OMG!!! Chicken should not be this hard.

[walley_eye]

This cook started out as a small chicken in the jumbo Joe.

THREE HOURS LATER!!! OMFG!!!

This was just too much of an ordeal but I didnt give up!!!

I started out with a full chimney of charcoal(more about that later)in the Jumbo Joe. I couldnt get the temp up high enough fast enough and it looked like it was gonna take 8 hours to finish this whole covid clucker!

So, next step, im movin’ the clucker to the 18” origional kettle but then realized i put its coal grate in the Jumbo so then I found my self looking at the 22 Master Touch thinking with the hinged grate it would be soo much easier to add coal.

And the switch was on its way.

Opened up the Master Touch and got her ready, moved the. Hi kennto the 18” origional, moved the water tray and scooped the coal to the MT, added more to get temps up and then transferred the chicken.







Once I got the coal and clucker transferred, the probes installed, and more coal added everything started picking up. Temps started rising and it was easier to add coal with the hinged grate so from that point on it was just a matter of watching the iGrill2(that thing has changed my cooking 100%).



So this brings me to the end. I did get the covid clucker done but it took three hours. Groan. Which brings me to why.






The moral of the story?

I used partially left over coal and partially new coal to fire up the chimney. Ive never had such a hard time getting coal started when I used all new coal so next time I will use new lump and add some previously used coal briquettes instead of using too much used coal which will be hard to light.

I might even spatchcock the clucker next time.

But, the wife and kids liked it so all turned out well but it was three hours of tension.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JEBIV]

I would have just turned that into 3 hours of relaxing and drinking, your bird looks good. did you have a lot of water in your tray? was the water cold to start? me personally I would have skipped the water tray. I have had a few occasions where I used to many used coals versus new and had trouble getting temps up. You recovered and ate well. Don't stress,grilling should always be fun even if you have problems

[HoosierKettle]

I would have just turned that into 3 hours of relaxing and drinking, your bird looks good. did you have a lot of water in your tray? was the water cold to start? me personally I would have skipped the water tray. I have had a few occasions where I used to many used coals versus new and had trouble getting temps up. You recovered and ate well. Don't stress,grilling should always be fun even if you have problems

What he said.

The water pan is a heat sink. Not needed for chicken. Also if your coals are struggling in the beginning, just leave the lid cracked for more air flow. All vents were wide open right?


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[jhagestad]

I love your perseverance - it's easy to get flustered when Plan A isn't going the way you expected. But you triaged the situation properly, enacted Plan B, and successfully cooked what looks to be a delicious bird! I like using coals from previous cooks to save charcoal too, but like you, I found that trying to relight used coals isn't so easy, so I've also abandoned trying to relight used coals in the chimney. I only light new coals in the chimney now. I light maybe a half chimney then pour those into my basket which has old coals (with the ash shaken off). Big difference in temp quality and ease of maintenance. Thanks for sharing your experience - I'm sure you'll save some folks' time in their cooks with what you discovered!

Also - I love the Molson as first officer!

[MacEggs]

All great advice above, including this...

I would have just turned that into 3 hours of relaxing and drinking, your bird looks good.

My advice: Find some better beer!
I don't know anybody up here who drinks that crap, and I AM Canadian.

[walley_eye]

did you have a lot of water in your tray? was the water cold to start?

I started the water in the pan poured out of a kettle. Scalding hot. It was one cup water.

Next time I will skip the water pan. Thx!


Manitoba, Canada
Weber Smokey Joe Gold:(
Weber Jumbo Joe*****
Weber Master Touch*****
Weber Q 120
Weber iGrill 2

[walley_eye]

My advice: Find some better beer!
I don't know anybody up here who drinks that crap, and I AM Canadian.
[/quote]

Hahaha. Come on!!! Canadian is yummy!!! Dont make me make fun of you because your from Barrie. Haha. JK!


Manitoba, Canada
Weber Smokey Joe Gold:(
Weber Jumbo Joe*****
Weber Master Touch*****
Weber Q 120
Weber iGrill 2