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Started By
Message
A question for you chicken smokers / BBQers...
Posted on 3/12/13 at 11:30 pm
Posted on 3/12/13 at 11:30 pm
When you make a whole chicken, would you suggest to leave those two clumps of fat just inside the rear cavity, or do you recommend taking them out. I usually rip them out, but I'm wondering if there's any basting that happens, although with the breast up, there really isn't much meat to baste. Do the cooking methods dictate whether these should be left in?
Pros? Cons?
Pros? Cons?
5
Posted on 3/12/13 at 11:46 pm to Degas
I don't trim any fat when smoking. The pro is that its mighty tasty. The con is that its mighty tasty.
Posted on 3/13/13 at 12:44 am to Gris Gris
I need a smoker! 
Posted on 3/13/13 at 1:12 am to Neauxla
Did you just call us cock smokers?
Posted on 3/13/13 at 1:16 am to LegacyAggie
This place is rapidly becoming the LAST place for food advice. 
Posted on 3/13/13 at 5:43 am to Degas
When smoking whole chickens i leave all fat in place. Same reason as Gris... let it baste / absord all the good flavors.. you could always trim after smoking if you are not happy with the final visual product.
Posted on 3/13/13 at 6:16 am to NOX
Plus it renders and keeps some moisture.
Posted on 3/13/13 at 7:27 am to Degas
Sometimes I trim it off but most times I leave it on.
Not to change the subject here but when doing whole chickens, I presume you are just leaving it completely intact and on it's back.
You should try spatchcocking it(basically butterflied). You cut the backbone out and spread it open cooking the inside of the bird and or the outside first and then flip. Cooks the chicken more evenly and somewhat quicker.
You also get more charred surface of meat which makes it more tasty.
Outside side down,
Done!
Not to change the subject here but when doing whole chickens, I presume you are just leaving it completely intact and on it's back.
You should try spatchcocking it(basically butterflied). You cut the backbone out and spread it open cooking the inside of the bird and or the outside first and then flip. Cooks the chicken more evenly and somewhat quicker.
You also get more charred surface of meat which makes it more tasty.
Outside side down,
Done!
Posted on 3/13/13 at 8:03 am to Cajunate
quote:
You should try spatchcocking it(basically butterflied). You cut the backbone out and spread it open cooking the inside of the bird and or the outside first and then flip. Cooks the chicken more evenly and somewhat quicker.
Just started doing this and it's a great technique. I was having trouble on my BGE with the breast meat being done way before the bottom half of the chicken. Has to do with how the air circulates around the plate setter. This is a great solution. Now that I know it's called "spatchcoking" I like it even more.
Posted on 3/13/13 at 8:55 am to dpd901
I spatchcock my whole chix too...and I do trim the excess fat & skin. I don't like the scorched/burned chicken fat flavor that sometimes results; those hunks of excess skin & fat are exposed more directly to heat when the bird is flattened out.
Posted on 3/13/13 at 9:03 am to hungryone
Damn those look good.....think I'm gonna do that Saturday on my WSM. Did ribs last week and turned out pretty good.
What temp and how long did you cook?
What temp and how long did you cook?
Posted on 3/13/13 at 9:06 am to Kingwood Tiger
Yeah i'm interested too in what temp yall smoke at. Seems like if you go low the meat is great but the skin is bad and if you go too high the skin is good but meat could get dry.
Posted on 3/13/13 at 9:13 am to Degas
I always butterfly my chicken, even in the oven. Sometimes I cook it under a brisket.
This post was edited on 3/13/13 at 9:14 am
Posted on 3/13/13 at 9:13 am to jmtigers
I do 4-lb chix at 375-400 degrees for 1 hour (on a raised grid, direct, if you're BGEgging). I add a little cherry or apple, but just enough to smoke for the first 10 minutes, as I don't like heavy smoke on poultry. Best part about spatchcocking--you don't have to turn it, baste it, or even look at it. Easiest chicken cook ever.
Posted on 3/13/13 at 9:14 am to LegacyAggie
quote:Cork Soakers
Did you just call us cock smokers?
Posted on 3/13/13 at 9:38 am to Degas
Also, if you are every trimming the fat for any reason, remember that the fat draws up and shrinks during cooking which can result in exposed meat which might not be what you would like in many cooking methods.
Posted on 3/13/13 at 9:57 am to Gris Gris
Thanks for the advice. I once saw Jacques Pepin take those fat lobes out and mention that they could be saved and used for making pate, so I've been taking them out ever since. From what you've said here folks, I'll leave them in next time.
I've spatchcocked in the past, but the real drawback is cooking space. If I've got the time, I can smoke two chickens in the same space it would take me to smoke one that is butterflied.
I've spatchcocked in the past, but the real drawback is cooking space. If I've got the time, I can smoke two chickens in the same space it would take me to smoke one that is butterflied.
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