If you have ever tried to convince yourself that “black and crusty” is exactly how you like your chicken, then you know first-hand the ambiguous art of cooking over an open flame. Cooking outdoors without the high-tech benefits of thermostats and heavy gauge saucepans requires greater vigilance and knowledge than anything demanded from indoor cooking, but theres an easy way to tilt the odds in your favor — indirect grilling.
Instead of putting food directly over the heat, you keep the food away from the flames so that it has time to cook through without burning on the surface. Because the bird is nowhere near the flame, you can walk away without any fear of ending up with chicken briquettes.
To set up a charcoal grill for indirect grilling, make a split charcoal bed by raking the coals to opposite sides of the firebox and leaving a large empty space in the middle. Or, you can rake the coals to one side and leave the other side empty.
I find that a split charcoal bed provides more even heating for big roasts like a whole turkey or a ginormous brisket, but for a standard 3- to 4-pound chicken the one-side method works best. Chicken breasts cook faster than chicken legs. By angling the bird so that the legs are closer to the heat, the chicken comes out more evenly cooked.
Either way, you put the food over the unheated part of the grill and close the lid. The indirect heat of the coals becomes trapped in the grill, surrounding the food and slowly cooking it similar to the way roasting works in a conventional oven.
A single chimney starter full of coals will burn out after 45 minutes to one hour of indirect grilling, which is plenty of time for most chickens. In this no-brainer recipe the chicken is split to ensure that it will cook through on a single charcoal chimney.
You will also need two disposable foil pans, loaf shape or casserole types work best. One pan goes on the charcoal rack under the chicken to catch any fatty drips and prevent flare ups. The other gets filled with water and set directly over the fire on the grill grate. The water steams, helping to distribute heat around the grill, and keeps the surface of the chicken from drying out.
Indirect grilling is similar on a gas grill, except that you light some of the burners but leave the others off. If your gas grill has two burners, light one burner and put your food over the unlit burner. If your grill has three or more burners, light the outside burners and put the food over the middle unlit burners.
The grill lid is a key element of most indirect grilling. It traps heat and smoke, increasing the temperature inside the grill and infusing food with smoke flavor. Keep the lid down as much as possible. Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes, lowering the temperature inside the grill and lengthening the cooking time.
So, take it easy. The grill set up is the only part that takes any effort. Once the chicken is on, youre off duty for the next hour.
1. To split a chicken: Lay the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. With a large kitchen shears or sharp knife cut on either side of the back bone.
Open up the two sides of the chicken like a book, exposing the interior of the breast bone. Cut the chicken in half through the breast bone. Discard the back bone.
2. Put the tequila, water, Chef Salt, and sea salt in a 1-gallon zipper lock bag. Shake to dissolve the salt. Add the chicken halves. Press the air out of the bag, seal, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the bag along with the leftover marinade. Pat the chicken dry and set aside to rest at room temperature before grilling, long enough to remove the chill, about 30 minutes.
4. Set up a kettle grill for indirect cooking (see directions in text above). Fill a charcoal chimney half full with briquettes and dump on one side of charcoal grate using your tongs or a kids garden rake to bank the coals near the side of the kettle. Set an empty disposable foil pan on the other side of the charcoal bed to act as a drip pan for the chicken. Fill the chimney with briquettes and ignite. Open the vents in the lid and bottom of the grill.
5. When the charcoal in the chimney is red hot, dump over top of the charcoal on the charcoal grate and set the grill grate in place. Place another foil pan, three-quarters filled with water, on the grill grate over the fire.
6. Brush the exposed grill grate with a wire brush and coat with oil. Put the chicken halves, skin-side up, over the exposed part of the grill close to the wall, with the leg section facing the fire. Nudge the legs so that they nestle tightly up against the breast.
7. Cover, and cook, until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear (about 155ºF for breasts and 165ºF for thighs on an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part without touching bone), about 1 hour total. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay around 300°F.
8. Heat the BBQ sauce and brush the chicken halves liberally. Grill another few minutes, about 3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a serving platter. Cut into serving pieces and serve remaining sauce on the side.
Mix all ingredients to combine. Use as directed in a recipe; can be stored in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to one month.
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The goal is to maintain a low enough grill temp so that the chicken cooks “low and slow.” The chicken is done when the internal temperature of the chicken pieces are 160°F for breasts and 170°F for thighs, when tested with a meat thermometer.
Open up the two sides of the chicken like a book, exposing the interior of the breast bone. Cut the chicken in half through the breast bone. Discard the back bone.
Either way, you put the food over the unheated part of the grill and close the lid. The indirect heat of the coals becomes trapped in the grill, surrounding the food and slowly cooking it similar to the way roasting works in a conventional oven.
8. Heat the BBQ sauce and brush the chicken halves liberally. Grill another few minutes, about 3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a serving platter. Cut into serving pieces and serve remaining sauce on the side.
If you have ever tried to convince yourself that “black and crusty” is exactly how you like your chicken, then you know first-hand the ambiguous art of cooking over an open flame. Cooking outdoors without the high-tech benefits of thermostats and heavy gauge saucepans requires greater vigilance and knowledge than anything demanded from indoor cooking, but theres an easy way to tilt the odds in your favor — indirect grilling.
You will also need two disposable foil pans, loaf shape or casserole types work best. One pan goes on the charcoal rack under the chicken to catch any fatty drips and prevent flare ups. The other gets filled with water and set directly over the fire on the grill grate. The water steams, helping to distribute heat around the grill, and keeps the surface of the chicken from drying out.
Not Keeping an Eye On It Youll notice as you cook that some areas on your grill brown the food faster than others. You have to move the chicken around and turn it until the pieces are cooked evenly. You can tell the cool spots by putting your hand over the grill. Its also ideal to set up for a two-zone fire (on a charcoal grill, push coals over to one side, or on a gas grill, keep one burner turned off) so theres a definite cool area to move the chicken to if the skin is cooking too fast before the flesh is finished.
Not Using a Meat Thermometer Its the most precise way of telling if the chicken is done. The perfect internal temperature is 165 degrees for dark meat, 160 degrees for white. If you dont have an instant-read thermometer, you can always do a little cut into the middle to check that its just about opaque in the center. With bone-in pieces, if you insert a small knife to the bone and juices run clear, you are good. If they are still pink, let it go a little longer. Slathering On the Sauce Too Soon Baste last! Apply any sugary glazes towards the end of cooking. Put it on too soon and it will burn.
Forgetting the Seasoning Make sure you sprinkle it with salt and pepper before you throw it on the grill.
Cooking it at Too High a Temperature If you cook the chicken on too hot a grill, the skin will burn before the flesh cooks. Medium-low is the best temperature on a charcoal grill, and medium on a gas grill. This way, youll crisp the skin and avoid flareups.
Even though its a cookout classic, chicken can be tough to get right on the grill. How do you know when its done? When should you slather on sauce? What temperature should you cook it at? We consulted the good people of the BA Test Kitchen for solutions to the most common mistakes people make. Read on to crown yourself the king or queen of chicken on barbie. –Danielle Walsh
The Perfect Grilled Chicken | Tips for Juicy, Tender Chicken on the Grill
FAQ
How do you grill chicken without drying it out?
Is it best to cook chicken fast or slow?
What is the best way to grill chicken?
Do you grill chicken on high or low heat?
Should you cook chicken before grilling?
The key to grilled chicken is to precook it in the oven ahead of time so you know it’s fully cooked and ready for the grill. Cooking it ahead of time also lets you cook it slowly, which yields nice, juicy, and tender meat. Plus, it gives you time to put your feet up during grilling season because most of the work is done beforehand.
Is chicken good for health?
Yes, chicken is good for health. Chicken is filled with high quality proteins and does not contain much fat – especially if you eat lean cuts. Beyond its rich protein content, chicken also contains vitamin B12, tryptophan, choline, zinc, iron and copper. Chicken is rich in a variety of important nutrients including niacin, selenium and phosphorus. Adding chicken to your diet may help support weight loss, muscle growth and bone health. Selenium is a trace mineral that’s necessary for proper immune function, thyroid health and fertility.
How to grill perfect chicken?
The best part of grilling perfect chicken is that it isn’t a difficult task. It requires only a bit of preparation and patience once it hits the grill. Be sure to use fresh chicken, and you can always opt for chicken thighs if you are looking for more flavor than white meat can offer.
How long should chicken be grilled at 165?
Chicken should always be grilled until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. The time it will take to reach this temperature will depend on the cut of chicken you are cooking as well as the weight. Chicken Breast Boneless: For a cut that is 6-8 ounces, grill over direct medium heat for 8 to 12 minutes.