Can't seem to get this right????????

[toddjpike]

Today I tried to smoke chicken again in my Bradley 6 rack smoker. I let the chicken sit on the counter for over an hour to warm up a bit. Two and a half hours later and I can only get 173 degrees????????? I loaded the BS6R with 12 pounds of chicken legs and thighs. Is 12 lbs too much.......Please help

[beefmann]

need a lil information

1) what is your box temperature? 173?

2) what was the internal Temperature of the chicken? 173?

3) is your vent wide open?

4) what did you have the bradley temperature set at?

and no 2 1/2 hours does not seem to long, I have done several smokes that have takes 18 to 22 hours,

with 12 lbs of chicken im thinking 5 to 8 hours minimum ( i have 18 lbs of baby back ribs in a bradley 4 rack that took 10 hours )

[SoCalBuilder]

Todd - I have done  lot of chicken and my OBS has just the original single element. After you preheat the Bradley, and load the bird, the box temp will drop greatly. With the single element I have never had the box temp reach the original preset temp until the meat had reached it's IT. The meat acts like a heat sink. As long as the IT continues to climb, you are good to go. When I do two full chickens, about 7 lbs, it can take 9 hours, even here in Sunny SoCal. Also, keep that vent open.

[Quarlow]

12 lbs is a large load. I can see it taking that long to come up to temp.

[toddjpike]

Thanks for all the input. I did not check the internal temp of the chicken. My worry at 170 degrees is that its to low and things will grow. I did not brine the chicken this time. Is it ok if the food temp stays low for a period of time?

I had the smoker set at 250. I pre-heated to 205 and put the chicken in. I only got back to 173 box temp in 2 1/2 hrs. Vent was wide open.

[GusRobin]

where are you measuring box temp. If it is with the Bradley temp sensor that could be reading lower due to where the meat is placed. I use a PID to control temp and set the probe at the bottom rack of meat.