Tough chicken, help!

[cjv140]

So I bought my first kamado, a Louisiana Grills 24" from Costington's. After getting it together, after having to re-tap a caster hole, and after a few bad words my daughter found a crack in the firebox. Ugh, new one came a week later so it's grill time.

Tonight I decided to take advantage of the somewhat livable suburban Chicago weather and fired it up with what turned out to be a modest load of lump. I think I have the knack about temp control coming along alright, didn't have to chase anything.

I got the temp up to around 284 and went to town with a halved up yard bird. I put olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on the halves and on the grates it went. An hour in and it was kinda shriveled and shrunken. Breast temp was around 145 so getting into the neighborhood but I needed to refuel. The thermapen had a hell of a time going into the meat (not a good sign.)

Bird came off after I removed the deflector and brazed it over the coals for a spell. I could have broken a window with it but it would've made a juicy trail. No improvement on the dark meat side; still hard. What did I do? What can I do better? Gunnar the weenie dog will eat well tonihjy

[MBMorgan]

If you cook chicken at too low a temperature, it can dry out and get tough. Try cooking at a minimum of 350 (375 to 400 would be even better) and I think your problem just might be solved. Also, consider dry brining overnight too.

[cjv140]

So why dry brine instead of wet? I brine the turkeys usually but I have never had to do that with a chix. Also, I usually cook chix on the Weber kettle.

[MBMorgan]

cjv140 - It's just personal preference. Dry brining works well for some of us ... wet brining works well for others.

[IowaGirl]

You can do either dry brine or wet brine as you see fit. I've come to the conclusion that for me dry brining is easier, faster, and gives as good or better results. Compare the two and see what you think!

[Thunder77]

A few questions come to mind.
Was the bird completely thawed? Not trying to be mean, just trying to get a handle on the situation.
Was 284 the grate temp, or dome temp of the kamado? There can be a big difference.
I personally prefer to run poultry hot and fast, like 350 degrees. It sounds to me like the grill was not hot enough. I have found that in my kamado I can run at least 350 for chicken. I would check my grate temp with a good thermometer; in both of my kamados, there is a large temperature difference between dome and grate.

[cjv140]

Grate temp 284 or so, using a Thermoworks smoke. Dome thermo read about 325-350, I just figured it was inaccurate like every other dial thermo I've seen. Bird was thawed, right out of the cooler @ the grocery store.

[FireMan]

Yup on the dry brine & yup on yer 284 bein to low. Cook that birdie!

[Thunder77]

Also, I would load up the firebox. For 350, light 2 smaller fires in the lump pile. With a kamado, it’s not about how much lump you start with, it’s about how much you light at once.

[Henrik]

Excellent point.

[cjv140]

Load up the firebox how high? I thought the air holes on the sides were the limit. I had maybe 2 pounds of lump in there. I did add a couple handfuls at the end to spike the temp to crisp the skin. Waaaaay too late at that point.

[LA Pork Butt]

cjv140 I don’t have your cooker, but I always load my Big Green Egg up to the fire ring. Doing so each time helps make you fire, temps and distance from the food more predictable. I would vote for a 375 cook.

[JCBBQ]

Definitely hot and fast is the way to go w chicken...at least that's my preference. I'm not a fan of smoked chicken. I also like to use direct heat so the skin cooks and gets crispy. You shouldn't ever have to refuel after 1 hour. Fill that sucker up every time you want to cook. With my Primo I can go over 20hrs under 300 degrees. Wings and chicken parts I just go direct and flip every 5 mins or so for about 25-30 mins -moving around based on the heat spots. Spatchcock or halves is the same strategy. If I'm roasting indirect then I'll keep the bird whole but I still cook around 375-400. That might take closer to an hour. Depends on the bird.

[JCBBQ]

Also, if I'm going hot and fast I'll fill up a chimney w lump and light that. When its ready i'll spead it over the whole top of the coals. This will save me a lot of time getting the cooker up to temp vs lighting a single or two spots.

[Thunder77]

I like that idea. It does take a while to get a Primo up to 350-400

[cjv140]

I think I'm good on the higher temp now, and it makes sense because the kettle always comes out right, usually an hour or less. I'm glad it was a 6 dollar chix I screwed up for the 1st cook & not a prime brisket!