Question about chicken on a gasser tonight

[Biggen]

Plan on grilling a whole chicken tonight on my gasser. Not going to have time to fire up the WSM. Anyway, I made the brine last night and plan on putting the chicken in it to bathe for the day after I get this typed out. I'll spatchcock it as that seems to be the best way to get the meat to cook evenly.

But my question is should I put it over direct or indirect heat? I've always grilled breasts over direct heat but I've never done a whole chicken. My temp will be around 325-350. Should I put it bone down first? Do I need to flip it during the cook?

Thanks guys!

[K80Shooter]

Here's how I do it, others will be diff.

I cook at around 375* bone side down over direct heat. I will however raise the grate as high as I can in my egg to get the meat further away from the heat. Most times the chicken is done in about an hour.

Here is what it looks like. (the last pic is of the chicken after I removed it from the egg with a foil plate under it to catch the drippings.)

[Biggen]

Ok, so no flipping or rotating? Sounds easy. How are you checking doneness?

[Smokin' D]

On a gasser, or any grill for that matter, I would cook bone down and indirect with a pan under the chicken. There is a lot of fat that will melt out of the bird and on direct there will be flare ups. Finish the bird meat down and direct to crisp up the skin if you want to. JMHO.

[K80Shooter]

Originally Posted by Biggen

Ok, so no flipping or rotating? Sounds easy. How are you checking doneness?

Not for me, once I put it in that was it till I took it up. I checked for doneness with a thermometer, 180* in the thigh.

Now on a gas grill I would have the flames on one side and the chicken on the other.

[Biggen]

Alright, thanks guys. I'll turn on 2 or 3 of my burners on my gasser and put the bird off to the side so there are no flareups from falling grease.

Hopefully it will go ok tonight!

[K80Shooter]

Originally Posted by Biggen

Alright, thanks guys. I'll turn on 2 or 3 of my burners on my gasser and put the bird off to the side so there are no flareups from falling grease.

Hopefully it will go ok tonight!

So how was it?

[NickTheGreat]

Originally Posted by Biggen

Alright, thanks guys. I'll turn on 2 or 3 of my burners on my gasser and put the bird off to the side so there are no flareups from falling grease.

Hopefully it will go ok tonight!

That's what I do. Did you have good luck?

[Biggen]

It was good, but underdone. Had to finish it in the oven.

I meant to snap some pictues last night but between the baby having a bad evening and the Mrs. tired from the night before staying up with him all night due to crying, I was running around like a mad man yesterday.

I ended up using all 4 burners on my gasser and then putting the spatchcock'ed chicken in a disposable pan on top of a baking rack to elevate it from the juices it was dripping out. I then put that pan right on the grate. I just couldn't get my grill up hot enough at the grate with only using two out of four burners.

Using my Maverick I put a probe into the thigh at cooked it until 180 which took approx 40 minutes. I made the mistake of not cutting into it near the bone to check for doneness. I then pulled it and let it rest right on the pan loosly coverned in foil and then finished cooking the corn on the cob and cabbage on the grill.

We plated up and dug in only to find out the chicken wasn't done. So 15 minutes later in the oven at 350F we dug in again. Spectacular! I have never brined or spatchcock'ed before and I am now a believer. I won't cook chicken any other way from now on.

Thanks for the help guys. I'll be sure to document my cooks better in the future with pictures! Also, need to check for doness by looking at it and not just blindly trusting the prob temp.

[Porky]

When I use my Weber gasser I cook indirect so I don't get flare ups. Spatchcock a 4 lb. bird and marinade(your favorite or brine) in italian salad dressing for at least 4 hours or overnight. I paper towel dry it and sprinkle (your favorite chicken rub) Yardbird on both sides. I heat my gasser to about 375 and place the bird skin side down for 25 minutes and then flip it for another 25 minutes and it comes out perfect every time.