Campfire Rotisserie Chicken

This is the best rotisserie chicken you’ll ever eat! Juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender. It’s better than any store bought rotisserie chicken, even if you season it with just salt and pepper. I call it Campfire chicken because that’s what it tastes like.

Ingredients:

• 1- Whole chicken (thawed; not frozen).
• 1- Dry rub of your choice,
  I used The Spice Lab – Ancho Chili + Coffee Rub.
• 1- Barbecue sauce of your choice – optional glaze,
  I used 1 jar of Daddy Sam’s Just Slop It On Bar-B-Que Sawce [sic].

Time:

• Prep: Less than 10 minutes.
• Cook: About 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Grill Needs:

• 1- Moss Grill with built-in rotisserie option
• 1- Electric Rotisserie accessory
• 1- Grill Tong
• About 2-3 pounds of smoking wood
  I recommend a sweet wood like Apple, or a spicy wood like hickory
• About 1-2 pounds of charcoal

Optional Needs:

• Moss Grill Charcoal Pan
• Weber 7403 Char-Basket Charcoal Trays, or similar
  Leftovers parts from my previous grill
• Meat Thermometer
• 18 Inch Grill Basting Mop

Directions:

Collect all your tools, chicken, and seasonings. I like to place a sheet of Butchers Paper on my counter top to keep the raw chicken and rub from messing up my kitchen.

Prepare your Moss Grill. You only need a 1-barrel grill for this recipe, but you can use larger grills. If you have a charcoal pan, place in on the rotisserie motor side of the barrel. Place coal in the center of the pan, or barrel, and light it up. You’ll be moving the coal after it’s turned grayish in about 10 minutes.

Season the whole chicken with dry rub all over. Inside and out. Be sure to get under the wings and under the skin for more flavor.

Center the whole chicken on the rotisserie rod through its cavity. Slide the rotisserie forks down the rod and into the chicken and turn the thumb screw down tight. I use pliers to make it very tight.

You’ll be first cooking using indirect heat. Return to the grill. Using your grill tong, move charcoal trays, or all the loose coal to the back edge of the charcoal pad, or left side of the barrel. You can also place one tray, or some of the coal toward the grill door. The chicken should not have any coal beneath it yet.

Mount the rotisserie rod with the whole chicken into the grill. Be sure it is engaged in the motor. Turn the motor on. It should rotate slowly.

Place some wood chips, chunks, or thin splits on the coals to add smoke flavor. You don’t need much and can add more later to better control the temperature. Close the grill and keep it closed for about one-half hour.

Let the grill heat up to about 250ºF to 350ºF. Close the air damper if the temperature get too high. Add wood if the temperature gets too low. It it really gets too hot, open the grill door and spray some water on the wood. I like to add some apple cider vinegar to my water spray bottle for a sweeter taste.

Optional Glaze:
Check the temperature of the chicken using a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature get to about 150ºF to 160ºF it’s time to glaze the chicken in BBQ sauce. Use a basting mop to totally coat the chicken with a thick layer of sauce.

Using your grill tong, move charcoal trays, or all the loose coal, and the wood, directly under the chicken. Close the grill door and continue to rotisserie another 15 minutes.

Check the temperature of the chicken. It’s done when the temperature reaches 165ºF or higher. Close the door and continue to cook another 15 minutes until the temperature is at least 165ºF.

Turn off the rotisserie motor and remove the rotisserie rod with cooked whole chicken. Place chicken in a large deep dish or tray to keep all the juice with the chicken. Carry the chicken to the kitchen using BBQ mitts so you don’t burn yourself. Remove the rotisserie rod and forks. Let the chicken rest to cool to eating temperature.

All done. Slice up your bird and serve with an extra side of BBQ sauce. Add the wrapped potatoes and/or corn for a great meal. I guarantee you’ll be cooking chicken like this again and again!