Backyard grilling? Keep your eye on the chicken
By Marcia Poole | Posted: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Grilled Chicken with Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce serves up a tasty option for backyard menus.
If your grilling repertoire begins with hamburgers and ends with hot dogs, it may be time to consider bringing chicken into the mix.
Grilling a mess of bone-in chicken parts may be trickier than throwing beef patties on the grate. But properly done, grilled chicken can be a succulent summertime delight that pairs beautifully with all sorts of seasonal ingredients and satisfying flavors.
Grilling and smoke cooking pros Bill and Cheryl Jamison were invited to help home cooks hone their chicken-grilling skills. The National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association packaged up the authors' advice on how to prevent backyard disappointments that leave grilled chicken burnt on the outside and undercooked in the center.
The Jamisons are authors of "The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking & Entertaining"; "Chicken on the Grill"; "Smoke & Spice"; "Born to Grill"; and "Sublime Smoke."
What are the pitfalls when it comes to grilling chicken? Cooks tend to build a fire that's too hot. They're also apt to neglect the meat during cooking time. "You can still have fun at the grill, but keep an eye on the heat, the chicken, and your watch," says Bill.
The grate must be lightly oiled just before you begin to cook. For skin-on chicken, don't try to move the part until it's cooked for at least a couple minutes otherwise the skin may stick. The chicken must be turned often, over a steady medium heat, to allow it to completely cook on the inside and brown on the outside.
The Chicken Council reminds cooks that bone-in meat takes longer to cook than boneless. That means bone-in parts should be placed on the grill before boneless meat. The parts should be positioned in the hottest part of the grill and then turned often so they brown but don't burn.
After browning, bone-in parts should be moved to cooler areas of the grill. When they're completely cooked, move them to the coolest areas of the grill to stay warm until serving.
Dark meat takes longer to grill than white meat. Thigh and leg meat takes about 25 to 30 minutes on the grill. It should be cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
Thinner pieces of chicken, such as boneless breasts, should be cooked for a shorter period of time over higher heat than thicker, bone-in pieces.
Grilling is more popular than ever. According to the Chicken Council, some 77 percent of households own an outdoor grill; 58 percent use their grills year-round. Summertime remains peak grilling season. Here are ideas for firing up the grill.
Diavolo Chicken uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. With their high collagen content, thighs stay moist during cooking. The thighs are marinated in a "devilish paste" of Dijon mustard and red hot chile flakes. The recipe refers to the "hand test" when gauging the heat of the grill. Here's how the Jamisons explain it:
"Hold your hand a couple of inches above the cooking grate and count the seconds until the heat forces you to pull away. One to two seconds is hot; three seconds is medium-hot; and four to five seconds is medium. For a gas grill, turn the heat up or down as needed. With a charcoal fire, add or remove coals, adjust the vents, or move the grate, depending on the design of your grill."
Grilled Chicken with
Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce
4 large split chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
4 tablespoons peppercorn-coriander flavor paste; recipe follows
Hot and sweet dipping sauce; recipe follows
Place peppercorn-coriander paste in large bowl; stir in fish sauce and blend well. Add chicken to marinade and turn to coat. Let stand, covered, in the refrigerator for as long as three hours.
Prepare gas or charcoal grill. Place chicken on grill four to five inches from flame, bone-side down, and grill until bottom is starting to brown, about six to eight minutes. Turn chicken pieces and continue cooking until golden brown on other sides and juices run clear when meat is pierced with fork, about another six to eight minutes.
Transfer chicken to platter and top each piece with up to one-quarter of the hot and sweet dipping sauce.
Peppercorn-Coriander Flavor Paste:
In food processor, combine four tablespoons black peppercorns; six large garlic cloves; one tablespoon ground coriander; and one-eighth teaspoon salt. Pulse about one minute, to consistency of paste. Add one teaspoon Thai fish sauce and combine well.
Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce:
In small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat one-half cup rice vinegar. Stir in one-half cup sugar; continue stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer five minutes. With the back of a spoon, mash one large garlic clove.
Combine mashed garlic with one-quarter teaspoon salt and one teaspoon dried red pepper flakes. Remove vinegar mixture from heat; stir garlic mixture into vinegar sauce and blend well. Cool to room temperature. Makes four servings: 520 calories each. Source: Adapted from "Hot Sour Salty Sweet," by Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid, Artisan Books, for the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.
Diavolo Chicken Thighs
8 plump skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (6 to 7 ounces each)
Diavolo Paste:
One-quarter cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
One-half teaspoon dried hot red chile flakes, or more to taste
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
At least two hours ahead or up to the night before you plan to grill the thighs, prepare the paste: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the thighs thoroughly with the paste, rubbing it over and under the skin, working it as far as possible under the skin without tearing it. Place the chicken in a zippered plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate.
When ready to grill, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
Fire up the grill for a two-level fire for cooking: first on high heat (one to two seconds with the hand test); and then on medium-low heat (six seconds with the hand test). If you're using a gas grill with two or more burners, create a two-level fire by adjusting the heat for each burner.
If your gas grill has only one burner, adjust the heat at the appropriate time. If you're using a charcoal grill, create a two-level fire by arranging the coals in half of the grill area in a single layer for moderate heat and in the other half pile the coals two or three deep for high heat.
Grill the thighs uncovered over high heat for three to four minutes, turning to sear all sides. Move the chicken to medium-low heat and continue grilling for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, turning every three minutes or so. Watch for flare-ups, shifting the thighs away from the flame if necessary.
The thighs are done when the skin is brown and crisp and the juices run clear when they are pierced. Serve immediately. Makes three to four servings.
Source: Adapted from Chicken on the Grill: 100 Surefire Ways to Grill Perfect Chicken Every Time, by Bill and Cheryl Jamison, for the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.
Grilling a mess of bone-in chicken parts may be trickier than throwing beef patties on the grate. But properly done, grilled chicken can be a succulent summertime delight that pairs beautifully with all sorts of seasonal ingredients and satisfying flavors.
Grilling and smoke cooking pros Bill and Cheryl Jamison were invited to help home cooks hone their chicken-grilling skills. The National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association packaged up the authors' advice on how to prevent backyard disappointments that leave grilled chicken burnt on the outside and undercooked in the center.
The Jamisons are authors of "The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking & Entertaining"; "Chicken on the Grill"; "Smoke & Spice"; "Born to Grill"; and "Sublime Smoke."
What are the pitfalls when it comes to grilling chicken? Cooks tend to build a fire that's too hot. They're also apt to neglect the meat during cooking time. "You can still have fun at the grill, but keep an eye on the heat, the chicken, and your watch," says Bill.
The grate must be lightly oiled just before you begin to cook. For skin-on chicken, don't try to move the part until it's cooked for at least a couple minutes otherwise the skin may stick. The chicken must be turned often, over a steady medium heat, to allow it to completely cook on the inside and brown on the outside.
The Chicken Council reminds cooks that bone-in meat takes longer to cook than boneless. That means bone-in parts should be placed on the grill before boneless meat. The parts should be positioned in the hottest part of the grill and then turned often so they brown but don't burn.
After browning, bone-in parts should be moved to cooler areas of the grill. When they're completely cooked, move them to the coolest areas of the grill to stay warm until serving.
Dark meat takes longer to grill than white meat. Thigh and leg meat takes about 25 to 30 minutes on the grill. It should be cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.
Thinner pieces of chicken, such as boneless breasts, should be cooked for a shorter period of time over higher heat than thicker, bone-in pieces.
Grilling is more popular than ever. According to the Chicken Council, some 77 percent of households own an outdoor grill; 58 percent use their grills year-round. Summertime remains peak grilling season. Here are ideas for firing up the grill.
Diavolo Chicken uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. With their high collagen content, thighs stay moist during cooking. The thighs are marinated in a "devilish paste" of Dijon mustard and red hot chile flakes. The recipe refers to the "hand test" when gauging the heat of the grill. Here's how the Jamisons explain it:
"Hold your hand a couple of inches above the cooking grate and count the seconds until the heat forces you to pull away. One to two seconds is hot; three seconds is medium-hot; and four to five seconds is medium. For a gas grill, turn the heat up or down as needed. With a charcoal fire, add or remove coals, adjust the vents, or move the grate, depending on the design of your grill."
Grilled Chicken with
Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce
4 large split chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
4 tablespoons peppercorn-coriander flavor paste; recipe follows
Hot and sweet dipping sauce; recipe follows
Place peppercorn-coriander paste in large bowl; stir in fish sauce and blend well. Add chicken to marinade and turn to coat. Let stand, covered, in the refrigerator for as long as three hours.
Prepare gas or charcoal grill. Place chicken on grill four to five inches from flame, bone-side down, and grill until bottom is starting to brown, about six to eight minutes. Turn chicken pieces and continue cooking until golden brown on other sides and juices run clear when meat is pierced with fork, about another six to eight minutes.
Transfer chicken to platter and top each piece with up to one-quarter of the hot and sweet dipping sauce.
Peppercorn-Coriander Flavor Paste:
In food processor, combine four tablespoons black peppercorns; six large garlic cloves; one tablespoon ground coriander; and one-eighth teaspoon salt. Pulse about one minute, to consistency of paste. Add one teaspoon Thai fish sauce and combine well.
Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce:
In small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat one-half cup rice vinegar. Stir in one-half cup sugar; continue stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer five minutes. With the back of a spoon, mash one large garlic clove.
Combine mashed garlic with one-quarter teaspoon salt and one teaspoon dried red pepper flakes. Remove vinegar mixture from heat; stir garlic mixture into vinegar sauce and blend well. Cool to room temperature. Makes four servings: 520 calories each. Source: Adapted from "Hot Sour Salty Sweet," by Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid, Artisan Books, for the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.
Diavolo Chicken Thighs
8 plump skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (6 to 7 ounces each)
Diavolo Paste:
One-quarter cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
One-half teaspoon dried hot red chile flakes, or more to taste
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
At least two hours ahead or up to the night before you plan to grill the thighs, prepare the paste: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the thighs thoroughly with the paste, rubbing it over and under the skin, working it as far as possible under the skin without tearing it. Place the chicken in a zippered plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate.
When ready to grill, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
Fire up the grill for a two-level fire for cooking: first on high heat (one to two seconds with the hand test); and then on medium-low heat (six seconds with the hand test). If you're using a gas grill with two or more burners, create a two-level fire by adjusting the heat for each burner.
If your gas grill has only one burner, adjust the heat at the appropriate time. If you're using a charcoal grill, create a two-level fire by arranging the coals in half of the grill area in a single layer for moderate heat and in the other half pile the coals two or three deep for high heat.
Grill the thighs uncovered over high heat for three to four minutes, turning to sear all sides. Move the chicken to medium-low heat and continue grilling for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, turning every three minutes or so. Watch for flare-ups, shifting the thighs away from the flame if necessary.
The thighs are done when the skin is brown and crisp and the juices run clear when they are pierced. Serve immediately. Makes three to four servings.
Source: Adapted from Chicken on the Grill: 100 Surefire Ways to Grill Perfect Chicken Every Time, by Bill and Cheryl Jamison, for the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 1 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
gerlach wrote on May 28, 2008 7:00 PM: