Weber chicken methods?

[smokenoob]

So, since the beginning of time (my time), I have been stacking charcoal in the middle of my weber (pyramid style) and lighting with lighter fluid 🙄. When the coals are hot, I place the chicken on the outer ring of the grate to get indirect heat (faux indirect?). I flip every 15 minutes and the 4th flip gets sauced and flipping and saucing goes to every 5 minutes with chicken selectively moved over center direct heat until desired crispy/sear reached. Takes about an hour.

Thanks to y’all, the brown truck is now en route with my new chimny charcoal starter. I’m thinking when I dump the coals they will spread more than my old pyramid method so I need a new BKM (best known method 😁) for weber chicken!

What ya got?

[Jfrosty27]

Get a Vortex. It turns a kettle into a chicken machine.

[nunyaz]

+1 on the vortex!! And you can search YouTube for many a vid on the 'how to'.

[Purc]

I don't have a temp gun but I know the center over the Vortex can get very hot. So I would pick one up to be safe. You can also place a chunk of wood over the center grate when doing
chicken for smoke. I'm still using my original 6 yr old Weber grate, I will keep it for the Vortex after I upgrade to SS grate. Cooking with Ry on YT has videos on the Vortex.BTW, I put the Weber center grate over my lit charcoal chimney to use it as a small grill for 1 or 2 hamburgers, 2-3 dogs, small steak etc.

[Finster]

My vortex method for a whole chicken in the kettle is to put the vortex on the coal grate wide side up. Chicken goes inside the vortex, charcoal goes around the outside of the vortex…

[CHNeal]

If its parts you are cooking and you want crisp skin and fast then you cannot beat the vortex. It will be a bit hot to do your sauce / glaze method so you will nee to watch out for that.



To do this without the vortex bank the coals to one side , cook the bird on the other then when you are ready to sauce knock down your pile of coals and spread out for lots more room and less heat.



Been my method 30+ years and I use it for chicken, chops, salmon etc…

[nunyaz]

Yup, and what CHNeal said ... WAY better than most YT vids!

[nunyaz]

Cooking with Ry - https://youtu.be/QwA3LQmxSok
There are others, but CwR is one of my go-to bbq guys (on YT anyway ... this forum has become the NEW #1 w/ a bullet go to!! 🙌🏽

[smokenoob]

Thanks! That helped me understand that I “need” one of these! 😁

[nunyaz]

smokenoob - always happy to feed the MCS (in someone else!) ...

[smokenoob]

OK, Vortex arrives Saturday!
Guess what I’m cooking Saturday night!

[HawkerXP]

PB&J?

[bbqLuv]

Brisket? Pork belly burnt ends?
Hot Dogs and Burgers, that is what the kettle was designed for.

[smokenoob]

🐔🐔🐔😁

[jfmorris]

smokenoob I use the Vortex with a SS SNS "easy spin" grate. Are flames engulfing the center of the grate at times? Sure. Has it degraded the SS significantly? Probably not. It is a little discolored in the center from the heat though, but its not like its rusted or anything...

I usually use a chimney but have gotten lazy on my Performer Deluxe, and just leave the coals in the Vortex itself, and use the propane starter on the Performer to light them in the Vortex itself. It makes reuse of leftover coals in the Vortex easier too....

I will be very curious if your chicken is any different using the Vortex than the pile in the middle of the grate....

Now instead of buying lighter fluid you will need tumbleweeds, starter cubes, or in a pinch, a cotton ball soaked in isopropyl alcohol. That last one is my goto when I run out of starter cubes and am too lazy to go to the store. I have a little pint jar in my garden shed which I fill with cotton balls and rubbing alcohol as needed.

[jfmorris]

smokenoob yeah - I switched to the chimneys maybe 15 years ago, and have never looked back. My dad gave me 3 large Weber brand chimneys he used for lighting charcoal for the offset in grill mode, and it was nice to not have to wait for the starter fumes to dissipate before cooking commenced... plus I think ultimately it starts more reliably. I have a couple of pavers I sit them on out in the yard, or else I set them on the charcoal grate in the grill until they are going good.

[nunyaz]

jfmorris - cotton ball in crisco or olive oil works too

[jfmorris]

smokenoob if you want to hold a chimney in one hand while hitting it from underneath with the torch for 5 minutes, go for it! That's about how long I let the "torch" built into my Performer run to get a chimney going good.

[Panhead John]

I am shocked, just shocked I tell you…that this group would encourage you to buy something! 😱

[smokenoob]

I’m shocked they beat you to it! 😂

[Panhead John]

I was in the bathroom.

[Finster]

Doesn’t anybody effing knock anymore?

[radiodome21]

I just use my side burner on my Weber genesis to get my chimney going. I fill up my chimney about 3/4 of the way up. I have the SNS kettle with stainless steel grates it came with. I just put the grate on after I dump the coals into the vortex.

Not sure if this degrades the grates at all because it does get really hot.

and make awesome chicken

[fkrall]

Get a Slow 'n Sear and Drip n' Griddle--they'll give you a ton of flexibility on the Weber. I don't stay home without 'em.

[smokenoob]

I-like the sns travel kettle !

[surfdog]

You will not be disappointed with the Vortex. It’s a wing cookin’ machine.
Obviously it can do other things, but man…those wings.

[Elton's BBQ]

I went on Ali express and ordered one.. 22 dollars +8dollars vat + 5 dollars in p&p..

[smokenoob]

Chimny, vortex, SNS travel kettle, drip pan, cover, and gloves on the way! 😁😁😁
Should arrive before next RV trip, woohoo!
I get by with a little help from my friends……..

[Panhead John]

Our job here is done!..…[for this week]

[klflowers]

Where you going next on the rv?

[smokenoob]

klflowers Heading south to an RC fly in event in Palmetto Florida, weather should be awesome! Planes, cookers and friends!

[smokenoob]

Not so fast………..What’s your favorite chicken rub?

[Purc]

I like Meat Church's Holly Voodoo and Holy Gospel AP. For hot wings I like to baste with Sweet Baby Rays Buffalo sauce.

[wrgilb]

If you can find some, Oakridge's Secret Weapon

[bbqLuv]

After trying different rubs, all are very good although each has a little different flavor, I have found that the good old Salt and Pepper works great.
Yep, you cannot go wrong with SPG either.

[Panhead John]

smokenoob This will not disappoint. Academy sells his line of rubs.

[NCARalph]

I cook whole chicken HOT! Get a good load of coals started, split them into two side baskets and open everything up. I'm aiming for 550F. Put a good coat of salt and pepper on the skin and wrap foil over the wing tips then place it in the middle between the fires and close the top.
Be careful opening the top. It's so hot, and with the oxygen is burned out of the air, the chicken skin, particularly the wings, can burst into flame when the oxygen hits them. Cook to 155F at the center of the breasts and let it sit for 10 min before carving but don't cover to keep the skin crisp.
The meat is amazingly moist and the skin is like crisp bacon.
I do turkeys like this too but at 450F because it takes longer. Don't overcook.

[bbqLuv]

I wonder if 500*F on my Traeger will do the same.
Can you post pictures of your cooks? Thanks.

[smokenoob]

bbqLuv I think the “Feels like” temp is hotter with direct heat but I could be making that up…….