Memorial Weekend Continues

Today I decided to try the 6.5 lb. butterflied chicken on the grill!  Armed with advice from Kathi on how to butterfly the whole chicken and more advice from Pat on how to grill it I went to work.  I vaguely remembered Pat telling me how to soak wood chips and put them in the grill so I soaked a bunch of apple wood chips he had brought up here years ago to use and didn't use them all.  Then I got out my (Bob's really) new woodpecker kitchen shears that Kathi and Danny gave him for Christmas,  and tried to follow the video posted on Kathi's blog (countrychickengirl.blogspot.com) on how to butterfly a chicken.  It was good and easy except I think it looked easier to cut through a 3 lb. chicken than my big 6.5 lb. one!

Bob's Cool Woodpecker Kitchen Shears

These shears are heavy duty and sharp!

Then, I had read about someone who had mixed a bunch of herbs with some yogurt and put them under the skin of the chicken.  I opted to leave the yogurt out and rub the herbs in under the skin.  Next I whipped up some marinade to soak my butterflied chicken in.  Pat had marinated a bunch of chicken thighs last year and grilled them for Brendin's grad party and they were delicious.  I used wine, olive oil, and some garlic and herb marinade that was in a bottle in the fridge.  I put the chicken in a big plastic bag with the marinade and soaked it in the fridge for about 7 hours--I think I'd do it overnight next time.

I heated the grill up on low,  put a small pan of wine and water, mixed, into one side of the grill, put the chicken all spread out on a cookie sheet on the grill, sprinkled soaked wood chips around on the grill (well, below on the burner part), put some more in the wine/water solution closed up the grill and the smoke has been pouring out ever since.  I'm going to check it at 1 hour with the instant thermometer.  It should read 180 degrees when done.

LATER

It took about 1 hour and ten minutes to cook it to perfection.  It was juicy and the flavor was delicious!  I made some of Pug's baked beans, German potato salad and brownies to go with it.  How's that for "cabin food"?  The only thing missing for this holiday picnic was home made ice cream,  family and friends to share it! But Bob and I managed to do it justice on our own. The chicken was a winner and I will do it again, soon.

MMMMMM! you can almost smell the sweet apple woodsmoke!

Looks yummy and it was!

Ready to "chow down"