I cook them in the WSM cause I love em, however my wife notices, and so do I that if I cook them in a pan in the oven they seem to be a lot more tender or juicy I guess is the word. I have beer canned mine, done them on the racks a lot, but was wondering if anyon had placed one in a pan on the WSM..like you would in the oven and if so what was the result?
Whole chicken question
- Thread starter DennisM
- Start date
Jacob Samarin
TVWBB Member
have you tired beer can chicken on the wsm yet?
Robbie Atkinson
New member
Dennis when you cook chicken as you described in the oven the pan blocks some of the heat from below. 350* in the oven on a pan is less than 350* in the smoker. Measure both with an oven thermometer. Of course there is a difference if the bird is resting on the pan and not a rack.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
It shouldn't really matter. Though cooking in a pan can have an effect on surface texture of the bottom of the chicken (or not, if cooking on a grate), differences in tenderness or juiciness would come more from differences in birds (age, variety, processing) or finish temp (one is more cooked than the other) than cooking method, since both are dry heat.
I cook chickens (as a rule, between 400 and 500F) in both my kettle and my oven (in the oven I don't always use a pan) and don't find differences in finish.
Nor would I expect to find much difference between a chicken cooked at 400 and another at 500 (and I don't), whether one was cooked in the kettle, the other in the oven, or both were cooked in the same cooker. I might expect to find differences were one chicken cooked at, say, 250 and another at 350--but this has more to do with the perceptual difference of the softer skin of the one cooked low (and soft skin, being moist, can leave the surface of the breast meat more moist seeming as well). I'd also expect to find differences between a chicken cooked and rested upright and one cooked upright and rested breast down. In all theses cases, though, it shouldn't matter if the chicken was cooked in an oven, kettle or WSM.
I cook chickens (as a rule, between 400 and 500F) in both my kettle and my oven (in the oven I don't always use a pan) and don't find differences in finish.
Nor would I expect to find much difference between a chicken cooked at 400 and another at 500 (and I don't), whether one was cooked in the kettle, the other in the oven, or both were cooked in the same cooker. I might expect to find differences were one chicken cooked at, say, 250 and another at 350--but this has more to do with the perceptual difference of the softer skin of the one cooked low (and soft skin, being moist, can leave the surface of the breast meat more moist seeming as well). I'd also expect to find differences between a chicken cooked and rested upright and one cooked upright and rested breast down. In all theses cases, though, it shouldn't matter if the chicken was cooked in an oven, kettle or WSM.
Clark Deutscher
TVWBB All-Star
What is the regular position to rest a chicken. I have always rested breast side up but from reading above is that wrong.....?
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Not wrong. I rest breast up because I like crisp skin. Resting breast down softens the skin fairly quickly. Gravity can work on the juices; as they redistribute they can work their way down into the breast a bit more if it's down. If skin texture isn't a concern, if you find the chicken is done sooner than planned (the skin will soften during an extended rest), or if the chicken cooked a bit more than necessary, try breast down and see what you think.
Jim Minion
TVWBB Emerald Member
Two things might explain your situation,
one, in a smoker you are moving air throught the cooker and can have a drying effect.
Two and most likely what is the internal temp you are pulling the chichens off the cooker.
Breast meats is done and moist at 160 internal where the dark meats needs a higher finish temp 165 plus. Brinning will help keep the breast moist when cooking whole chickens. I brine chicken when doing pieces also, it has a great effect on flavor and moisture.
Jim
one, in a smoker you are moving air throught the cooker and can have a drying effect.
Two and most likely what is the internal temp you are pulling the chichens off the cooker.
Breast meats is done and moist at 160 internal where the dark meats needs a higher finish temp 165 plus. Brinning will help keep the breast moist when cooking whole chickens. I brine chicken when doing pieces also, it has a great effect on flavor and moisture.
Jim
Phil Hartcher
TVWBB All-Star
Dennis
I agree with Jim, Konrad Haskins gave me some advice a few years ago regarding Cooking Chickens. He said that it was much better to brine a chicken for a more moist finish than do a Beer Can Chicken.
I now always brine chickens for up to 5 hours before cooking, especially when demonstrating BBQs. It is the only way most of my friends do chickens now. It doesnt matter if you rotis, smoke or roast they turn out more moist and flavoursome. I also add Chinese 5 spice to the brine sometimes for a different flavour.
Regards
I agree with Jim, Konrad Haskins gave me some advice a few years ago regarding Cooking Chickens. He said that it was much better to brine a chicken for a more moist finish than do a Beer Can Chicken.
I now always brine chickens for up to 5 hours before cooking, especially when demonstrating BBQs. It is the only way most of my friends do chickens now. It doesnt matter if you rotis, smoke or roast they turn out more moist and flavoursome. I also add Chinese 5 spice to the brine sometimes for a different flavour.
Regards
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">(in the oven I don't always use a pan) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Kevin, this intrigues me. What am I not seeing here? Would you please explain the technique of oven-roasting a chicken without a pan? And the cleanup?
Rita
Kevin, this intrigues me. What am I not seeing here? Would you please explain the technique of oven-roasting a chicken without a pan? And the cleanup?
Rita
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Yes, Phil, I've never understood the fascination with beer can chicken. If you want better odds of a moist finish, striagh-brine; subtle or stronger flavor notes, flavor-brine. Very easy and the results are more predictable.
Rita-- Simply roasted directly on the grate, whole or butterflied. A pan or sheetpan just larger than the chicken a distance below to catch the drippings, preferably scattered with halved fingerlings and whole baby turnips which get stirred periodically as they falvor and cook in the drippings.
The grate will need cleaning.
Rita-- Simply roasted directly on the grate, whole or butterflied. A pan or sheetpan just larger than the chicken a distance below to catch the drippings, preferably scattered with halved fingerlings and whole baby turnips which get stirred periodically as they falvor and cook in the drippings.
The grate will need cleaning.
dsitterson
TVWBB Super Fan
Aha the secret pan under the chicken. I love to butterfly them and put them on the kettle with a drip pan. Guess I need to add some vegies to the pan.
All chicken I have ever cooked on the WSM were hi temp 350 or better (often I didn't even measure temp just lit a full load of lump and let her rip until temp of the breast was 160. This is pretty much how I've cooked wholes and halves.
I have on ocaision ice bagged the breast when sitting out to keep it cooler than the thighs/wings. Seems to help things get done around the same time. Breast ends up starting at a cooler temp, works with Turkey too - got the technique from this site. I only do the ice bag thing though when I am doing whole birds.
I have always brined any chicken that hit the WSM so far and have never had a problem with things drying out as long as I was watching meat temp. Skin not crispy at times? Yes - but that's what the grill or broiler finish is for.
I find that chicken is pretty forgiving as far as lid temps go on the WSM but pretty much haven't cooked any below a 350 deg lid.
I have on ocaision ice bagged the breast when sitting out to keep it cooler than the thighs/wings. Seems to help things get done around the same time. Breast ends up starting at a cooler temp, works with Turkey too - got the technique from this site. I only do the ice bag thing though when I am doing whole birds.
I have always brined any chicken that hit the WSM so far and have never had a problem with things drying out as long as I was watching meat temp. Skin not crispy at times? Yes - but that's what the grill or broiler finish is for.
I find that chicken is pretty forgiving as far as lid temps go on the WSM but pretty much haven't cooked any below a 350 deg lid.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">roasted directly on the grate, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
As I suspected, Kevin. Sounds like an ideal method and delicious, but frankly, I hate cleaning oven racks. I have a Thermador and am not supposed to leave the racks in the oven when self-cleaning. I tried it once with one rack and the process made it harder to slide the rack in and out.
Rita
As I suspected, Kevin. Sounds like an ideal method and delicious, but frankly, I hate cleaning oven racks. I have a Thermador and am not supposed to leave the racks in the oven when self-cleaning. I tried it once with one rack and the process made it harder to slide the rack in and out.
Rita
Chad McGrath
New member
Brining is your friend when cooking poultry.
Butterflied and smoked breast up for a while and then finished breast down has made me some very tender chicken for me.
I think it has something to do with the meat being sandwiched between the liquid or "swim cap" as bigwheel calls it, on one side and the skin on the other. The combination offers much protection for the meat.
Just my .001
I think it has something to do with the meat being sandwiched between the liquid or "swim cap" as bigwheel calls it, on one side and the skin on the other. The combination offers much protection for the meat.
Just my .001
Just an opinion, but we've always brined AND beer-canned our birds, chickens, and thanksgiving turkey too (just use a bigger can, like Fosters)
Never had a problem with lack of juiciness or flavor, or any unpredictibility.
Not sure if it would be the same without the brining though.
Dan
Never had a problem with lack of juiciness or flavor, or any unpredictibility.
Not sure if it would be the same without the brining though.
Dan