Chicken quarters- grate or hang?

[DrJimmy2112]

I’m a toddler on the bronco now. About to start my fourth cook. I have eight Chicken quarters and I’d like to do them using the hangers. I’m not sure they would all fit on the grate. Am I making a mistake using the hangers? Are they going to fall off the hooks? My plan is to use the heat diffuser plate to distribute the heat more equally so I’m not doing it PBC style

[HouseHomey]

What’s the size of the grate. If you separate the drumstick from the thigh, it doesn’t occupy that much real estate. I don’t know what the bronco is, but I guarantee you. There is nothing like chicken on my kettle, hot and fast

[Panhead John]

The Bronco has an 18” cooking grate.

[HouseHomey]

Panhead John 18x18…… totally will fit. Load it up DrJimmy2112 Love me some chicken!!

[clb239]

Haven't cooked on a Bronco but i do use a Pit Barrel and I usually hang chicken quarters and halves. They usually come out really good...

[Panhead John]

I’ve done chicken halves hung on the Bronco before, not quarters, and they turn out great. You should be fine doing quarters by hanging em. As long as you get the hooks in em securely I wouldn’t worry about them falling off. Try to hook it where the leg bone and thigh bone meet.

[DrJimmy2112]

All right gang. I decided to hang em high
I probably could’ve fit him on the grate but I couldn’t resist

[DrJimmy2112]

I really appreciate the mentoring on this forum

[Purc]

I have hung 6 chicken quarters on the Bronco without any issues. I think hanging is the only way to cook that many at once on the regular Bronco. Knock on wood, I have not had chicken or ribs fall off a hanger yet. I think 8 quarters would be a tight fit on my Weber/Vortex setup with the chicken flat on the grill grate. As always, YMMV.I love my Bronco. If you have a rib rack that would fit the Bronco, then setting the quarters in them and then placing the rib rack on the grate? I don't have a rib rack so just thinking out loud.

[johnec00]

We hang them on PBC

[DrJimmy2112]

Looking good!

[DrJimmy2112]

So far so good, the meat seems to have good spacing and right now temping at 125 F internal with good color. I’m trying to run the cooker at 325 F. I put the hooks at the junction of the thigh bone and the rib remnant

[Purc]

Perfect

[Panhead John]

Lookin good Jimmy! Just for future reference, I wouldn’t worry too much about the temps in the Bronco when doing chicken. I always just left both vents wide open and let er rip while using the deflector plate. You’ll get a crispier skin that way.

[J-Melt]

That’s how I do them! Looks great!

[Uncle Bob]

For the unenlightened, anything that can be done on a PBC can be done on a Bronco......it'll just be better. Then you can expand your horizons and do things on the Bronco that can't be done, or can be done easier because the Bronco is more versatile.

[Steve R.]

No lies detected. 😀

[Duanessmokedmeats]

I hang leg quarters in my Pit Barrels. No complaints from anyone.

[DrJimmy2112]

Thank you all for the help! I was fairly pleased with the result. It’s been so long since I’ve cooked with charcoal that I’m getting used to that aroma and taste of smoke profile.
I did not get the crispy skin that I had hoped for. it wasn’t rubbery, just not crispy. Panhead John, I will definitely try this cook again with the vents open and the heat deflector in place.
BTW, this forum has been an absolute gold mine for me. Thank you all!