• I picked up a couple of Aldi chooks the other day, and gave them the usual overnighter in a brine, Then onto the PrQ for a spin, after about 1.5 hours the birds looked done and the breast probed at 165,
    Good work I thought and riped those suckers of and feed them to the hungry hords, The breast meat was juicy tender and delicious, very tasty, But the thigh's and the legs seemed a little tuff and didn't just pull off the bone, and I felt needed more cooking, they where done and got eaten but just didnt look right, I have had some store bought rotisserie birds the same, just wondering if any one has experienced the same,
    Maybe just need some extra time but the fear is the breast meat will not be as juicy :shrug:

    ProQ Excel Elite2o<---> Weber Kettle<---> AKORN KAMADO<--->  WEBER GO ANYWHERE

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    I wouldn't buy chicken at Coles, Woollies or Aldi. I only get the Banockburn free range and it's always top notch. Did you know that those 'specials' for $8 etc at the big supermarkets are pumped with saline solution to add weight so you don't actually get the amount chicken you thought you were getting.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • Something Gumb mentioned a while back was not trussing to get the thigh cooked at a similar time to the breast. I try to prong the insides of the thighs to stop then flailing and squish the prongs together tight.
    I've seen hundreds of videos where butchers are saying trussing cooks more evenly but I always have problems with the inner thigh trussed.

  • I always have problems with the inner thigh trussed.

    Spot on Mup, they tie them together and it stops the inside cooking properly.

    No bird should have it's legs tied together. ;)

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • To get that fall apart meat like in charcoal chicken shops, You need to take the thigh temp up higher. Around 180F or 80-85C
    Or just put up with the chew if you prefer a lower finish temp. Its just personal preference.

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    I've never had fall apart chicken from a charcoal chicken shop, I find it's usually dry and unappealing.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • Simply stating a fact in response to the Op wondering why the meat was not falling off the bone.
    It doesn't at 165F. Although quality does make a difference for sure.
    Shop charcoal chooks dry out because they sit around too long. My local shop cant be beat. High turnover and cooks them over gidgee.
    Gumb, I think you just had crap dry chicken. And of course you don't have to eat it.

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    I think you just had crap dry chicken. And of course you don't have to eat it.

    Yes but you'd be surprised how common it is. A good charcoal chicken shop is a very rare thing in my experience.
    This is partly due to the better safe than sorry attitude to chicken.
    Just on a personal note, if I've bought an animal that has died so that I could eat it I always feel obliged to do so. In these instances I use mayo or other yummy sauces to hide the scene of the crime. I won't go back to the shop again though...

  • Yes, Very true Narm.
    The UP side is, We can cook them ourselves and control what happens.
    Our roti chooks dont have to sit around in a 60C display oven for hours on end and we have little tricks to keep the breast nice and moist.
    Such as hot butter injection with a medical/ druggie seringe and shielding.

  • Some interesting feed back there but the most helpful was smokey and it makes sense, I need to protect the breast meat and bring the thigh meat higher in temperature, will give it a go and report back, Maybe the simple art of cooking a chook is not that simple :bbq:

    ProQ Excel Elite2o<---> Weber Kettle<---> AKORN KAMADO<--->  WEBER GO ANYWHERE

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    A good charcoal chicken shop is a very rare thing in my experience.

    I agree and while Mick might has a good one nearby, I've probably only tried a charcoal chicken shop a few times in the last 20 years and the usual feeling is that I shouldn't have bothered. :)

    I'm interested in the concept of taking chicken to 80-85c though. I rarely go much past 65c if it's just for the two of us but will take it to low 70's if the family are around, just in case. I would have thought that chicken didn't have the right structure to be taken past that point so that it so it falls apart like meats with lots of collagen (pork shoulder and brisket etc). I'm happy to be corrected and give it a try however.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • That's what the supermarket does....have a look at the settings on their cooker display next time you get a chance.

    The last one i tried at a supermarket was bloody awful....but we were traveling around in the caravan and just grabbed a pre-cooked chook for a quick dinner. :|

    My concept of anything falling off the bone is moist and juicy, this definitely wasn't.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • My local chicken shop only cooks fresh. The problem is they only cook a set amount and if there is a rush you end up with a chicken shop without any chickens by 6.30 PM! Not much chop if you are running a bit late. The other plus is they use Steggles chooks which are pretty good.

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