LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2016

BASICS  GRILLED CHICKEN REFRESHER

Grilled chicken is one of summertime’s great joys but it is probably the hardest protein to grill well. To avoid common issues—from skin that burns or sticks to the grill, to undercooking or overcooking the meat—grill­ ing chicken takes some skill and knowledge.     First, let the chicken come to room temperature. It cooks more evenly and more quickly. Oil the grill to prevent sticking. Fill a spray bottle with oil to spritz on the food.     Grill with the lid down on both gas and charcoal barbecues. The barbecue acts like an oven as well as a grill, cooking the chicken more quickly and evenly.     Use a thermometer so you make sure the chicken cooks to the right temperature (165°F or 74°C). Under­ cooked chicken is a health hazard. Keep everything, such as platters, knives and boards clean so as not to cross-contaminate.

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gri l l ing

Chicken is too delicate to be able to withstand high heat. High heat burns the chicken skin and it becomes charred before the flesh is cooked through. A longer, slower grill temperature, about 350° to 375°F (180° to 190°C), is the solution.    Indirect heat works best for larger pieces of chicken. If you have three or more burners, turn the middle burner off. For two-burner grills, turn the heat down as best you can. Chicken on the bone with skin will always cook to a juicier texture than boneless, skinless chicken.    To avoid burnt skin sticking to the grill, make sure

To get the best flavour from chicken, buy the finest you can afford. Better birds have better flavour. Once you have the chicken, how you season it makes the difference.    Chicken takes well to rubs, mari- nades and sauces. Because of this you can easily change flavour profiles and probably grill chicken all year without repeating a taste.    Most countries have grilled chick- en in their repertoire. Jerk chicken

the chicken is dry before placing on the grill. If the skin does not brown enough, then finish by turning skin-side down for the last few minutes of cooking.    For sauces that have sugar in them (such as barbecue sauce), brush the sauce on just 5 to 10 minutes before finishing cooking.

from Jamaica, chicken souvlaki from Greece, shish kebabs from Turkey. To get maximum flavour brush the rub or mari- nade under the skin as well as over it.

cuts

CHICKEN BREASTS Skinless, boneless chicken breasts have to be cooked at a lower tem- perature, other- wise they dry out quickly. If they are uneven thickness, pound them to ensure a more even thickness for even cooking.

FLATTENED CHICKEN Flattened chicken is a favou- rite way to cook whole chickens. They cook in a shorter pe- riod of time and are easy to carve once off the grill.

CHICKEN LEGS & THIGHS Chicken legs and thighs are the perfect meat for the grill. Because they have more fat, they are

UPRIGHT CHICKEN Upright chicken may have had its day when it was called beer-can chicken, but however gim- micky it is, it is an excellent way to cook a whole chick- en. By being upright it cooks evenly and you can do several at the same time.

more resistant to drying out. Discard the skin if you don’t want it after they are cooked.

66  FOOD & DRI NK SUMMER 2016