Chicken on top, butts on the bottom or...?

[Nick Prochilo]

Larry does it like that all the time with no ill effects. I've never had the opportunity to cook both together.

 

[bigwheel]

It all follows the pecking order of critters which Noah took aboard the Ark prior to The Deluge. Souless creatures such as chickens and fish goes on the bottom rack. Those creatures with souls such as cows and pigs goes on top. Simple huh? I would not want any nasty old barnyard avian dropping it's drippings on top of my pushed pork or brisket. Now when it comes to pork and beef pork always goes on top. Simply cuz its drippings tastes mo betta than cow exudites. Hope this helps.

bigwheel

 

[Hillbilly1]

I'll back up bigwheel on this en. beef, pork, bird. Be how I do em.

 

[DaveG]

I did a cook on my WSM this past Saturday, 2 chickens and 2 butts 7#. My question is should the chicken be on the top cooking grate and the butts on the lower grate? All seemed to work well and tasted great, but I had a sinking feeing when I was all fired up and the meat ready toy go … which was right? When the chicken was done I pulled it off and moved the butts to the top grate. Any thoughts?

You did just fine. Starting with the butts on top would mean you would have to remove the butts to get at the done chicken, then replace the butts. Nothing from the chicken would survive in the time and at the temps it took to cook the butts.

 

[LarryWolfe]

I did a cook on my WSM this past Saturday, 2 chickens and 2 butts 7#. My question is should the chicken be on the top cooking grate and the butts on the lower grate? All seemed to work well and tasted great, but I had a sinking feeing when I was all fired up and the meat ready toy go … which was right? When the chicken was done I pulled it off and moved the butts to the top grate. Any thoughts?

You did just fine. Starting with the butts on top would mean you would have to remove the butts to get at the done chicken, then replace the butts. Nothing from the chicken would survive in the time and at the temps it took to cook the butts.

Dave's right.

Both ways are right, but whatever meat will finish first should always go on top for the main reason, 'simplicity' so you're not having to move one meat to get to the other. If the meat on top is fully cooked regarless of what it is, then the meat underneath is safe if done at the same time.

Now if you put chicken on the top and 30 minutes later your meat on the bottom is done, THAT'S when you get in trouble as the juices dripping on the bottom meat are not yet fully cooked.

 

[Bruce B]

Larry does it like that all the time with no ill effects. I've never had the opportunity to cook both together.

Are you kidding me, how do you think he got that head?

 

[bigwheel]

Well I think this entire discussion is based on a faulty premise. Fact of the matter is I don't know anybody who likes slow smoked rubber skin chicken. The Lord meant for chickens to be spit roasted direct over the coals..or at least cooked so fast that when the the thigh gets to 175 their eyes are still blinking. Less than an hour total cooktime in both cases. So..if me and old Jessie was robbing this train..we would cook the brisket under the butts then throw it in the hotbox. Rev up the R2D2 to about 350 and do the decased avians. That be only for them cheapie skates who refuse to spring for a Rotess attachment or is too fat and lazy to use it. I gots me a clamp basket which will twirl halfs. Sorta like them fancy attachements the ribolator/buttolator man was showing on here the other day. Now a person needs a low direct fire on the rotess deal. Hope this helps.

bigwheel