Chicken question

[Blackrobe]

Hello,
So I'm used to smoking chicken on my propane smoker. Going to give my new weber charcoal a try.

I have heat probes I will be using for temperature. What I'm unsure of is # of briquettes and placement go get started. I'm just doing legs and thighs with some mesquite wood chunks thrown on (guessing on the grate??). I also assume I should be using indirect heat. Chicken pictures show coals in the center and chicken surrounding on the outside. Is that accurate? Roughly how many coals? Rough estimate on temperature and time? Usually smoked them hotter than my pork, around 275-300.

Thanks guys, I'll try to post pics when I'm done.

[foshizzle]

If you want to do coals in the center with the chicken along the outside edge of the grill it's usually done with a full chimney which fills two Weber charcoal baskets or a Vortex accessory. You open up all vents and lett'r rip and get as hot as possible.


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[Cellar2ful]

I do my chicken thighs by placing the chicken in the middle and the charcoal baskets to each side.  An aluminum drip pan sits between the charcoal baskets, directly below the chicken to catch the fat drippings.  I lite 50 briquettes and when lit dump half into each charcoal basket.  After putting the chicken on the grate, I drop a chunk or two of apple wood onto each side of the briquettes.  I run the lid and bowl bents wide open and check the internal temp of the thighs at 35 minutes.  My lid therm usually shows 350-400 degrees during the cook.  When the wood catches fire, the lid therm can climb to 450 degrees. They are usually done between 35 to 40 minutes (170-175 degrees). 

 

Use of the Vortex with chicken around the perimeter of the grate I usually see done for chicken wings or drumsticks.

[HoosierKettle]

Not necessarily smoked chicken, but something that's great to try on a kettle. Set up two zone and cook direct until desired color and finish on indirect side.


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[Blackrobe]

Great tips all!

Starting with chicken since I think its probably the hardest to screw up!