Whole Chicken on the Weber Jumbo Joe

The Weber Jumbo Joe is the perfect size grill for cooking a whole chicken.  This post shows three different ways of tackling a whole bird on this grill; Traditional, Beer Can and Spatchcock.  All three variations require cooking the bird for about 90 minutes.

The easiest method of cooking a whole chicken on the Weber Jumbo Joe is to simply stuff the bird and roast it on the grate with indirect high heat.  Taking the time to truss the bird makes a big difference in final appearance and helps with even cooking.

Place a square 8 inch disposable aluminum pan in the middle of the charcoal grate.  Light a full chimney of charcoal and create two piles on opposite sides of the pan.  Place the stuffed and trussed chicken directly over the aluminum pan (breast side up) and close the lid on the Jumbo.  Ideally you will want the air vent on the lid to be located over the bird instead of the charcoal.  The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 170F in the breast.  This typically takes about 90 minutes.

 

 

Another easy way of cooking a whole chicken in the Weber Jumbo Joe is the classic beer can chicken.  In order to make this work with the Jumbo Joe you need to get a little creative.  Start by preparing your chicken with an open beer (or soda) can inserted into the cavity.  Stand the bird up in a square 8 inch disposable aluminum foil pan and season the skin as desired.

Here comes the first creative part.  If you place the bird on the grilling grate there will not be enough clearance under the dome to close the lid.  What you need to do is remove the grill grate and place the aluminum pan holding the upright chicken directly onto the middle of the charcoal grate.

The second creative part is how you need to arrange the charcoal.  I found that if I spread a full chimney of lit coals evenly all the way around the perimeter of the aluminum pan that the air flow through the grill wasn’t good enough to keep the coals as hot as I wanted.  I got the best performance when I stacked the coals into four piles, one on each side of the pan.

 

Once you have the chicken in the grill and the coals properly arranged you can close the lid and come back in about 90 minutes to a perfectly cooked beer can chicken!

 

The third way to tackle a whole chicken is the classic spatchcock (butterfly) technique.  To prepare the chicken simply cut along the backbone with a pair of kitchen shears, open the bird up and press it flat.  Season the bird as desired; this chicken was injected with a mixture of Dale’s marinade and apple juice.

Light a chimney of charcoal that is about two thirds full and bank the lit charcoal onto one side of the grill.  I used a charcoal basket but it isn’t required.  Place the chicken on the cool, indirect side of the grill then close the lid with the air vent located over the chicken.

 

After an hour open up the grill and use a pair of tongs to rotate the chicken 180 degrees.  That is, if the breast was facing the charcoal turn the bird so that the legs are facing the charcoal.  Close the lid and wait another 30 minutes and you should have a perfectly cooked bird on your grill!

 

Everyone has their own favorite way of checking for doneness in chicken.  I prefer to insert a digital thermometer into the breast and make sure I have a reading of 175F.  It is also an excellent sign when the leg and thigh joints freely rotate.  I also like to brine my chickens so I don’t have to worry if they overcook.

Be sure to check out some other Weber Jumbo Joe Upgrades!