
Pulled bird about 2* shy of target thigh temperature. Took a little less than 10 minutes.
Rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Net result: Fantastic crisp skin. Dark meat was dead on. White meat was just a tiny bit dry. Skin color was a little darker than I'd like.
Next time I do this I plan to spin the bird at 350* otherwise following the same process. Think that should fix the skin color and help me nail the white meat. Will post up after I give it a try.
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McCormick sells a Rotisserie Chicken seasoning that you can find in a restaurant supply or larger grocery store. It's either the same or very similar to what Costco uses.
Theirs cooked for $5 is quite a deal. We usually end up with a dinner and some lunches out of it, or more if I cook the carcass down for stock. That's the best deal going in "fast food".
Theirs cooked for $5 is quite a deal. We usually end up with a dinner and some lunches out of it, or more if I cook the carcass down for stock. That's the best deal going in "fast food".
Chad Bman
TVWBB All-Star
Tons of info, and opinions, in here so here's my $.02
I smoked a whole chicken on the WSM and thought it was good.
Then I brined a whole chicken and smoked on the WSM and thought THAT was even better than good.
Finally, I brined and rotisseried a whole chicken and know the others were not as good. I have a difficult time deviating now.
For the brine - it's the Apple Brine from the turkey recipe on the main page of this forum.
I smoked a whole chicken on the WSM and thought it was good.
Then I brined a whole chicken and smoked on the WSM and thought THAT was even better than good.
Finally, I brined and rotisseried a whole chicken and know the others were not as good. I have a difficult time deviating now.
For the brine - it's the Apple Brine from the turkey recipe on the main page of this forum.
Al Silverman
TVWBB Pro
Costco just recalled 40,000 lbs of rotissereie chicken and related products due to salmonella. Mostly in CA.
John Sp
TVWBB All-Star
Carlos,
I would definitely brine the bird - it really makes a difference. I have been experimenting with rotisserie bird for about a year now and I really like the product. My first recipe went pretty well and the family loved it. I actually made rotisserie bird last weekend. I went simple and used an apple maple brine and dusted the bird with Montreal Chicken Seasoning before spinning it up. The results were fabulous! So good in fact that I will be using the apple maple brine for our TG Turkey this year. A few weeks ago I did a couple of Cornish game hens brined with a salt and brown sugar approach and basted with herb lemon butter during the cook. This wound up being one of the best things I have ever grilled!
Use a brine and keep experimenting - you will no doubt like the results...
Regards,
John
I would definitely brine the bird - it really makes a difference. I have been experimenting with rotisserie bird for about a year now and I really like the product. My first recipe went pretty well and the family loved it. I actually made rotisserie bird last weekend. I went simple and used an apple maple brine and dusted the bird with Montreal Chicken Seasoning before spinning it up. The results were fabulous! So good in fact that I will be using the apple maple brine for our TG Turkey this year. A few weeks ago I did a couple of Cornish game hens brined with a salt and brown sugar approach and basted with herb lemon butter during the cook. This wound up being one of the best things I have ever grilled!
Use a brine and keep experimenting - you will no doubt like the results...
Regards,
John