Whole Chicken Questions


 
J

Jim Creasy

TVWBB Fan
Kids,

I am thinking of doing some whole chickens... Any thoughts on how this could turn out?

Skin them and salt and pepper them, maybe a little garlic powder, then mist them with olive oil, maybe but a cut onion in the cavity, then smoke over charcoal with flavor wood of choice, but fill the water pan with cheap/strong beer/malt liqour.

I've read the discussions on beer can chicken, but my water pan always steams during the cook. High alcohol content of the malt liqour may prevent that but I cannot help but think the strong brew/malt taste would not impart to the chickens...

Any thoughts on this before I waste even cheap beer?

Thanks in advance.

JKC
wsmsmile8gm.gif
 
Jim, I wouldn't skin unless cutting into pieces and speeding up the cook. Also, baste and don't use hardly any wood. Chicken w/out skin will dry out rather quickly and taste smokey w/ very little smoke involved. I'd rather grill pieces and baste if going skinless, myself.

Go back to Chris A.'s cooking topics and try one of his cooks if you want to leave the skin on and smoke in a more traditional manner. I skip the water and foil the pan. Try doing at least a kosher dry brine for a couple of hours if doing whole/split chickens. It's easy, and definately effective. J. Purvience's books is where I first saw the method.
 
IMO: No Beer, No water... Even if doing a low/slow chicken cook.
The moisture/liquid from the water pan won't impart any significant flavor contribution.
If you want moist chicken, two recommendations:
First, most important, do not over cook! Check your protein temps!
95% of the world over cooks poultry! Use a thermometer. You will be surprised!
Second, Brine! You can bring flavor as well as giving a safety margin to over doing the breasts.
Absolutely love doing whole chickens on the smoker. Three last weekend and another three
this... Love accumulating bones/scraps for stock!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Creasy:
Skin them and salt and pepper them, maybe a little garlic powder, then mist them with olive oil, maybe but a cut onion in the cavity, then smoke over charcoal with flavor wood of choice, but fill the water pan with cheap/strong beer/malt liqour.

I've read the discussions on beer can chicken, but my water pan always steams during the cook. High alcohol content of the malt liqour may prevent that but I cannot help but think the strong brew/malt taste would not impart to the chickens...

Any thoughts on this before I waste even cheap beer? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Well ... filling a water pan with beer is more of a waste than using a single can per chicken.

Since the boiling point of grain alcohol is 172º, it should boil quite readily in this use.

Flavors are imparted and many other flavorful liquids are used besides beer.

Oven-roasted chickens stuffed with onions, lemons, and peppers are excellent so the same in a smoker would only be better.
icon_wink.gif
 
The only value i find in beer can chicken is that you stand them up and can fit more in the smoker. When I do it I drain the cans first (into me and a pitcher if I can't fit them all immediately). I might leave an ounce of beer in the can for a little steam. If you use a full or half can of beer, it takes time for the beer to boil and prolongs the cook time of the chicken. IMHO it doesn't add much flavor.

Stuffing the chickens with onions and herbs or apple chunks adds more flavor. Don't pack them very tight though.
 
I love doing BC chicken, it's the most space-efficient way to do a whole bird as well as encouraging almost all the fat to run off into the bowl. I use a pop or beer can, emptied, then filled about 1/2 with water and a little poultry seasoning. A church key will open up the top of the can a little more if you think you need it. I usually do. One of my BC stands came with a 'poultry button' and it's remarkably accurate. I insert into the breast and leave it there. Works perfect every time. We've never had a dried out BC chicken.
 
I'm relatively new to this, but I've done 6 whole chickens and they've all turned out well. It's already been mentioned, but I'll repeat it, brine and temperature are key here. The brine ensures that the bird is as moist as it's going to get, and the thermometer ensures that you don't overcook the meat. I've also done mine low and slow, but will probably step up to high heat on the next batch.

Good luck.

-
Jim
 
The number one thing you can do to ensure against dry meat in poultry is not overcook it.

Breast meat is much moister and safe at an internal temperature of 150 - 160 degrees F. Leg meat is better at 160 - 170 degrees F.

Also, do not stuff your poultry. You will have to cook your bird longer to ensure the stuffing has reached a safe temperature, thus forcing you to cook the bird longer than it would otherwise have to be cooked, thus giving you drier meat. Cook the bird and stuffing separately.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Todd E.:
I'm going to try this for my next whole bird cook. It looks interesting and sounds like something you shouldn't say around the kids. Naked Whiz has a how-to at
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/spatch.htm.

Todd </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, it's a pretty good technique, although I usually go ahead and take out the keel bone and split at the breast. It depends on how many chickens your cooking as to whether you leave whole.
 
I always brine and spatchcock the bird. I do remove the keel bone for competition but not for home. I like to apply my rub under the skin and for home I baste with olive oil and lemon juice.

I prefer to cook at 275-325 but cooking at 225 is pretty darn good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top