Brined, Butterflied and Barbecued Bird (Chicken)
Here is my BBQ chicken recipe, tested on a recent sunny day here in Oregon. It came out absolutely delicious. The brining adds tons of flavor and keeps the chicken superbly moist on the grill. Combine that with the smokey aroma and the texture of the crispy grilled skin, and you have the ultimate BBQed meat experience. A search for 'brine' on Foodista will turn up many excellent alternative recipes to this simple brine which you can experiment with. Enjoy!
Total Steps
21
Ingredients
8
Tools Needed
10
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, raw
- 1/2 gallon cold water
- 1/2 cup kosher or sea salt (not iodized)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey(optional)
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 2 leaves bay
- olive oil
Instructions
Step 1
The night before cooking, prepare the brine by mixing all ingredients except the chicken in a large pot.
Step 2
Add the chicken to the pot, upside down (legs pointing up). Ensure it is completely submerged and the cavity is filled with brine.
Step 3
If the brine does not cover the bird, add more water and salt at a ratio of 1 cup water to 1 tablespoon salt until the bird is fully submerged.
Step 4
The bird may need to be weighted down to remain submerged.
Step 5
Cover the pot and refrigerate overnight.
Step 6
The next day, remove the chicken from the brine and wipe off any excess liquid.
Step 7
Discard the brine; do not reuse or incorporate into another recipe.
Step 8
On a large cutting board, set the chicken upright and, using a very sharp, large knife, cut out the backbone.
Step 9
Alternatively, use poultry shears to cut out the backbone.
Step 10
With the backbone removed, pull open the bird and flatten it out, so the inside is facing down and the meat is facing up.
Step 11
Press down firmly on the breasts, cracking the ribs to flatten the bird, which allows for more even cooking on the grill.
Step 12
Use 4 metal skewers to hold the bird in this flat position, separating the wings and legs as much as possible from the breasts and thighs.
Step 13
Ensure the bird can be lifted from the skewers while remaining flat.
Step 14
Cut a few slits in the thickest part of the meat to speed up cooking.
Step 15
Coat the entire chicken, both sides, with olive oil, especially around the slits and where pierced by the skewers.
Step 16
Sear both sides of the chicken on a very high heat grill.
Step 17
Move the chicken to a medium-heat part of the grill and cook for approximately one hour, turning and rotating every 15 minutes.
Step 18
Covering the grill will make heat more even, but will slow cooking time as coals burn at a lower temperature.
Step 19
Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the joints (leg and thigh, wing and breast) and into the thickest parts of the meat in several locations. If any redness is visible in the liquid that runs out, continue cooking until all new test holes produce only clear liquid.
Step 20
Once done, remove from the grill and cut into breasts, wings, thighs, and drumsticks.
Step 21
If any red liquid is found when cutting, return the pieces to the grill, or wrap them in tinfoil and finish in the oven. Otherwise, serve immediately.