Grilling for Idiots: How NOT to Screw up Grilled Chicken?
You have had all summer to perfect your skills on the grill. Cooking burgers, steaks, chicken, fish, and even pizza. Now it's time for the report card. You failed at tender-juicy chicken.
Even grilling novices can become the cool cook in your house with a little salt and water. Just make sure you keep a few things in mind. Especially when it comes to the ratio of salt to water to the chicken.
After trial and error, the brine will become your go-to when grilling chicken. No more dried-out, jerky texture meat.
If you have about six pounds of chicken, whole or cut, use one gallon of water and 1/2 Cup of salt. Any more and you'll be extremely thirsty the next day.
Seal the container and refrigerate for 2-4 hrs.
Prep for cut chicken parts:
Remove chicken and discard brine. Pat dry all pieces before placing them in a Ziploc bag. Add about 1/2 Cup of olive oil and 1/4 Cup of lemon juice. Return to cooler for one hour. Preheat grill. Remove chicken and place on a plate to season both sides. Grill chicken for 3 minutes and quarter turn. Flip pieces and repeat. Remove chicken and cover with foil for 10 minutes before serving.
Prep for Beer Butt Chicken:
Preheat your grill. Remove the chicken and discard brine. Pat dry. In a foil-lined 9x13 pan place your stand can/chicken holder in the middle. Pour 1/3 of the beer over the bird and set it aside and season as you like. On the upper side of the beer can poke three holes. Through the top of the can add any leftover seasoning and garlic cloves. Insert the can into the chicken cavity and place on holder. I like to place a sheet of foil on the grill grates and then the pan on top. Grill at medium temp for 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the grill, cover, and let rest for another 30 minutes before serving.