Whole Chickens Pit Barrel Help wanted!

[Spinaker]

That chicken looks awesome! Do you guys/gals use extra wood for smoke? If so, what type and how much? Last time, I did chicken, I added about 3 ounces of apple wood to fire and that worked pretty well. What do you guys use?

[Ernest]

9 times out of 10 I PBC my chickens whole with 2 hooks. Start off with about 450 degrees, lump charcoal, settles at 325-350. Done in an hour and a half like clockwork.

[Ernest]

3 hours???

[SRA]

Here they are before and after. First shot at uploading pictures so I hope they come out ok.

[SRA]

They came out wonderful! I hung them with the legs down, basically the same way Noah shows in his video except I used two hooks because it was a whole chicken.

[fzxdoc]

I bet those chickens were still juicy, though, even at that higher temp, SRA. Congrats on a successful whole chicken cook.

Did you hang the whole chickens or lay them on the grate?

Kathryn

[Huskee]

Once you have your pictures on your computer, read this: http://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/for...e-posting-tips it will help you post them here.

[SRA]

Field Report: They two whole chickens came out great! They were on a little longer than planned due to an emergent event. 2.5 hours to a internal breast temp of 175. Someday I'll figure out how to post photos and upload the pics. Thanks for all of your help and reassurance!

[Huskee]

Touche, i only took pics of me putting the meat on the PBC!! i get to wrapped up in eating to remember to take pictures of the finished product.

I hear you. If you don't forget then you get the big eyerolls from your significant other & family members when you're taking photos and everyone else is waiting to eat.

[Spinaker]

Touche, i only took pics of me putting the meat on the PBC!! i get to wrapped up in eating to remember to take pictures of the finished product.

[Huskee]

Pics or it didn't happen

[Spinaker]

I just finished a whole bird, halved. Came out great. I left it on for about 3 hrs and it was very good. The PBC ran a bit hot, so the meat was just a bit dry, but still excellent! Next time, I'm going to shoot for about an hour and forty-five. I'm really happy with my PBC. I did ribs last night for my first cook and they came out excellent.

[Clarkgriswald]

I am interested to hear how they turn out. Can't wait to do a chicken.

[SRA]

Ok, I'm going to give it a shot and see how it turns out. I'm a chicken (ha) and will do them both the same way even though Huskee has a great idea about doing them two different ways for comparison.

[smarkley]

Yeah.. what Huskee says! That is totally correct I think. For my turkey day turkeys I am planning on spatchcocking 2 smaller turkeys.

For the reasons that Huskee mentions it will cook faster, so keep your eye on it!

For half chicken just one hook per chicken... for a whole chicken, just hook it up somewhere around the neck (or where the neck was LOL) with 2 hooks.