I love grilling half chickens. They are incredibly easy, and spend most of their time bone side down meaning little chance of messing them up. I typically like to leave the backbone in so that it aids in diffusing the heat and gives the chicken half a bit more stability. If you do opt to leave the backbone in, you’ll need one of those cheap-o “Ginzu” type knives to saw through the backbone. Go slow and make sure your cut is straight.
I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Original sauce for this.
Grilled Half Chicken with BBQ Glaze
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut in half
3/4 favorite BBQ Sauce.
Procedure
Cut Chicken in half. There are two ways to do this. Either use sheers to completely remove the backbone by cutting up each side of it, of use a “kitchen saw” to cut through the backbone and leave it in.
Season the chicken halves on both sides.
Grill cavity side down over medium coals for 10 minutes. Flip and grill skin side down for 8-10 minutes. You want to brown the skin, but not burn it. Flip again and so the bird is bone side down once more. It will stay that way from here out.
Grill another 5 minutes, then liberally coat the chicken with your BBQ sauce. Grill another 10 minutes or until done and sauce is set. If you like, reapply sauce after the first 5 minutes of saucing for a thicker glaze.
------- Now for the pics -------
Ever wonder what those cheap Ginzu type knives are for? Sawing! I got this one at a Wal-Mart demo years ago for 1 dollar!
You’ve got to get through the skin first. Go slow, and make light cuts to begin with to get your “line” started. Once the groove is formed, begin sawing carefully, but firmly. You’ll have to adjust your holding hand position as you get near either end.
Once the backbone is in half, saw through the breast bone and skin.
Now they are in half.
Season with your favorite rub. I mix mine and keep it in one of those red pepper flake shakers. Works really well.
Grill according to the recipe above.
Cut the leg quarter off from the breast and wing piece. This gives you two servings. In the old days, they called the breast with wing attached an “Airline Breast” or a “Supreme”. I like the dark meat, and DW likes the light meat, so this works well for us!
Then finally plated in country style with sides of meaty baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and macaroni salad.
I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Original sauce for this.
Grilled Half Chicken with BBQ Glaze
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut in half
3/4 favorite BBQ Sauce.
Procedure
Cut Chicken in half. There are two ways to do this. Either use sheers to completely remove the backbone by cutting up each side of it, of use a “kitchen saw” to cut through the backbone and leave it in.
Season the chicken halves on both sides.
Grill cavity side down over medium coals for 10 minutes. Flip and grill skin side down for 8-10 minutes. You want to brown the skin, but not burn it. Flip again and so the bird is bone side down once more. It will stay that way from here out.
Grill another 5 minutes, then liberally coat the chicken with your BBQ sauce. Grill another 10 minutes or until done and sauce is set. If you like, reapply sauce after the first 5 minutes of saucing for a thicker glaze.
------- Now for the pics -------
Ever wonder what those cheap Ginzu type knives are for? Sawing! I got this one at a Wal-Mart demo years ago for 1 dollar!
You’ve got to get through the skin first. Go slow, and make light cuts to begin with to get your “line” started. Once the groove is formed, begin sawing carefully, but firmly. You’ll have to adjust your holding hand position as you get near either end.
Once the backbone is in half, saw through the breast bone and skin.
Now they are in half.
Season with your favorite rub. I mix mine and keep it in one of those red pepper flake shakers. Works really well.
Grill according to the recipe above.
Cut the leg quarter off from the breast and wing piece. This gives you two servings. In the old days, they called the breast with wing attached an “Airline Breast” or a “Supreme”. I like the dark meat, and DW likes the light meat, so this works well for us!
Then finally plated in country style with sides of meaty baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and macaroni salad.
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lol. I have to have sides with everything. I love all kinds of veggies at once, lol have to have bread of some kind too!!
