WSM First Smoke: Cornell Chicken

[IslePilot]

Hi,

I had my maiden voyage last night with my WSM 18 with a Cornell Chicken cook. I used the recipe for the marinade/baste from pops6927 found here:

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ams/firemans-chicken-variation-of-cornell-chicken.9894/

Bottom line: This was probably the best chicken I have ever had. It was incredibly juicy and delicious. Here is the basic process I followed:

Combined all ingredients and poured half over two spatchcocked chickens to marinate.

• 1pm - Two 3.7 lb organic, air-chilled fryers into the marinade
• 6:30pm - begin pit and charcoal prep (using Kingsford Applewood Charcoal and three fist sized pieces of applewood). Started one chimney of charcoal and added it to the WSM, then added another chimney on top of the hot coals. I then waited about 20 minutes for the second batch to light.
• My plan was to put the chicken on around 7:15, but a thunderstorm parked right overhead so I delayed for it to pass.
• 7:40pm - Chicken on, breast-side up, WSM temp around 410 deg (goal is 350)
• 7:55pm - Baste
• 8:05pm - Baste

• 8:10pm - Check thigh temps, at 120 deg, turn breast-side down and baste rib side
• 8:30pm - Check breast temp - 150 deg, return to breast down, baste rib side
• 8:40pm - Check temp, 155 deg, leave breast-side up
• 8:55pm - Check temp, breast at 160 deg, thigh at 175...remove from heat and rest
• 9:05pm - Begin carving and serve

A couple of notes:

• Two 3.7 lb chickens was way too much for our family of four. One would have been enough.
• Meat was very juicy, white meat was a just a touch bland. Probably needed to marinate longer.
• Skin was delicious, but not crisp. Try trick of placing breast-side down directly over coals at end of cook next time.
• WSM had way more charcoal than it seems was necessary. Original temps were around 430 deg, and the coolest I worked down to was about 375. It didn't seem to be a problem, but certainly of note. This morning when I checked the coals, there was still about 50% unburned, so perhaps one chimney would be adequate.

As I am writing this, I am sitting out in my backyard smoking a rack of ribs....so the true smoking maiden voyage is today. Nonetheless, I am thrilled with this forum (where I found the recipe), and the WSM.

Keith

 

[motocrash]

Good lookin' yardbird.
Nice turf in the back yard too.

 

[texomakid]

Very nice. We're fond of the spatchcock method as well. Good looking bird.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Good looking yard birds! I spatched and smoked one today myself. Best way to go IMO

 

[gmc2003]

Happy to here the maiden voyage was a success. The chicken looks wonderful. I always close all vents on my WSM after the cook and grate cleaning. Then I reuse them on the next cook or in my Kettle.

Point for sure
Chris