Grilling meat has many benefits. It helps the meat retain its nutrients more than frying or baking. Also, since the excess fat drips down while grilling, the meat becomes healthier to eat. Chicken is one of the popular choices of meat for grilling. There are various grilled chicken recipes that you can try to get both nutrition and taste. But before that, you need to master the grill. So, here are 5 effective hacks to grill perfectly.
Keep in mind that a large cut of meat takes more time to grill. So, if you want to grill in a short time, consider boneless meat, cut it into small pieces, and thread them on your skewers.
When it comes to chicken breasts, remember that the uneven shape of skinless and boneless chicken breasts makes them difficult to grill. So, it's better to pound the thicker end to make it thin. This will save your grilling time and help the chicken to cook more evenly.
If you want to grill a whole chicken, butterfly it. This involves spatchcocking, i.e., removing the backbone to let the meat lie flat. This can reduce the grilling time and allow the chicken to cook evenly. You can easily carve it.
Don't forget to inject some great flavor into the meat before cooking it. Thus, you can avoid basting and need to put much effort before grilling. Whether you try a marinade, rub, or brine, the results will be delicious.
If you want to try something fancy, consider options like Tajín. You can prepare this Mexican seasoning by combining olive oil with garlic, abodo, chipotles, orange zest, orange juice, agave syrup, dehydrated lime juice, sea salt, and dried, ground red chilies. To try something Turkish, you can go for a marinade of yogurt and herbs like oregano and thyme.
Like other kitchen appliances, it's essential to maintain, clean, and prep your grill so it can work well. To cook the perfect grilled meat, ensure that there is enough fuel. Then rub some oil on the grates after cleaning and pre-heating them. Do this just before you start cooking the meat to prevent it from sticking to the grill.
This tip applies solely to grilling chicken. Unlike steak, you need not cook chicken on very high heat. Instead, use indirect or medium heat so that the chicken cooks thoroughly and doesn't burn. When you use a gas grill, put it on medium heat. In the case of a charcoal grill, put coal just halfway or build a two-level fire. The chicken is usually done when its internal temperature is 165°F. Consider using an instant-read meat thermometer to check the temperature.
Follow other useful tips like covering the grill, avoiding cross-contamination, and applying sauce only at the end to grill like a pro. If you wish to take a break from the kitchen but crave smoky chicken, simply order it from a restaurant that delivers scrumptious grilled chicken.