# Chicken on top or bottom?



## cobrafnd (Apr 29, 2018)

I smoked some whole chickens on the top rack and ribs on the bottom, and someone told me you always put chicken under the ribs?  Why?  What difference does it make?  I read a bunch of people talking about putting chicken on top because it doesn’t take as long to cook, and some say put it on bottom because of food safety I guess?  Please tell me why you don’t want it over ribs.


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## bdskelly (Apr 29, 2018)

The fat from the ribs drips down to baste the birds. B


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## SmokinAl (Apr 30, 2018)

You can do it either way, but I would put the chicken on top, cause it will get done first.
As for the safety issue, there is none. As soon as the chicken juice hits the hot ribs it is sterilized.
Al


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## cobrafnd (Apr 30, 2018)

Kinda what I thought.  As long as your not putting raw chicken over ribs that are done, no big deal.  I wouldn’t put raw anything over meat that was done.  

Thanks for replies.


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