Show me your breasts, please.

[Jed.cook]

I don’t grill chicken breasts very often, (I just think the dark meat has much more flavor) but when I do, it’s usually on the gasser. It’s just so much quicker & easier, and I’ve never found it makes THAT much difference in taste. I’m sure someone’s going to rake me over the coals (pun intended) for saying that, and I’m ready to admit that maybe it’s just that I’ve just been doing it wrong all along.

Last night I fired up the 26er with a semi-full chimney, offset in a DIY large charcoal basket with some fire bricks as a heat shield. I pulled 5 large chicken breasts from a 48 hour Italian dressing marinade and, as per an online recipe from Kingsford, seared for 4 min on each side.

Then ensued the battle of getting them up to temp. I tried to offset cook them as close to the coals as possible without getting over direct heat & burning the hell out of the outside. (Basically right above the bricks) After about 16 minutes of this, they were still only around 140* IT at the thickest part. I had to keep putting them over direct, then moving them back to the “over brick” area several times before I was able to get the IT up over 150* and was comfortable feeding them to my family without running the risk of getting everyone sick. They came out “good,” but nothing better than I could’ve done on the gasser with far less effort & stress. (Nothing was picture-worthy.)

I’m sure I did a million things wrong, so please feel free to point out all of my transgressions. My ultimate goal here is to have a “go-to hot & fast chicken breast charcoal kettle recipe” that can be adapted for whatever the situation. I’m comfortable with my steak game, chicken thighs, salmon, etc.; now I’m ready for the breasts.

So what’s yours? Hopefully it’s simple, but please provide as much detail as is needed for a newbie to gain success.

Thanks!


-Jed

[HoosierKettle]

Are you talking boneless skinless or bone in skin on?  how thick?

Bone in skin on take me an hour of mostly indirect.

Boneless skinless I either butterfly or pound to even the thickness then just grill them direct for ten minutes turning frequently. It’s pretty easy.


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[Jed.cook]

Are you talking boneless skinless or bone in skin on?  how thick?


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These last night were boneless/skinless & SUPER thick, but it’s nice to know your simplified approach to all types. Thanks!

Your bone-in, skin-on method sounds about the same as the way I do thighs on the Vortex. Maybe just a little longer?


-Jed

[HoosierKettle]

Yeah anything really thick will take some time indirect. Your fire bricks might be acting like a heat sink. I don’t know, I’ve never used fire bricks. I just do a simple two zone fire. As long as the meat isn’t over the coals, it won’t burn.


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[Travis]

Sounds like you did it just fine. Another way might be to use a meat tenderizer or whatever and point them down to the same thickness then marinade them and so on. Extra step but it does speed up the cook time.


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[Fat Tony]

I always wet brine boneless, skinless breasts for at least 1 hour. 2-3 hours preferred.  I then rinse and pat dry and apply rub. Weber honey and garlic, Weber coffee,  or Meatheads Memphis Dust is what I've been using.  I use a SNS without water. I aim for 325 grill temp. After 30-40 minutes I flip and rotate the breast. Shooting for 155ish IT. Definitely not a fast method,  but simple, and always good results.

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[mahnamahna]

I make a large pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts once a week for dinner and they make great leftovers for sandwiches and salads.

Set up for indirect.

Dry the breasts and then give them a light coating of EVOO.  Cover in the below shown Costco seasoning.

Grill away from the heat, add a wood chunk of apple or cherry on the grate over flame.

Use thermometer and remove each piece when they each hit 165.  Place in bowl with lid on for 5-10mins.

Shake bowl to coat in juices in bowl.  Serve.

Refrigerate and the next day dice chicken and return to bowl with juices.  Shake and use on sandwiches, salads, tacos, etc etc etc


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[Jed.cook]

Thanks @mahnamahna that looks amazing! About how long does it take to get them up to 165*?


-Jed

[mahnamahna]

Thanks @mahnamahna that looks amazing! About how long does it take to get them up to 165*?


-Jed

I’m thinking about 45mins or so.  Less if you get the grill really hot.  But definitely use a thermometer and as soon as it shows 165 pull them into the bowl.  That the reason so many people complain about dry chicken, imo


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[crizpynutz]

I usually do boneless/skinless breasts on the Weber gas grill but either way I'd follow the same process of wet brine/marinade for 1-3 hours, pat dry and then cook to temp.  It is best/easiest to cook to temp since it's also easy to under/over cook boneless chicken breasts.  I also like to butterfly and lightly pound out for even thickness and more consistent cooking.  My family likes a darker/crispier outside, so I do end to get them over direct for a bit to get that darker outside.

Here's an all purpose rub I use on chicken a lot:  https://www.atbbq.com/code-3-grunt-rub.html

Also, for a marinade, a simple good Italian Dressing or Zesty Italian Dressing works well.

[TD15]

+1 on mahnamahna’s method.  Aside from the particular seasoning choice it’s pretty exact to what I do and it comes out good every time.  Indirect (but no bricks) for about 45 min will get you 165, then rest.  Rest is important on the white meat.  I will just wrap my tray with foil, but I like his bowl method for the benefit of the leftovers.


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[MikeRocksTheRed]

Here’s some I did last night.  Marinated in olive oil, adobo (sauce from a can of chipotle peppers) and lime juice. 




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[MikeRocksTheRed]

If you can’t tell, I almost always filet my breasts so I have two closer to equal thickness pieces from each one.  Grill Grates also help cook chicken a lot more evenly. 

I would suggest going direct on each side for some color then pull over to the indirect side until they reach temp. 


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[HoosierKettle]

If you can’t tell, I almost always filer my breasts so I have two closer to equal thickness prices from each one.  Grill Grates also help cook chicken a lot more evenly. 

I would suggest going direct on each side for some color then pull over to the indirect side until they reach temp. 


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Now those look incredible.


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[Firemunkee]

If you can’t tell, I almost always filer my breasts so I have two closer to equal thickness prices from each one.  Grill Grates also help cook chicken a lot more evenly. 

I would suggest going direct on each side for some color then pull over to the indirect side until they reach temp. 


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Now those look incredible.


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Very incredible!! I am not very good at cutting breasts in half. I should probably look up how to do it rather than just winging it

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