Preparing/cooking large amounts of chicken
 

Just wanted to see how everybody else prepared large amounts of chicken for an event. I get asked all the time to do large amounts chicken and aways tried to stay away from it because of how much work (at least with the cooker I just sold) was involved. Now that being said, and not trying to sound modest, I have no problem cooking a damn good chicken which usually involves brine or inject and a rub but I don't see this being a feasible or profitable method when it comes to cooking 1,2, or 3 hundred lbs. I was thinking rinse, sprinkle with a good seasoning and cook which now will be done on a Lang 84. Also, what do you like using as far as parts, quarters, thighs, or both? My only fear is dry tasteless chicken with my name on it. Thanks, Chris

I don't enjoy doing chicken parts for a crowd. Nearly every time I've done a catering with chicken they wanted white meat only. So, I get the big honking Tyson bosoms from Sam's, season them and try to hit done without drying them out. Usually works out since the damned breasts parts are 13 oz each! I charge appropriately for them. I just rub for these jobs and I understand your concern about rep...

Whenever I've cooked large amounts of chicken, it's been leq quarters, because they are cheap. I don't know that I've cooked hundreds of pounds though. What we did was put a big trash bag in a cooler, dump all the quarters in the bag, cover with a simple salt and brown sugar brine, let them sit in the brine for a few hours, and then throw some of the chicken seasoning from Sam's on them right before they go on the smoker.

I would go leg quarters. They are cheap, flavorful, and do not dry out as easily as breasts.

Almost all of the large chicken cooks I have done were for church, and we used halves. The halves were from smallish chickens. Our process was to layer the chickens in coarse rock salt for 6 hours, then soak in a marinade for 2 hours. Then onto the grill.

For smaller cooks, which were still a couple of hundred pounds, we used large coolers, with iced brine in them. I still prefer smaller halves or leg quarters if I can. The Costco Tyson breasts work out okay as well. Just drop the chicken into the brine and let sit for a few hours then rub with a lightly salted herb heavy mix.

Thanks for all the input its good to know you can aways count on the members of this forum. Happy holidays to all.

Chicken halves from small chickens is what I use. Easy to handle in the smoker or grill and easy to break down into leg, thigh and breasts for service.

dont waste your time with brine..
.I have cooked hundreds of halves at a time either on my southern pride or open charcoal pit. Use a good source for buying, where they are not frozen...and back up your cook with qtrs...I get 1/2 birds for 99 a pound... leg theigh qtrs for 50 to 60 cents
make a chicken rub that has sugar for the smoker and NO sugar for the pit.
You will have the juiciest chicken ever when you use a good fresh bird....also it is not recomended (from safe serv) to wash chicken

Best for large volume is sinless, boneless thighs. I marinate mine in a Kikkoman teriyaki dressing which I add a little honey and lemon juice. Cook to only just cooked. Lots of flavour & they stay moist.

Hey, not sinless but skinless!!! Need to improve typing.

Or learn how to edit. :thumb:

I'm a quarters guy too and for catering that amount we grill over wood rather than smoke.

We cook a ton of chicken for catering too. Most all of the requests are for boneless/skinless thighs. We get the 5oz or 6oz frozen breast portions from Sams. Marinate for a few hours, rub, then cook. What I hate about chicken is having to flip them. I am actually looking for the best chicken cooker right now. Need something that I can feed 150 people or so. Love the meadowcreek chicken cooker, but they are too small, and the trailer models are too big. Thinking about a Santa Maria type pit now......

Chicken was to much work with my old pit I had to flip all the chicken which was a pain in the a$$. I just sold that pit and curently buying a Lang 84 which being a reverse flow I hope my days of flippin chicken are over. The Meadow Creek chicken cookers are sweet and wouldn't mind having one someday. There is a meat market not far from me that sells them and seeing up close they are very nice.