Whole chicken cooking time?

[depth10]

Have a Large BGE and decided to try a whole chicken for the first time. Injected it, added rub, set for 1hr, placed on 'chicken stand' with beer in it, and set to 280F. It's been 5hrs and is only 160F. Understand I'm close, but this thing is no bigger than 5lbs. I've opened it probably 7-8 times over 5hrs to spray a quick marinade. The pit and meat temp have been verified from multiple therms so don't foresee a tool issue. What am I missing?

 

[addertooth]

At 250 degrees, indirect heat, my  last pair of beer can chickens took less than 3 hours to reach 165.  I didn't flap the grill lid to spray the birds; every time you do that, it delays completion.  They came out very moist.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Have you calibrated your therms with the boil test? Understandably multiple all reading the same might not be off. I just don't use a therm that I haven't tested first.

That said, at 280, I've never had a bird take more than a couple hours. Since you brined, have a can of liquid in there and have been spritzing that may be part of the issue. All that moisture is cooling things down. And of course every time you open to spritz you loose heat and increase cooking time.

 

[flash]

Yep 3 to 3 1/2 hours top on my lowly GOSM propane.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Dirtsailor has the right idea, do a boil test on your Therms.  This will solve a whole lot of headaches .  You have an Egg , so I suspect you DO have a good Dual Probe Therm.

 

I'm anal and calibrate before each cook. 

Have fun and . . .

 

[noboundaries]

This thread was from mid July.  All good advice above, plus make sure the probe isn't touching bone.  I've unintentionally done that before and it will result in low readings. 

 

[padronman]

 
This thread was from mid July.  All good advice above, plus make sure the probe isn't touching bone.  I've unintentionally done that before and it will result in low readings. 

Do you think his bird is done yet?