Quick KBQ question.

[JCBBQ]

About to do my first chicken cook. 2 spatchcocked birds. Temp as high as I can get it. What would you think the cooking time will be? Would this be your approach too?

Also, I’m thinking both poppets fully opened for the most smoke. Do you agree this strategy?

Lastly, is there any value smoking at say 200 to try for more smoke then ramping up to full heat? Or just go full heat full poppets - I am interested in crispy skin if possible.

My bar is pretty high bc in my convection oven I can cook two birds at 425 for an hour and they are perfect w amazing crispy skin. So I’m trying come close on the skin and eclipse (no pun intended) this w the smoke profile.

Lend me your thoughts.

[Spinaker]

Quick! Like maybe 45 mins tops. Rip both poppets wide open.

I don't think there is any need to start low like that. Just let it rip, brother!

Keep in mind, that thing is like an industrial convection oven. On full blast it will cook that bird quickly, keep an eye on it. Provided you keep a nice thick coal bed.

[TripleB]

I have a KBQ, but have never set my temp that high. I’m always between 275-250. Can you get a KBQ up that high?

Both poppets open for more smoke.

I think your cooking time on the KBQ should be about the same as your oven since they both are convection and roughly the same temp.

crispy skin is never a characteristic I shoot for with smoked chicken (if I want crispy skin, then I’ll fry it or Weber with the vortex). Bite through tenderness is my goal when I smoke chicken.

[Spinaker]

You can rip it 400 F + with a good coal bed, easily. And with that much airflow it super charges the cook!

[TripleB]

Spinaker Is the convection fan ripping the whole time? I hear you on the coal bed. Basic offset cooking requirement. Do you go with a smaller split at a faster rate or larger splits and pack the coal bed? A friend gave me two boxes of oak splits for a pizza oven. Perfect size to stoke a fire.

[Spinaker]

Almost the whole time. Depending on how cold it is outside. I use smaller splits and keep feeding that beast as fast as she will take it. LOL.

[JCBBQ]

Spinaker TripleB yep! Got up to 416 before putting the chicken in. Then cycled between approximately 380-400. Sweet!

[JCBBQ]

Jerk chicken. Smoked 380-400, pimento wood, about 50 minutes.

[realdocBBQ]

And how was the skin and the smoke flavor? Of course, with jerk seasoning, any of the more subtle flavors would get overpowered, for sure. Looks great, though!

[JCBBQ]

realdocBBQ I think if I didn’t have all the jerk seasoning it would be fairly crispy. I need to just do salt and pepper next to compare w my oven version. Smoke was good but I’ll be honest I think I got too much smoke up my nose to tell. 😤

[Spinaker]

Hahaha, gotta shower after you are done smoking brother! Nice cook though. That bird looks great!

[Oakgrovebacon]

Looks perfect

[JCBBQ]

For the record, I don’t think using pimento wood made a bit of difference.

[Dewesq55]

Funny, the one time I made jerk chicken using a smoker with pimento wood I thought it made a huge difference