Whats the secret to cooking chicken on the grill?

[JonT]

No matter how I do it it comes out overdone and rubbery. I cook over charcoal. Whats the secret?

[strupgolf]

Buy some new grilled chicken at KFC and fool everyone.

[Zeke]

Chicken takes a long time to cook. I'll bet you're cooking too fast and too hot. You could pre bake your chicken and grill for the final cooking. BTW, what cuts? Halves or individual pieces. Actually, that should not make a lot of difference.

[Paul_Heery]

Wireless meat thermometer

[Crowbob]

One rule to cooking chicken on the grill: 3 MINUTES. Turn it every three minutes. 3 minutes, turn it over. 3 minutes turn it over. 3 minutes turn it over. How many times you turn it over depends on a number of factors such as how hot the fire, how done you like your chicken, etc. Get a stopwatch or egg timer, or count to 180. 3 MINUTES.

[Stanley]

If your are just talking about breasts, I find that where you get the chicken really matters. For some reason the frozen fosters farms ones from Costco always turn out perfect. Whenever I get fresh stuff it never turns out as good.

[lendaddy]

I do a killer chicken on the grill. Low heat and it takes about an hour and a half. Yes you have to turn it a bunch to prevent burning the skin (please tell me you're not doing skinless)

From there I do a basting process, but that's not the point....the chicken is very very moist if you go this route. Most guys I know grill it way too fast and way too hot.

YMMV.

[island911]

quick sear, then cook

[nostatic]

use beef

[Zeke]

Beefy.

[landrover88]

I feel for the best result for novice chef is the beer can method.


Take your favorite beer or you can use dr pepper.

Drink half the beer or soda stuff the can in the cavity of the fowl.

Stand the bird feet down high heat on the grill.

Put the bird in for about five min. then reduce heat to med or low.

Baste often when you can dislodge the leg abit and bird is crispy shes done.

they do sell racks to instert the can and stand the bird for just a few dollars.

you will love the results.

[jyl]

Breasts dry out easily. Ideally, brine them (soak overnight in salty orange juice or similar). Leave the skin on. Cook over low indirect heat -push the coals to one side and place the breasts on the other side. Check with a thermometer and 10 degrees before minimum done temperature, move breasts to the direct heat to get some char on the skin. Cook to lowest internal temp you dare. When you squeeze with your tongs, should still be somewhat soft, not firm. Cut one open to check. Better yet, cook thighs and legs instead. The same method but you can use more direct heat and get more of a char. These can be done to a higher temp, and feel firmer, without getting dry.

[lendaddy]

I have no scientific evidence, but my theory behind the slow and low chicken cooking process is that the skin/fat juices actually soak into the meat. All I know is that it works.

[jyl]

I've never tried standing the chicken on the beer can. Sounds cool. Guess helps to have a gas grill so can turn down the temp?

My dad made great chicken. Old metal drum. Elements from three junked toasters, hung inside drum. Bird crucified on a coat hanger and suspended between the elements. Roasted and crispy. Wait, no, he cooked duck using this. Might dry out a chicken. Sorry. Getting senile, I am.

[vash]

i brine. cup of salt in 3/4 gallon of water. handful of brn sugar. some smashed gloves of garlic. few whole pepper corns. put it all in a pot, add some ice cubes put the pot in the fridge.

get the coals hot. after brining, i go four hours for chicken pieces, no more than eight for a whole bird. then build a two stage fire. coals all on one side. i sear the chicken, and then move it all to the cooler side, cover and cook. some pre-wetted hickory chips will make smoky goodness. then bake it until i get 160 degrees on the pieces. you can brush bbq sauce at the end and move it to the hot side to get crusty.

[buttjoint]

Season well with magic dust from the hitching post and cook on grill away from charcoal. Cook with the lid on. If your grill has a upper rack, Put your bird on it, Simple and tasty too

[mthomas58]

I would have to agree with jyl and vash, the key to grilling chicken without drying it out is brining. Here is a link to Thomas Keller's brining recipe (chef of famed Napa restaurant - The French Laundry) this is what he serves at sister restaurant Ad Hoc. Had it, loved it, tried it at home and it's AWESOME. Have done it fried (whole pieces, strips & nuggets) and grilled breasts with no breading. Try this brine recipe - you can't go wrong.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/THOMAS-KELLERS-BUTTERMILK-FRIED-CHICKEN-50000340

[JonT]

Thanks everyone--should have been more specific. I am using skinless breasts fresh from store. I don't seem to have a prob doing rotisserie or skin on breasts. I get the feeling from the responses that I'm cooking too fast. Do you sear it like beef then set aside on cooler side? Also the differing thickness tends to dry out one side while the other is not done and I'm hacking into it to check ruining it.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by jyl

...Cook over low indirect heat -push the coals to one side and place the breasts on the other side....

This is good advice. I cooked one yesterday and it was perfect. I typically butterfly a whole chicken (cut through the back.) I brush some oil on it, season agressively with salt and pepper, then grille it over the coals, turning it often to get the skin the way I want it. The bird then gets moved to the side, away from the direct heat. Then the lid gets closed. I tend to try to keep the temperature in the grille (actually, I use a smoker...) at 375-400. I check it often and turn it often, keeping an eye on what part needs more cooking. This is the side that is pointed closest to the coals.

Or, you can grille it until the skin looks good and finish it in a slow oven.

Or, just buy one already cooked, which is probably cheaper in the long run.

JR

[jyl]

I don't grill skinless breasts so don't know. I would think brining, cooking low and slow and indirect, basting frequently with the brine, and removing at lowest safe temp would be worth a try?

I would sear at end.

Don't know what you can do about the thin part of the breast overcooking. Too tough a problem for me.