Don’t get us wrong, we love chicken cooked indoors, but it takes on a whole new dimension when it’s barbecued, grilled, or grill-roasted.
It’s one of the highlights we love most about summertime outdoor cooking because it delivers a wholly different range of flavors and aromas.
But there are myriad ways to prepare chicken on the grill—from unique and tasty marinades or spice rubs, to various cuts and cooking methods.
So we asked the Lobel family of butchers: what’s your favorite way to make chicken on the grill?
Stanley Lobel: I like to take a 3- to 3.5-pound chicken, cut it in half, and remove the breastbone. I season it with sea salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic—lots of garlic, I love garlic. Grill it on indirect heat for 10 minutes, then direct heat for another 8 to 10 minutes.
When you bone out the breast that way, it will lay flat on the grill and cook more evenly. Also it’s easier to slice when it’s done. Cut them in half and each person gets a half chicken. It’s great for summer dinner parties.
Mark Lobel: I like to do chicken kabobs on the grill. I put some Lobel’s BBQ Sauce in a little bowl and brush it on with a pastry brush as they grill.
The other thing I like to do is take leftovers from a rotisserie or roasted chicken. Let it sit in Lobel’s BBQ Sauce for a day or two. Put that on the grill and brush more sauce on as it cooks. It gets crispy and caramelizes—but be sure to cook on low heat; if you cook on high heat it will dry out. And it’s very important to oil the grill first so the poultry skin won’t stick to the grill. Use a nonstick spray or rub olive oil on with a sponge or paper towel.
Evan Lobel: In the summer, I like doing beer can chicken on the grill. Chicken takes smoke very easily, so I prefer using a milder wood, like apple. Our Lobel’s All-Purpose Savory Seasoning is a great seasoning to use and gives the chicken a nice kick. Pour a little beer out of the can—any beer will do for cooking with really—and add a tablespoon or so of the seasoning to the beer as well before you put the chicken on.
David Lobel: Something a little unique I like to do on the grill is wings! They are challenging, versatile, and always popular. I usually make two kinds: a sweeter version using Lobel’s BBQ Sauce and a spicier version using Lobel’s All-Purpose Savory Seasoning. I also, from time to time, do a hotter version by mixing extra cayenne pepper and garlic powder into the Lobel’s All-Purpose Savory Seasoning as a third type of wings.
The challenge is not burning the wings while grilling. Ways to help avoid this are liberally coating the grill with oil, which helps prevent the skin from sticking to the grill and burning; cooking on a medium heat; and using indirect heat. You may also want to coat your tongs with oil to prevent the wings from sticking to them while turning or removing the wings.
What’s your favorite cut of poultry to grill? How do you like to prepare poultry on the grill? What’s your favorite marinade, herb, spice, or glaze to use when grilling poultry? What woods do you like to use when grilling poultry? What’s your favorite grilled poultry to make for a dinner party? For a casual dinner? For a big backyard cookout? What unique, exotic, or interesting poultry preparation do you enjoy making on the grill?
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