Whole Chicken - Opinions Needed...

[PBrug]

Looking for thoughts from the Brethren...

I'm doing some Baby Backs and 2 small Spatchcock Chickens on the Assassin today. I usually concentrate on the breast temp when cooking whole birds and pull them at about 155 and let them rest and rise a lil. Breast meat is always moist and to my liking, dark meat good as well.

I wanted to take these birds further, to get that super tender / pullable dark meat, although I do not want to pull them. Haven't done whole birds that way in a really long time, as I usually just use boneless/skinless thighs when doing pulled chicken.

I dry brined the birds overnight with Kosher Salt and my rub.

So my question is, how far can I take the breasts before they are gonna be dry? What temps should I be looking for in the white and dark meat, to get that ultra tender, fall apart whole bird?

Any and all advise appreciated and welcomed!

 

[SMOKE FREAK]

I do whole birds on the rotisserie. Smoke or no smoke. Higher temps get the meat done without fear of drying out. I shoot for 160-165 both breast and thighs.

 

[darita]

325 to 375 until 170 IT.

 

[thirdeye]

I butcher chickens and turkeys like this, and pull the breast at 158°, and the dark meat at 175+°.

 

[JS-TX]

I think 162-165* IT in the breast will be ok

 

[Monkey Uncle]

I butcher chickens and turkeys like this, and pull the breast at 158°, and the dark meat at 175+°.

Yup. I almost never cook chickens whole anymore.

 

[jimbolyo]

Great idea, never thought of that. Looks great as well!!

 

[Moose]

I know this is veering off a bit from your question, as you seem to already have the cooker picked out for your chickens, but if you haven't tried doing a rotisserie basket chicken, it's a total game changer. I believe it will yield what you are looking for and then some. I documented my first cook here:


https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=283095