Gonna do some chicken today :-)

[willbird]

Maiden voyage for my new UDS. Got some breasts and leg quarters, went into the brine yesterday morning. 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of kosher salt, 1 gallon of water, and a handful of Weber kickin chicken.

So thinking to take the chicken from the brine, pat it dry, and maybe use this baste I found online ?

1 c. water
1/4 lb. butter
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp. salt (might omit this due to already brining the chicken?)
1 c. vinegar

Should I start the breasts skin side up or skin side down ? Planning on running 300 degrees and flipping once ? But how long before the flip ?? Can I run 250 for longer time and not risk any problems as long as internal temp is right when I take it out ?? Should I rest it tented ?? And if so for how long ?

Gotta admit I'm a bit nervous

Going to smoke a meatloaf once the chicken is done, lower temp there I assume, maybe 250 ??

Bill

 

[eddieh70301]

Do you have split breast or boneless breast? If it is split breast, then it will take about 45 min to an hr. I start meat up and don't flip until the last 15 min of cooking just to char/crisp the skin. Just make sure your chicken is not directly on top of the heat.
I never spritz and not sure about the vinegar you mentioned. Never heard of that combination w chicken. Must be a northern thing.


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[willbird]

Do you have split breast or boneless breast? If it is split breast, then it will take about 45 min to an hr. I start meat up and don't flip until the last 15 min of cooking just to char/crisp the skin. Just make sure your chicken is not directly on top of the heat.
I never spritz and not sure about the vinegar you mentioned. Never heard of that combination w chicken. Must be a northern thing.


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They are split breasts, bigguns . I found the recipe on the net on cooks.com, not sure what side of the mason/dixon line it is from . My dad always claimed the mason/dixon line was actually drawn east to west though the northernmost waffle house, so if that is the case it has moved quite a bit north ;-).

BASTING SAUCE FOR CHICKEN ON THE GRILL
1 c. water
1/4 lb. butter
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp. salt
1 c. vinegar
Melt butter slowly, then add other ingredients, don't allow mixture to get hot. It is then ready to brush on your barbequeing chicken.

 

[jasonjax]

I don't know if I'd add the water into that basting recipe. I would think it might defeat the purpose of crisping up the skin. I understand the butter, and I don't THINK the vinegar would negatively affect skin cripsing up, but I don't understand the water part. Just my thoughts on it though. I could be entirely wrong.

 

[Jb2wm]

Also try injecting the chicken, instead of water try chicken broth.
I don't know about the vinegar.

 

[willbird]

Well it is all part of a huge ongoing experiment anyway , I love crispy skin, but I hate dried out chicken, so the first trip here I'll trade the crispy skin for not getting dry chicken .

I know the portapit guys spray something on the chicken with a garden sprayer, might have a vinegar smell.

 

[willbird]

OK some obligatory pron

Here is the fuel...

Here are the initial temps, the lower thermo goes to drum center, the upper is only about 4" long.

Here is the ball valve setting that seems to be working, all other ports closed

Here is a shot during a temp probe

 

[willbird]

OK here is the final result .....very good, but I'm sure each time will be better. Temps ran between 250 and 300, first timer tending too much . Total cook time was 2 hours to get 170f internal. I did switch the meat between grates because internal temp on the lower grate was about 5f hotter when we were at 140f internal.

Chicken was nice and juicy no doubt due to the brining .

And the next project went in, a 5lb meatloaf in a square grill pan. Pretty much the recipe on the Lipton soup package except I used Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce instead of Catsup, and rolled oats instead of bread crumbs, and added a can of mushroom stems and pieces .

Bill

 

[willbird]

Meatloaf hit 150 internal and I flipped it. had it in one of the square grill pans with holes, flipping KIND of worked ...broke it a little, but that will just let in more smoke flavor .

Need to make or find some smaller rectangular pans if it turns out good, maybe find some loaf pans and drill holes, or a way to punch holes in the foil loaf pans ?

 

[LMAJ]

Looks good!
When I make meat loaf, I usually make them in individual loafs, then no turning required.

 

[willbird]

Looks good!
When I make meat loaf, I usually make them in individual loafs, then no turning required.

It all worked out, the meatloaf batter just had a consistency that was not encouraging me that it was more solid than liquid . I have made the meatloaf into patties like hamburgers, then cooked on the Foreman, something similar to smoke them would probably work great

Bill