butterflied barbecued whole chicken over high indirect heat
When I began smoking over charcoal a whole chicken was my first choice of meat to try and master. It’s a great entry level cut as it is relatively inexpensive and really soaks up any wood smoke so you immediately get an appreciation for that smoky flavour.
You can raise the flavour and juiciness of a whole chicken by butterflying and brining the bird. Brining in particular really pushes the taste along. It allows salt to penetrate the meat and loosen up the proteins, enabling them to hold onto moisture better. In other words, the chicken stays juicier.
To butterfly the chicken use a pair of sharp kitchen scissors and cut along either side of the back bone starting from the tail. Flip the bird over and gently using the palm of your hand press down on the breastbone until the chicken flattens out, you will hear a couple of cracks. This flattening of the bird allows for a more even cook as the heat only has half the distance to travel through the flesh as opposed to leaving it whole.
Step two involves dry brining the chicken. Dry brine the chicken by sprinkling kosher salt at the rate of 1 tsp per kilo. Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours or preferably overnight. To increase your chances of crisping up the skin, leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge when brining. Much like you would prepare a pork loin or pork belly, the cool air in the fridge will help dry out the skin. You can find Meathead Goldwyn’s article on the science behind dry brining here.
ingredients
- whole chicken
- mayonnaise or olive oil
- salt and/or you’re favourite chicken seasoning
directions
- As discussed above, butterfly and dry brine the whole chicken.
- Whether you’re cooking over charcoal or gas prepare your barbecue for indirect cooking and aim for 375f/190c.
- Lightly brush the chicken with some mayonnaise or rub with olive oil and if using, add the seasoning.*
- If your using charcoal add a chunk of flavour wood to the coals then add the chicken.
- Cook until the internal temperature of the breast meat reached 155f/68c. The thigh meat should read 165f/74c.
- Remove from the grill and enjoy your barbecued whole chicken!
*If you wish to use a poultry seasoning as well as using the dry brining method be careful not to over salt. Most commercial rubs will contain salt so either reduce the amount of salt you use in the dry brining process or make your own seasoning and hold the salt.
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