Slow and Sear - Competition Chicken

[sfrancis353]

Just want to get some thoughts about using the slow and sear for competition chicken. I usually do lollipop'd drums on a UDS. I always lug the Weber for meal cooking, but thought it might be worthwhile to just also use it for the chicken and leave the UDS at home. All of my other meats are going on a larger gravity fed.

I already have the Weber mod for my pitmaster so I should be able to get enough airflow to hit 300 degree mark that I normally do my chicken at, so I'm not worried there. My thought was cook it indirect until the last minutes and then go hot for the final skin crisp. Does anyone have any practice doing comp chicken this way?

[Breadhead]

You need CandySueQ to coach you up on this. She is the Queen of competitive Queing.👍

[sfrancis353]

Probably so, I'm sure CandySueQ could teach me a lot about a lot of things. That being said, part of the fun of this whole thing is the trial and error and learning new techniques. Went ahead and pulled the trigger on my Slow and Sear. David Parrish you have way too many good reviews not to try it out. Will report back on how it did with my chicken. Doing the comp next weekend.

[David Parrish]

Excellent! Hope you love it. If you end up placing in competition send us pics. I'll post it to the abc site!

[DWCowles]

sfrancis353 they say practice makes perfect...you will enjoy the SnS...good luck next weekend

[CandySueQ]

I used one last year at an IBCA comp in Texarkana. It was half chickens not pieces. Turned in the half with the wingtip. It's in the rules! Got 10th place.

[sfrancis353]

Thanks Candy! Glad to see I'm not trailblazing completely new trails here. I'm going to try drums only and see what happens.

[CandySueQ]

Hanging in drums seems to be the current big thing with ribs. Makes sense -- self basting thing. Got to have your timing down though. I hear Shake and Bake (KCBS rib team of the year last year) does their ribs in 2 hours.

[sfrancis353]

Hah, was talking lollipop'd chicken drumsticks. I'm still loving my gravity fed for the cooks. Am going to do a weber much like your picture for chicken because I want to run hotter and attempt to get crispier skin. I've been really happy with my flavor and tenderness, but my skin needs some work. Was hoping to go hot at the end once the glaze has set and really get a crisp on it. Just have to make sure I don't get a burn.