Suggestions on cooking for a crowd.

This is just an observation, but wings and legs (actually any cut pieces of chicken) are a PITA! I've done cut pieces for 110 and halves for 70 or so - I'll take the halves anytime!!

Your 2.5-3 hour estimate should be right on...you might even go a bit hotter at the beginning to recover from the heat loss of all that chicken.

When cooking for a group consider getting a gallon of Cattleman's or some other commercial sauce to give a quick finish to your chicken. Put the sauce in a big bowl and just dip the wings and legs and put them back in the cooker for 10 minutes or so to set the sauce. You could even cut the sauce a bit with apple juice and/or add some honey if you like it sweeter.

Good luck.

chad said:

This is just an observation, but wings and legs (actually any cut pieces of chicken) are a PITA!

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Do you mean they're a PITA to handle-- loading and unloading, etc...and the halves are quicker to work with?

Try sprinkling some Drakes Dry Batter Mix on some chicken pieces. We bake about 400# once a month for our chicken dinners. Then we deepfry the same amount. Seems the baked chicken is the most wanted nowdays.
We brush the pieces with melted margarine, light dusting of lowrys and pepper. Then sometimes I hit it with Italian Seasoning. Then a coating of Paprika, then the Drakes. Next year Im going to try some corn starch. Problem is we cook the chicken in commercials ovens. Im not sure how it would turn out on the pit. I cook the thighs to 185, to make sure their done.

backyardchef said:

Do you mean they're a PITA to handle-- loading and unloading, etc...and the halves are quicker to work with?

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Yes, sir!! That's what I meant.:-D