BBQ - Spatchcock Chicken

Set up your grill for indirect grilling.

You need a whole chicken, place it on its breast.  Starting from the neck, make a long cut down one side of the backbone to the tail.  Make another long cut down the other side of the backbone.  Remove the backbone and discard or save it for stock.

Fold the chicken open like a book, skin side down.  Use a paring knife to cut along each side of the breastbone.  Run your thumbs along both sides of the breastbone and white cartilage, then pull the bones out.  The chicken is now spatchcocked.

Lightly coat the chicken with olive oil and season with your favorite rub or seasoning salt and pepper.

Grill the chicken skin side down for about 15 minutes and then turn it over to finish grilling it.  The chicken should reach at least 165 degrees.  Use a thermometer to check to see if it's done .  Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken being careful not to hit a bone.

You can wrap the wing and leg tips in foil if you like.

This is some good eating!

BBQ - Brine Recipe

1 gallon water

3/4 cup kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Start by boiling the water and then adding the salt and sugar, so that it will dissolve easier. Then add the spices to the hot liquid so that the flavors are extracted. Let the brine cool before adding the meat. 

You'll need a non-reactive container large enough to hold the meat and the brine.  Place the meat in the brine, and then place it in the refrigerator for an hour minimum.  After its been in the refrigerator rinse or wipe off the meat before grilling to remove the excess salt.

I use ziploc bags usually.

BBQ - BRINING

Have you ever had dry chicken off the grill, especially breasts?  Well a brine can remedy that.  A brine is a great way to ensure moist and juicy meat.

Brine's are simply liquid marinades with a high salt content.  All meat contain salt, and when it is placed in a liquid with a higher salt content, the liquid is absorbed into the meat through a process called osmosis.

The liquid penetrates the meat, breaks down fibers and allows the meat to absorb the brine and retain moisture during grilling.

Most brines are made by adding flavors to the salted water. You could add your seasonings and brown sugar or honey or apple juice, whatever you like.

How long to leave meat in a brine depends on the size of the meat and strength of the brine.  If you're only doing chicken parts I would brine for an hour in the refrigerator.

I use bags similar to freezer bags for the brine and meat.

Once you take the meat out of the brine wipe or wash it off to remove excess salt and start grillin'

Click here for brine recipe

BBQ - Knowing When To Turn a Steak

With all meat, when it releases easily from the grill it's time to turn it, but there are other signs that a steak is ready for the first turn: 

• The sounds of sizzling will decrease as the steak carmelizes.
• when you see the liquid from inside the steak start to accumulate on the surface of the meat , turn it

Be careful not to burn it!

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BBQ - Creating Dry Rubs (seasoning)

Rubs are applied to the exterior surface of the meat. You can create your own rub at any time but if you haven't I tell people just to use seasoning-salt and pepper until they decide to get creative with their own rub.

So if you're ready to get creative let's go!

Rubs are dry seasoning used to flavor the meat on the outside during the smoking process.  Rubbing your meat with spices is one way to not only tenderize the meat before you throw it on the grill but it also gives it a delicious BBQ taste

To create a rub break your dry seasonings down into four groups: salts and sugars, pepper, transitional spices, and then herbs.   There are several types of salts, pepper, etc. so you have to experiment to see what you like best.  Transitional spices are:  chilli powder, cumin and paprika. These can unite the other flavors and balance them out.

Let's say you use:
white sugar, brown sugar, garlic salt, kosher salt, black pepper, cumin and basil

See what I mean, that's a rub!  You have to decide on the measurements of each.  Mix it up in a bowl.

Dry rubs may be applied the night before, an hour before, or 5 minutes before, this is really your choice. The main factor in making your decision will depend on how much salt is in the rub itself. Salt draws out important juices from your protein (meat) in the product.  The loss of moisture will result in the product being drier.

Sugar is also an important component of many rubs. However, if too much sugar is used in the rub, it will caramelize and burn, so be careful.

If your dry rub is coming out pasty tasting or thick and wet, you're using too much paprika and chili powder in them, since they tend to draw extra moisture out of the product.

Learn your product well and then experiment with your rubs to see when it is best to apply them and what tastes best.

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