# Beer can chicken time per pound



## nmaust (Nov 23, 2013)

I've done countless beer can chickens over the years, but they always take longer than planned.  Is there a per pound guideline for how long to smoke a whole chicken at 250?  I looked at Jeff's temperature chart, & it just said 4 hours but doesn't say how large of a chicken that is for.


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## themule69 (Nov 23, 2013)

Smoke to IT not by time.

Happy smoken.

David


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## venture (Nov 23, 2013)

Temp probes in the meat.

Breast at 165.

Thigh at 175.

That is how I like them?

Time?  I usually measure that in beers? Even that can vary?   
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Good luck and good smoking.


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## flyboys (Nov 23, 2013)

There really is no set time.  Variables include the cooking temp, the bird itself, and even the smoker.  I've had them finish from over 4 hours all the way down to 2 & 1/2 hours.  Like they said, go by temp, not time.  If you're trying to plan it down to the wire, and your smoking at a little bit of a higher temp, you could probably get away with assuming a ballpark of 3 hours.  But you know what they say about assuming...


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## nmaust (Nov 23, 2013)

I always cook to IT; I'm just looking for a basic framework for planning purposes.  It's odd that for virtually every other major cut of meat you can estimate cooking time at a particular temperature based on the weight of the raw product, including turkey, but not for chicken.  I thought I just hadn't found the right resource, but I guess it's an all-around mystery.


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## venture (Nov 24, 2013)

I agree on the mystery?

Two pork butts of the same weight on the smoker.

Might be close?

Might be very different?

The animals just seem to get their last revenge on us?

Good luck and good smoking.


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## bigr314 (Nov 24, 2013)

Smoked 2 spatchcock chickens @ 300. took same amount of time. Smoked 2 8 pound butts at same time. One of them took an hour longer. Just as said before, only way to go by is IT.


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## venture (Nov 25, 2013)

Maybe a hijack on the thread?

If I am concerned about cooking times?

We try to do sides that will hold for a long time?  Beans in a pot or potato salad in the fridge?

Or sides that will cook in a flash.  Fries or Onion Rings in the fryer?

Takes the stress off the uncertainties that come with smoking meat.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## foamheart (Nov 25, 2013)

This may help with estimating times, now everyone cooks using IT, its just another way to insure that even your mistakes are delicious.













TEMPERATURES.jpg



__ foamheart
__ Nov 25, 2013






Right Click upon it and then pick open in a separate tab, that will enlarge it for you to see.

Internal temperature trumps all seasoned experienced smokers sooner or later, if it works ya just can't beat it for perfection.

BTW following these posted numbers is completely on you. They do seem a bit high for me even as reference. I always smoked at chicken at about 250 degrees and it was always done in less that 3 hours.


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