How do you do bbq chicken?

[SmokinVOLfan]

Evening fellas. Sorry for my lack of involvement lately life is just crazy at the moment. So I have come here to ask some advice.

I have two big cooks coming the next two weekends for my sons graduation and then my daughters 10th birthday party. I like to offer two meat options when I do these large cooks. Pulled pork and ribs are the mainstays one for each party. I would like to do some chicken and have done it every which way in the past.

My question is how do you guys do your bbq chicken? Thinking of using thighs. How much do you trim? Skin or no skin? How do you like to cook it? I have a gas grill, a Santa Maria grill, a griddle, a kettle, and two smokers. What do you like to marinate it in if at all? How often do you glaze with sauce? Is pops firemen’s chicken or something else a better option?

Appreciate any input!

 

[Smokin Okie]

I spatchcock and halve and then go with a light dusting of SPG, then Plowboys Yardbird or Kosmos Dirty Bird.

Sometimes I put them on the offset smoker, but usually I go hot and fast on the 18 WSM. Take out the water pan, full lit chimney of coals with another 1/2 chimney of unlit. With a few chunks of cherry wood. Cook takes about an hour and a half.

Then serve with sauce on the side, usually Head Country and sometimes Killer Hogs vinegar sauce.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Don't do alot of chicken but some time back we did some drums and thighs on kettle with vortex... hardly ever sauce but this time we did, towards the end.

It turned out really good!

Ryan

 

[Fueling Around]

Sometimes you have to think to a taste. Didn't mention your audience.
My wife prefers chicken without any smoke or charcoal cooked flavor. Whole chicken is spatch cocked and done in the oven. Breasts or thighs go on the gas grill.
Thinking back to kids graduation parties.
Daughter wanted smoked pulled pork.
Son wanted a taco bar.

 

[flatbroke]

I like Santa Maria cooked chicken quarters and thighs. I’d get boneless for the party with skin. No trim. Smoked chicken thighs are good too and again I’d stay with boneless. How much chicken are you cooking and how big is the grill space.

I don’t sauce chicken, or anything really, but mop or spritz at times. Chicken is good with SPOG

 

[chilerelleno]

So many ways... But I do have a few ways that get done regularly.

We love thighs and whole spatchcocked birds.

No trim on the thighs, wrap that skin around as you lay them down meat side down to start.

50/50 use of either rub or marinade.
Less seldom do I glaze my chicken due to the mess, but when I do it's either Sweet Baby Ray's or Yoshida's.

I use a variety of marinades, but Italian dressing, homemade Mexican chile sauce or chile lime are my mainstays.

Chile's Chile Lime Marinade for Grilled Chicken

Chile's Chile Lime Marinade for Grilled Chicken 3c lime juice, I use bottled juice Zest, juice and pulp of 4 fresh limes, 1c Evoo or your preferred oil 1c Vinegar, AC or white 1/4c Kosher salt 4T of chile powder (I use 50/50 Ancho/Guajillo, use some Arbol if you want some heat. If you like it...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Chile's Mexican Style Grilling Sauce for Chicken

Chile's Mexican Style Grilling Sauce for Chicken 1 28oz can of Enchilada sauce, red or green 2 7oz cans of Salsa Casera (red) or Verde (green), pureed coarse (or chiles such as today's chipotles) 4T Chile powder (You can use a chile powder mix, or straight chile powder, e.g. Ancho, Arbol or...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

My go to rub is my homemade Chile's Chicken Rub, I add or subtract to it depending on what flavor profile I desire.

Chile's Basic Rubs for Pork, Chicken and Brisket

These are my basic homemade rubs, always bags of these in the spice cabinet. From these basic recipes it is very easy to adjust them one way or another, no salt, more salt, sweet, savory, mild, hot or for particular flavor profiles. These are not processed in a spice grinder, I just whisk them...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

That or I'll whip up a mix of dried herbs, spray the thighs/birds oil and liberally apply the herb mix.

Grilled Herb Chicken and Sausage with Onions/Bell Pepper

Sidestepped the smoker today and fired up the grill for a nice dinner of Grilled Herb Chicken and Sausage with Onions/Bell Peppers. Menu Grilled Herb Chicken Grilled Sausage with Onions/Bell Pepper Southwestern Vegetable Medley Fresh Guacamole and Tortilla Chips Grilled Herb Chicken and...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Sometimes I use large bunches of herbs under the meat to infuse the flavor of such as sage, rosemary or lemon thyme.

With my spatchcocked birds I'll often put long skewers side to side through the thighs, make turning them over very easy.

 

[gmc2003]

I'm another Kettle/Vortex user. I'd go with thighs and legs. Season with your favorite rub and let her rip.

You can also go the Cordon blue route

 

[chopsaw]

I have two big cooks coming the next two weekends for my sons graduation and then my daughters 10th birthday party.

My question is how do you guys do your bbq chicken?

I do a lot of different ways too , but cooking for 3 on Sunday is a different deal .
So to the point of what you have going , I would go with boneless , skinless chicken thighs . I would also use the gas grill . Gives me the room I need , and easy control of heat .

This also controls some of the mess ( no bones left after eating ) and can be put on a bun or plated and use a knife and fork .

They cook up quick and take sauce well . Cooked here with some sausage .

Sauce all set and ready to go . Creamy coleslaw and a cheep burger bun
makes a great sandwich and easy to eat at a get together .

 

[flatbroke]

How many people are you cooking for? The weber vortex is pretty much set and forget freeing you up for other stuff but space is limited. Comes out good though. I like kosmo killer bee honey on the chicken with a little kosmo dirty bird mixed in for a bit of a kick. Or do without it no heat wanted. The smoker makes good thighs also with same rub. I’m looking forward to your post.

 

[JLeonard]

Dang I'm craving some chicken now!!!!

Jim

 

[02ebz06]

After reading through all the replies and seeing all the different ways, you're probably wishing you hadn't asked the question. Haha
For chicken thighs, I like stuffed boneless chicken thighs.
Got the recipe from Steven Raichlen's BarbequeBible.Com.

Bacon, Ham and Cheese Chicken Thighs - Barbecuebible.com

These bacon-wrapped smoked chicken thighs may sound like pure Americana, but the inspiration comes from Belgrade. Recipe from Project Smoke.

barbecuebible.com

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Wow I appreciate all of the replies so far! Some great looking food too! Got the wheels turning for sure.

Only problem with going premier is I keep forgetting how to do Jeff's dump cake recipe

Didn't mention your audience.

A lot of kids and older folks as well. Going to have to keep it somewhat simple.

How much chicken are you cooking and how big is the grill space.

Probably looking at 2-3 large packs of thighs. Around the same size as a standard kettle on grill space.

Sometimes I use large bunches of herbs under the meat to infuse the flavor of sage, rosemary, lemon thyme.

I also do this when I do whole birds. Time is an issue so going the boneless variety is of essence.

How many people are you cooking for?

Probably looking at around 40 on Saturday. Have two large butts and also doing mac&cheese, slaw, and beans.

 

[chopsaw]

Bone in , skin on . Lemon , garlic and basil .

Plenty of room on the 26 to cook indirect . This was a whole family pack .

No sauce needed . More of a Sunday supper thing .

 

[sawhorseray]

I like to go with Vortex chicken legs when having a crowd, once they're on you don't have to fool aound much, just turn the lid a couple of times. This is a family pack, takes 35 minutes, you can pack a little tighter, reckon you'd need a couple loads at least. RAY

 

[zwiller]

GREAT stuff so far. Seeing those drums gave me an idea. Drums cured in Pops low salt and then rubbed and smoke are a real treat and very different than typical fare. Cool part is cheap too.

 

[noboundaries]

I dry rub and vac-seal bone-in, skin-on thighs. Toss 'em in the fridge until ready to smoke or grill or grill/smoke over indirect heat. They can be ready to cook in 2-4 hours or kept in the fridge for several days.

Thighs are the pork butts of poultry; just about impossible to screw up unless not cooked/smoked/grilled long enough. The dry brine lowers the final tender temp to 165F, but they are still tender and juicy at 175-195F.

 

[chilerelleno]

I also do this when I do whole birds. Time is an issue so going the boneless variety is of essence.

So many ways... But I do have a few ways that get done regularly.

We love thighs and whole spatchcocked birds.

No trim on the thighs, wrap that skin around as you lay them down meat side down to start.

50/50 use of either rub or marinade.
Less seldom do I glaze my chicken due to the mess, but when I do it's either Sweet Baby Ray's or Yoshida's.

I use a variety of marinades, but Italian dressing, homemade Mexican chile sauce or chile lime are my mainstays.

Chile's Chile Lime Marinade for Grilled Chicken

Chile's Chile Lime Marinade for Grilled Chicken 3c lime juice, I use bottled juice Zest, juice and pulp of 4 fresh limes, 1c Evoo or your preferred oil 1c Vinegar, AC or white 1/4c Kosher salt 4T of chile powder (I use 50/50 Ancho/Guajillo, use some Arbol if you want some heat. If you like it...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Chile's Mexican Style Grilling Sauce for Chicken

Chile's Mexican Style Grilling Sauce for Chicken 1 28oz can of Enchilada sauce, red or green 2 7oz cans of Salsa Casera (red) or Verde (green), pureed coarse (or chiles such as today's chipotles) 4T Chile powder (You can use a chile powder mix, or straight chile powder, e.g. Ancho, Arbol or...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

My go to rub is my homemade Chile's Chicken Rub, I add or subtract to it depending on what flavor profile I desire.

Chile's Basic Rubs for Pork, Chicken and Brisket

These are my basic homemade rubs, always bags of these in the spice cabinet. From these basic recipes it is very easy to adjust them one way or another, no salt, more salt, sweet, savory, mild, hot or for particular flavor profiles. These are not processed in a spice grinder, I just whisk them...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

That or I'll whip up a mix of dried herbs, spray the thighs/birds oil and liberally apply the herb mix.

Grilled Herb Chicken and Sausage with Onions/Bell Pepper

Sidestepped the smoker today and fired up the grill for a nice dinner of Grilled Herb Chicken and Sausage with Onions/Bell Peppers. Menu Grilled Herb Chicken Grilled Sausage with Onions/Bell Pepper Southwestern Vegetable Medley Fresh Guacamole and Tortilla Chips Grilled Herb Chicken and...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Sometimes I use large bunches of herbs under the meat to infuse the flavor of sage, rosemary, lemon thyme.
View attachment 665642

With my spatchcocked birds I'll often put long skewers side to side through the thighs, make turning them over very easy.

If you're going to go boneless I'd highly recommend wet brining, really helps to keep chicken and pork from drying out.
Then a quick sear to lock in juices/flavor, followed by medium - med high temps to glaze and finish.
Works great for boneless skinless breasts.

 

[Jonok]

I maintain a rotisserie for only this purpose.
Salt the skin thoroughly, put one stick of butter and one cone of Mexican sugar in the cavity and use cooking string to sew the ends shut and bind the legs. Cook till 175 or so in the thighs . It is the best thing you will ever ever eat…

 

[Danblacksher]

I spatchcock and then dry brine with coarse kosher salt for 24 hours. I then take garlic butter and put it under the skin and season with salt pepper garlic and Lowery’s. Cook breast side down at 250 for 3 1/2 hours and then flip and cook breast side up the last 40 minutes. I let rest for 2 to 5 hours covered in a food warmer you can also use the oven for this. Incredible

 

[Danblacksher]

If anybody knows why my pics are uploading but not showing until you click on them I would love to know. I have an iPhone