Need some Grilling advice

[Davian]

I've grilled many things: pork, hamburgers, steak etc. but never Chicken. Impaired, I know.

I'd like to make grilled chicken - with or without skin but need to know cut of chicken to look for as well. What to season with and how to get it to look good. My one chicken experience - ended up with black on the outside and just shy of raw in the middle. Last time I grilled it too.

I'm partial to southwestern type seasonings but can follow any instructions. Just need a little guidance. Oh and if you have a favorite food to grill that isn't the typical hamburger, hot dog, steak variety - I would LOVE that too!

I've made nearly every recipe I can find and just run out of ideas.... need a change of pace. (of course if it ever stops raining......that'd be good).

[Charski]

I think the best chicken to grill is the leg quarters - drumstick and thigh still attached.

Then to keep it moist and season it, brine it! 1/4 cup salt to 4 cups water - stir til dissolved, put the chicken in a ziploc, pour in the brine, seal and refrigerate. I think even several hours helps but overnight is better.

Rinse, pat dry, season with what you like. The trick, to me, is to not have the coals too hot and not have the rack too low down. AND cover it! I have a Weber-type grill, but it has a moveable rack. I start it skin side UP, let it cook 15 minutes, turn skin side DOWN for another 15, then turn one last time for 15 more minutes.

You can use indirect heat too, where you bank the coals on either side of the grill and put the chicken in the middle, but I'm usually too lazy to do that. I light up a good bunch of coals in a chimney starter, spread them in a single layer, and keep just enough vent openings to keep it burning but not blazing.

You CAN do whole bone-in-skin-on breasts that way too, the brining helps keep them moist and tender.

I like to use just garlic salt and a sprinkle of chipotle or ancho chile powder to season.

HTH!

Char

[Charski]

OH yeah - and something we grilled weekend before last - I took about half a dozen good-sized tomatillos and husked them, a jalapeno pepper, two whole tomatoes, and a head of garlic which I'd sliced the top off (just so the garlic cloves are peeking out) and a whole onion peeled down to the last layer of skin. Grill them all over the coals until the skins are all blackening and blistered. Remove to a bowl and let cool until you can handle them; use the backside of a knife to scrape the skins off the tomatillos, tomatoes, and jalapeno; peel the onion and quarter, reserving half for something else (like the meatloaf I then grilled!) - put everything into a food processor, add 4 or 5 of the garlic cloves, a good pinch of cumin, and some fresh cilantro. Process til finely chopped but not mush. Add sea salt to taste. Makes the BEST salsa I ever ate!

For the meatloaf, I used 2 pounds of freshly-ground meat (I ground up a brisket), the other half of the onion, some of the garlic, an egg, a handful (maybe half a cup) of raw wheat bran, a tablespoon or so of Worcestershire sauce, a splash of heavy cream, a little salt and pepper; mix well but don't overwork it; shape into a loaf, put it on an aluminum foil disposable pan, and grill, covered, until it reaches about 160*. I figured my coals would go out before the meat was done so was planning on putting it in the oven to finish, but it WAS done after about an hour on the grill. We add a couple chunks of mesquite or hickory or oak to the coals for some smoke - that was the BEST meatloaf I ever made and really good with that salsa!

Char

[trish6103]

I have grilled all kinds of chicken. My kids like drumsticks, so we do those a lot, and thighs too. To avoid burning, make sure you let your coals turn mostly white and there should be no flames coming from them. Don't put the chicken too close to the coals. If you are using BBQ sauce, put it on only for the last 10 minutes or so. It will burn otherwise.
I like to grill fish in packets with some veggies. It turns out really good. Just throw a fish filet, whatever seasoning you normally use on fish and some veggies in a foil packet and grill till the fish is completely cooked. I use the Release foil for this because we have had the fish stick to the foil before.
We have also done veggie packets without the fish. I like to mix fresh green beans, yellow squash, onions and mushrooms.
Kebabs are fun- use whatever chunks of meat, seafood, poultry or veggies you want. I like scallops, onions, mushrooms and zucchini together.

[Davian]

Thanks for the great ideas....I went to the Farmers Market and got 2 chickens quartered. Going to grill them Sunday.

[That Girl]

marinate some skinless, boneless chicken boobies in itallian dressing for about 4 hours to overnite. throw on grill, add some veg's and you're all set. i forgot to add you can marinate eggplant, squash, asparagus etc in seperate bag w/itallian dressing also. enjoy!

[Davian]

Charski - we can not begin to thank you enough. Seriously, the chicken looked like something on the cover of a magazine! The chicken was indescribably great - juicy, crispy, tasty, and no poultry taste inside near the bone. Breast meat just pulled apart and the legs/wings tasted like they were dry roasted!

For other beginners, I posted my step by step process for the most perfect grilled chicken - Total thanks here to Charski!!!!!

2 whole young chickens – quartered (Farmer’s Market)
¼ cup salt
4 cups of water

24 hours before grilling:

Dissolve salt in water and pour over chicken parts – brine for 24 hours.

Ready to Grill:

Rinse each part under cold water and set aside. Pat dry completely.
Place on sheet and season bottom and top the same:
Garlic powder (generous)
Ground Chipotle Pepper (evenly)
Ancho Chili Powder (lightly)
Salt, Pepper (evenly)
Sprintz of lime juice

Preheat gas grill and set to Medium Grill/BBQ. Heat for 10 minutes then flip chicken with TONGS every 5 minutes for one hour.

Remove to serving dish and cover with foil. Let rest 5 minutes.


Perfect Side Dish:

Take 2 sheets of aluminum foil (in a X shape) – inside place cauliflower, broccoli florets and 2 sliced carrots. Chop up 4 leaves of fresh basil and add 2 minced cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle up to 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp of butter over veggies. Place 4 ice cubes (one in each corner of foil). Seal up tightly. Grill with chicken on the flat grill surface for 35 to 40 minutes. Drain off liquid and move to serving dish. Stir in 1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (powdered type).


This is going to be made once a week for the remainder of summer. Again, can not express how beautiful this chicken looked and the taste was out of this world.

[Charski]

OH, so glad you enjoyed it!! Sounds divine all around!

Char