# Grilled Chicken Quarters for Dummies



## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 23, 2011)

Ok...so all the great chicken pics have inspired me to grill some of my own, but I have no clue what I'm doing.  I've never grilled them before.....
I figure this would be a good place for preparation and grilling tips for noobs.  I'm thinking about covering in olive oil and a BBQ rub.  Im guessing leave the skin on, right?  Just clean up the excess....I'll let them rest until grilling on friday.  I may grill two today for practice.....

I'm off to youtube to _"Study-Up"_.


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm taking the skin off.......what should my target inside temp be??


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## Tri Tip (Mar 23, 2011)

I'd soak em in cheep Italian dressing for at least 4 hrs. Hit em with whatever rub you like. Skin on or off is a preference. Sear em over the flame be it coal or gas about 2 min per side with the lid closed. If they stick to the grill when you try to flip give em a bit more time but if their starting to burn flip anyway. The dressing has oil and helps prevent em from sticking. When you get the color you want move em over away from the coal/flame close the lid and let em roast about 20-40 min depending on your grill temp and thickness of the qtrs. I use a remote thermometer so I can watch the temp of the meat come up  while I'm in the house. Pull em at 165 and you can go as high as 180 without too much damage. I check each piece as they will cook unevenly. I go 170+ cause I got two little girls. Wipe  those tongs and spray with vinegar or or wash with hot soapy water when going from raw to partially cooked and then fully cooked, to prevent cross contaminating and always use a clean plate. Raw chicken is deadly funk! If you sauce do it the last 10 minutes. Most of all have fun!


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## ScottyDaQ (Mar 23, 2011)

Leave the skin on ... sprinkle with rub...cook indirect ...add some wood. 

You can add some color/char by going direct for just a few quick seconds at the end. 

To test, just pull one and see if the juices are clear. If they are... EAT.


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 23, 2011)

As far as seasoning goes....it's too late. I coated with olive oil and BBQ dry rub......





I also left the skin on......I'm flying by the seat of my pants and changing my mind every 2 minutes how I want to do this. 

I'm feeling very conflicted!!!!!!  Do I leave it covered in the fridge until friday, or let it sit for 1hr and grill today!??  Decisions, decisions!!! Hehehe....I think this may be dinner tonight!!

I'm conflicted on grilling......
A. Do I sear on high 3 minutes a side first.....then drop the heat until finished.
or
B. Start on low heat and then reverse sear 3 minutes a side.
?
?

What temp should I remove this from the grill.....165???  If so, at what temp should I begin reverse searing at 3 mins a side???? Also keep in mind I'm gas grillin'.....


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 23, 2011)

ScottyDaQ said:
			
		

> Leave the skin on ... sprinkle with rub...cook indirect ...add some wood.
> 
> You can add some color/char by going direct for just a few quick seconds at the end.
> 
> To test, just pull one and see if the juices are clear. If they are... EAT.


Sweet......I didn't see your post until after the above pic!!

I have a 2 burner gas grill.(front/back burners)  I can try to put all the meat front or back....or maybe just use the grate up top for indirect cooking?? I never used it before....assumed it was for keeping stuff warm.  LOL


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## ScottyDaQ (Mar 23, 2011)

One burner on (med to med-high), one off. Chicken goes on the off side. Depending on how big the surface area is, you may have to keep rotating them for even cooking.


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 23, 2011)

ScottyDaQ said:
			
		

> One burner on (med to med-high), one off. Chicken goes on the off side. Depending on how big the surface area is, you may have to keep rotating them for even cooking.


mine is front & back burners......not the same separation as side to side.


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 23, 2011)

PS....
I decided to resist temptation...no grillin' today. It's bagged and in the fridge......to allow for a full 2 days to soak in that BBQ flava'!!


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## Nick Prochilo (Mar 23, 2011)

It doesn't need time to soak in the flavor. I dust mine and trow them right on the grill. Front to back or side to side, it doesn't matter you can still cook indirect. I light all my burners and get the grill up to about 700*. I then throw the chicken on and immediately shut down all the burners under the bird. I leave enough burners on to maintain 350 - 375*. Chicken thighs take 45 minutes to cook. During the last 5 minutes I flip them and cook them the last 5 on direct heat to get color on both sides. By heating all the burners in the beginning, it gives the chicken color on the first side from the preheated burners. Skin on or off is personal preference, I take mine off.


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## Vermin999 (Mar 23, 2011)

Do whatever you want, remember its just chicken and chicken is cheap. Chicken takes a long time to cook so cook it indirect for most of the cook and if you are going to add sauce, add it the last 10 minutes. Make sure your chicken is fully cooked, you don't want to get anyone sick.  Lately I have been taking chicken quarters to around 185*,its more tender but can be pulled at 165*.


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 24, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the great advice....

I just ordered one of these today from Amazon.com.  




Figured it would be a fun useful thing to have.....
http://www.amazon.com/Weber-6438-Profes ... 361&sr=1-1

PS...marinating chicken for a length of time doesn't help??


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## Nick Prochilo (Mar 24, 2011)

Good investment! What kind of help are you looking for with your marinade?


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 25, 2011)

I'm just using the dry rub.  I may baste it with seasoned butter as it cooks, and that's about it.


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 25, 2011)

OK...so what is the WORD on chicken dry rub??  What length of time is optimal?  I put a generous coating on my ch-quarters and put them in a ziplock bag for 48hrs...I just now took them out of the fridge to warm up and a lot of the rub looks like it didn't take........


I just coated it a 2nd time generously.....1hr until the fire with ZARDA bbq rub......YUMMMMM>

Was the 48hrs a waste?  I'm sure there had to be some BBQ osmosis going on!!!!!


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 25, 2011)

Son of a B!%CH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I set the heat high for a 3 minute sear, and I commit the cardinal sin!!!!!!  .........I leave the meat _'for a quick sec'_ to go inside because I need to talk to my daughter about something and look what happens  




I return to the 'rage within 3 minutes only to discover an inferno.... The chicken is fine, but I ruined 50% of the skin.  I am so angry with myself right now...... :twisted:  .............#%$&  #$% %$$^ $%^$ $%^*((!!!!!!!

....I turned off the front burner, dropped the heat to 350'ish and flipped the meat for indirect cooking.  I dumped more BBQ rub on the top burned-skin side.......it just seemed like the #%$^ #$%^ thing to do.


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## Redflea (Mar 29, 2011)

Happens to the best of us...if you haven't burned something on your grill, you haven't been grilling enough.   

Next time get a lemon pepper rub at the store...don't spend a ton on it, I've found that family/friends responded the same to four that I have have tried so far, Weber's lemon rub, a generic brand, and a couple other name brands I'm forgetting.  

Anyway, the lemon pepper rubs are very tasty, very popular w/everyone I've cooked them for (even more-so than BBQ rubs/sauces), and very easy to cook (using the method where you preheat the entire surface, put on chicken and turn off burners under it, cook indirect around 350-ish until minimum 165 internal, and then short direct at the end).


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## Buckeye_Nut (Mar 30, 2011)

Sheesh....at least the chicken itself wasn't burnt.  Once it was finished cooking, I removed all the skin and it was quite edible.  LOL

IMO...the skin was to be the best part and I was pretty upset that I had to take it all off.

Oh well...


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## Nick Prochilo (Apr 5, 2011)

It seems I burn only when I use too much alcohol.


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