Chicken

I know it isn't beer can, but here's a way from Ocala Bill of this forum to cook some great chicken that Fast Eddy himself acknowledged as the way to go:

This is only one of many ways to cook chicken on a FE100. It is the method I use in competition and it has worked well for me.

This is for thighs, why? they seem to score best.
I cook about 14 thighs for a turn in of eight.

1. Trim thighs using kitchen shears to even them up and remove fat that runs along one side.
2. Place chicken in 1 gal ziplock that has one 15 oz. bottle of Newmans Own Olive Oil and vinegar and 1/4 cup of your favorite rub mixed in. Add trimmed thighs and marinade over nite, turning a few times.
3. Remove chicken from ziplock and blot with paper towels to dry. sprinkle with rub ( get some rub under skin if possible). Do just lightly.
4. Shape chicken into rolls (oblong shape) and stretch skin to cover as much meat as possible.
5. Place on wire rack and put it in FE that has been running at 275. This is done on lowest rack possible. Turn heat to 450 and cook 40 min. Check chicken to make sure it's done. Remove from cooker and turn cooker down to 250.
6. Apply a light coat of sauce to meat side and a very light coat to skin side to keep it as crispy as possible. Return to cooker for 5 min.
7. Box it and send it in (prayers help here).

I say again this is only one way to do it and it will win for you if you hit the right table.
all the best
Bill


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When I do beer can chicken, I cook it at 250*-275*. Usually takes a little over three hours.
I don't take it's temperature. It's done when I can easily pull the leg loose.

The chicken and some ABT's

Turned out good. Cooked at 275* for 2 hours and then cranked it to 375* for 20 minutes. Ended up 10* hotter than needed, but was still very juicy. Used a pan below in case the beer somehow leaked.

ABT's were the peppers filled with cream cheese, chedder cheese, minced garlic, and some blues hogg rubb wrapped in bacon. they took about an hour to get the bacon crisp like I like it.

tried Ocala Bill's Chicken method and it worked great. Crispest chicken skin this side of a deep fat fryer.

The 45 min total was just a little long for the small thighs I used, but I expected that. Any time I try some one elses method, I do it exactly for reference. Mrs. Smokin loved it too, first chicken skin she's eatin' in a long time -- that's how good the skin was.

Thanks Bill

Your welcome. Glad you liked the chicken. Did it that way in Lakeland Fl KCBS contest and it took 1st place with 52 teams cooking. WOW was that a thrill. There was much discussion on the judging, but as one judge told me, "A 9 is a 9 no matter what method the judge was using".
Bill

Bill also does a fine beer can chicken on the FE/CS,if he chooses to share it.

One of the rare times I've seen breast turn in well.

Tom-Fl

Congrats to Bill and the Dixie Chicks!

First place chicken in Okeechobee this weekend!

Thanks Doc. I'll try to post a pic.




Bill

Thanks to SmokinOkie for posting the above pic. This is a shot of our turn in box using the method I posted. Took 1st place last weekend. Thought you might like to see it.
Bill

did you turn in without garnish?

Yes this was an FBA event not KCBS. Garnish not allowed.

Bill,looks to me like the box prep person should get the credit again.

Say hi to her and we'll see you at Clermont.

Tom-Fl

When you cook your tighs at these high temps, do you have a problem with the meat releasing from the bone?

Cooked up some this weekend. Smoked it for an hour then cranked the heat up all the way. Skin and meat came out great, though the meat didn't release well from the bone. I normally bring the thighs to around 180.

I don't know. Never checked. I don't eat this chicken I just cook it for comp. I start mine at 275 deg and go right to 450. reason for 275 is the ribs cook at that temp and I start the chicken when I pull the ribs.
Bill