Chicken On The Kettle This Weekend

[Overproof]

Hi all,

Picked this knock off webber the other week off a local classified site. Brand new, boxed with some coal, lighters, smoking chips for pork and poultry all for $70..Pretty damn good deal considering I looked at webbers and they go for around 200-300 new for the same size.

Going to give it an easy run this weekend with some QTR chicken pieces before I move to a pork roast on boxing day. Pork, Beer, Cricket, Cigar - repeat cycle haha.

Any suggestions for cooking methods, spice mixes etc? I usually use a cajun mix for my bird but I thought it might be nice to get some smoke in the mix...?

Figure I'll cook similar to how I do with my BBQ, one side hot to grill and then transfer to an indirect side with a water tray.

How do you cook your chicken on the coal?

Hope everyone else here is looking forward to the holidays. I get the time to cook for my family and friends!

[Fuzz]

One word of advice, find better charcoal. That Diggers stuff is junk. A 20kg bag of good quality charcoal shouldn't cost more than $40 (normally $20-$30), so don't be conned by Bunnings and part with $15-$20 for 5kg.

As for the chicken, for a real easy charcoal chicken style, just rub it with chicken salt, oil and lemon. Use indirect heat and have a sheet of foil underneath to direct the drippings onto the charcoal.

[Overproof]

Thanks fuzz. I never thought that beads, coal, lump would make a difference apart from holding heat for longer. I'll head down to the BBQ store and take a look for some other stuff.

Not sure I understand what you mean by directing the dripping onto the coal with a sheet of foil, you have a pic?

[Fuzz]

Heatbeads (FYI stay well clear of the Easy Lite variety, they have chemical accelerants in them) and charcoal briquette logs will impart little to no flavour, unlike lump charcoal. Different wood used to make the charcoal will give it different characterisitics; eg burn time, temp, flavour, smoke quantity, etc

Don't bother with BBQ stores as they tend to inflate their prices. Look for Greek/Lebanese/Turkish grocery stores and you should find some cheaper charcoal.

If you look at charcoal chicken shops, the rotisseries sit above the charcoal and all the juices drip off right onto the charcoal, creating smoke to add flavour. As you will be cooking indirectly, you need the foil to sit underneath the chicken to direct the juices into the charcoal.

[Overproof]

You know your biz, thanks

[Fuzz]

Not my set up mind you, but something like this. Just have a foil sheet beneath the grate (may need some foil origami skills...) to catch the drippings off the chicken and flow onto the hot charcoal.

Personally, if I can't use a rotisserie, I prefer to stand up my chicken instead of laying on the grate.

[Overproof]

I Gotcha fuzz, I'll T something deadly up..

[mk05]

Beer can chicken with half side coal as fuzz showed is the ticket. Have fun

[Overproof]

Cheers for the tips guys and thanks for your suggestion fuzz. I paid a visit to my local charcoal kebab spot and he put me onto his wholesaler for coal. $28 for a massive 20kg bag of the top notch.

In case anyone is interested in Brisbane, just google the charcoal man (apologies if this is against the forum rules. Please let me know if it is and I'll edit)

I ended up doing a rolled roast...Took bloody ages but I got there in the end. Wasn't real certain on how much coal to throw in...All in good time, practice makes perfect ; )

[Fuzz]

Glad you found a cheaper source for your charcoal. I've heard of the dude you bought from, another dude is Bear Grills.

Use more charcoal than you need. Control the temp with the vents, and when you're done, just close up all the vents and let the charcoal go out on its own. Re-use any remaining charcoal for the next bbq.

Oh, and keep you charcoal in a dry place. It sucks up moisture and makes it harder to light.

[Overproof]

Cheers and thanks again.