How to BBQ Chicken?

[Flying_Spaghetti_Monster]

So my pork shoulders turned out great, and I plan a cook for two Saturdays from now. I was to do pork shoulders, and BBQ half chickens. Anyone got a good method for chicken. Running my temp around 250 F. Want to cook them with the pork. Burning oak, apple, with some cherry as well. Pictures help.

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

Chicken cooks better at higher temperatures than 250. Shoulders cook equally well at 250 or 350.

I would spatchcock the chicken and cook it, below the pork if you have a vertical, at 350 using the cherry or apple.

[Skidder]

I usually grill my bbq chicken and just add a piece of wood if I'm looking for a smoke flavor. But you could smoke your chicken till almost done then crisp up in the oven at a higher heat then sauce it at the end so the sauce doesn't burn.

[Flying_Spaghetti_Monster]

Whats a good temp for ribs I just want to have another option, and try something new. Pork shoulders were pretty easy to do.

[QTEX]

Grill it and add a litle wood for the smoke flavor, you'll be glad you did, 300-350 is good temp depends on your cooker.

[chad]

Inject or brine the chicken, if you can. Season well with rub under and on the skin. Keep the chicken below the pork -- pork fat on chicken (GOOD), chicken run-off on pork (BAD)! I used to do chicken at 250-ish for about 3 hours. Always turned out nice and juicy. The skin will not, usually, be "crisp", so if that's a problem you'll need to cook hotter or throw skin side down on the grill just before serving. Good luck. BBQ chicken is good, just different. YMMV!

[gtr]

You can cook your shoulders, put them to rest, kick up the heat (I do mine hotter anyway) and cook the chix while the shoulders rest - I like to cook poultry above 300.

You can brine (not mandatory, but nice) - most simple brine is 1/2 cup kosher salt, same amt. of sugar to a gallon of water (doesn't hurt to throw a little of your rub in there) - for several hours, pull out, rinse, let sit uncovered in fridge for a couple/few hours, rub, let it sweat (I usually do this with a seasoned salt like SM Season all and then the rub) and cook till thigh is at least 165. This is what I do, and breast temp seems to just fall in place.

Chix need to rest (under loosely tented foil) at the very least 10-15 minutes before cutting up, otherwise you'll have chix falling apart and juices running all over the place. Don't ask me how I know this.

[Bludawg]

I cook my Pork butts between 300 & 350 and chicken at 325. Marinate the chickens in Zesty Italian for 3 hrs rinse shake on some rub or just go with S&P 4 lb birds go about 1.5 hrs.

[gtr]

^^^chix in Italian dressing is great stuff!

[Smokin' D]

I try and cook most things a 275° and find that ribs like it there. Chicken and turkey want to cook higher, like at 350° or so.

[Skidder]

I smoke ribs,butts,shoulders and brisket on the low and slow side cause they are tougher cuts. Steaks,pork chops and chicken I usually do at higher heats cause there not tough cuts.....usually that is. When I do hotter cooks to me it calls for the grill and if I want a smoke profile I just add wood.

[jrn]

I like 350*-375* for chicken. Turn out very moist on the uds.

And as gtr said, you mite wanna think about cooking your pork first. Then while its resting, throw the chicken on. Two reasons....most people run about a hundred degree difference between cooking chicken and pork. Also the amount of wood you might wanna use for a butt would probably be way too much for chicken.

Once you pull the pork off, crank the heat. To me it'd be easier than cooking two meats at once. And the pork will rest and be ready when the chicken comes off. :)

[centexsmoker]

Take the time to brine- especially if you are in a competition. makes a huge difference. I always spatch or half-cock the birds and cook at 350. I go back and forth between direct and indirect but have been doing more indirect lately. I always glaze (I'm not a comp guy so not sure what the regs are for that) with Either Salt Lick or Bone Sucking Sauce 15 minutes or so before I pull them off. Even without brining, they are very moist but the brine really adds to the flavor and provides an obscene amount of moisture

[chad]

I'll be redundant:
You can slow cook great chicken, just be ready for the skin issue:
1. Brine (actually marinading in Wishbone Italian is easy and great)
2. Cook at 275 or whatever and place the chicken below the pork to avoid cross contamination
3. I've had good success at these temps and such cooking about 3 hours.
Good luck and remember, it ain't rocket science! And, though I'm a die hard hot and fast cooker: chicken can be done very well low and slow -- just deal with the skin.

[J-Rod]

You can also try a reverse sear on the bird. Cook it indirect at 275+ for the better part of the cook then at the end put it on direct heat to tighten up the skin. I made the best wings I think I've ever made recently using this method. Good luck!