Outside Lookin in on the whole dr.pepper can

[jesterphatt]

Ok, so I am an adhoc smoker, but i love it.

First time whole chicken account
2 whole chickens ~3.5 - 4 lbs a piece
2 cans half full of dr.pepper with extra hole cut in top of cans

wash and dried. Rubbed Famous daves chicken rub inside and out.
1 apple cut and adjusted to plug neck hole and fit can in cavity

3 hours between 200 and 230 didnt cut it. I took the temperature and it was shy of 180 by a good 20 degrees. But by the look and feel (i know should have used the leg pull...didnt) it seemed done. halving chicken doesnt show me anything, so I quarter and see that the meat isnt done. another 20 minutes at 375 in the house oven did the job.

80% Charcoal 20% Hickory chunk and I soak hickory chipps on the grill in a small loaf pan and take out periodically and spread over hot coals. First time I used hickory chunks. I think I like them because it gives me more smoke than the chips alone.

I am a webber smoker where I build charcoal fire to one side with drip pan taking lions share of lower fire grate. oven grate has mini loaf pan soaking chips and providing moisture positioned right above fire. I placed the chickens pretty much in the center due to height of chickens.

(Note to self... dont forget to clean the inside roof of the grill cover)

Good meal all in all.. the chicken had a good smoke flavor and my wife kids and coworker liked it, but i know it can be better.

Couple things i would throw out there... hotter temp...say ~230 I think that would be benificial for getting the job done so I dont have to quarter and then bake... how much moistness did I loose there?

I think the apple juice I sprayed darkened the skin and the skin wasnt totally crispy. I woulndt mind taking the chickens off of the webber whole and then putting them in the oven to get that last crispy skin part. The Dr.Pepper had good flavor but next time its gonna be a beer
Brine, I am gonna brine the birds first.

Again the chicken was good, I just know it can be better... if I must try and try again... only if I must

I will be going back to ribs and shoulders for a bit.

My motto is and always will be
Pig's Fat is where it's at!

attempting to post images....

 

[chris_harper]

looks good to me.

 

[crazzycajun]

just my 2 cents worth i use a dark beer and i take part of the beer and put it into a spray bottle with whorchester sauce alittle vinegar and some cooking oil and yes bump up your heat to at least 250 after the first hour or so or finish on the grill at a little higher heat a memo i seen was inderect cooking at 350 for 2hrs or so for a 4# but ive done them in the smoker for 3-4 hours but the spray bottle with the oil after the first hour or so so you dont wash of the rub really gives it crispy skin

 

[oillogger]

jesterphatt,

You made yourself some good looking chicken. I bet they tasted great! Next time try sitting the chicken all of the way down on the can till it's butts touches the grating. By doing this you can keep the chicken standing up with the two legs and never have to use nor clean up your chicken props again. I am always looking for easier ways of doing things and have been making my drunken chickens stand up on their own for over 15 years without one of them deciding to lay down on the job. This method is not quite as stable but it does work and is how it was all started.

 

[johnnyreb]

when i do BCC on my weber i put the chicken on the charcoal grate so the lid dosent hit the top of the chicken

just a little tip

 

[camocook]

I have several "beer butt chickens" under my belt.I like to season the cavity and sometimes under the skin.Also I prefer the temp around 250* and crank the temp. up at the last 1/2 hr. to crisp the skin. 3 hrs. total usually does it for me on my ECB.

 

[gypsyseagod]

just my 2 cents, but if i have to finish something in the oven i don't cut it. i just tent it.