How to grill amazing leg quarters

Remembering great grilled chicken

Grilled chicken is one of our favorite foods. For some people, it is easy to grill it too long. One of the things I do is to marinate my chicken for two to three hours before I put it on the grill. I make sure my grill is clean before I put anything on it. I often put some olive oil on the grates to help reduce any chances of sticking. The next thing I do is make sure my temperature is around 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

I personally use a charcoal grill for most of my grilling. It depends upon what I am grilling as to which I use charcoal or gas. I like the smoky flavor from charcoal so I use it more often. At this time of the year, most people have put away their grills or are about to. I find grilling to be an exciting past-time any time of the year.

Just remember the smell of chicken roasting on the grill and how it makes you anticipate the savory flavor of taking that first bite. The skin nice and crisp with all of the juices and flavor exploding into your mouth. That first bite that makes you go ooooh or aaaah. The fresh taste of chicken that has been perfectly prepared and how it makes your mouth water wanting more. You get full-throated flavor that makes you ravenous for more. You have to be quick though otherwise you will be left wanting and desiring another piece of that savory perfection that just falls off the bone into your waiting lips. You feel as if your world is whole with such succulent food before you.

Pair with the chicken some corn that has been roasted on the grill. You might want to put a little chili powder on the corn before grilling or some other flavor. I like it plain or with a little chili powder. Roast the corn until you get just a little char on it but remember you have to turn it on occasion to keep it from burning but still get that fantastic roasted flavor that is second to none.

I will sometimes grill other vegetables to go with my corn and chicken like asparagus or stuffed jalapeno peppers. I stuff my peppers with feta cheese. You can use whatever tastes best for you.

You are the one in charge. You are the one who ultimately gets the thrill from family and friends when every morsel is eaten and everyone is satisfied with such a wonderful meal.

Choosing the right leg-quarters for grilling

You must remember when choosing your leg quarters, a couple of things that are crucial are: skin must be on, this gives better flavor, another thing to look for are broken bones.

The reason to have the skin on the leg-quarters is for added flavor. After you take the leg-quarters out of the marinade, pat it dry. One way to enhance the flavor is to put some of the seasoning under the skin as well as some butter(my favorite) or oil as well.

I try to make sure that the quarters are large. While this may take longer, the flavor is extraordinary. By cooking just a few minutes longer you get a much better flavor than you would from smaller quarters. The smaller quarters while they cook quicker are prone to dry out easier.

Some tasty sides to go with your leg quarters




I will often take my cast iron pot and put my vegetables in it. I do this since I already have my grill going. I will put a variety of different vegetables in. I mostly use potatoes that I have diced, onions that are quartered, a few sliced jalapenos, some carrot rounds. I will put enough chicken stock in to have about one quarter to one half inch in the bottom. I cover with the lid and put on the cooler side so it does not overcook or scorch.

If I do not use my cast iron pot then I will grill some asparagus or sweet peppers. The asparagus will be wrapped in bacon and cooked as I finish grilling the leg quarters. The sweet(bell) peppers I will halve them and stuff with my favorite cheese. If I grill jalapenos then I stuff them with a feta-mozzerella cheese mixture. I grill the peppers until they start to blister and the cheese starts to melt.

Please leave comments below and remember to Thrill for the Grill

Jerry

Smoking a Brisket

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Briskets

How to smoke a brisket. There are a variety of ways to smoke a brisket; charcoal grill, gas grill, oven, crock pot, smoker and Dutch Oven(large). I personally prefer the charcoal grill because I do not have to add any artificial smoke to it. The first thing that you want to do is have a grill that is large enough to put the brisket on and have a cool side. You want to select a brisket that is the right size for the number of people that you are feeding. I normally choose one that is around 12 pounds. On most briskets you will have to trim off the fat cap leaving about 1/4 inch fat.  I place a pan that has a mixture of apple juice and water on the cool end of the grill this helps to keep the brisket from drying out. I normally put my rub on there and let  it set for three to four hours depending upon how deep into the brisket I want the seasoning to penetrate. Since I use charcoal, I stack my briquets in a pyramid base to get my temperature to 250 – 275 degrees. I then  sear my brisket on both sides for about 10 minutes before I place it on the cool end of my grill. I will check on my brisket after about three hours mainly to check on the temperature to make sure that it is maintaining the desired temperature, if the temperature has started to drop the I add around ten briquets. I will check my temperature again after about thirty minutes to maintain at 250 – 275. I will then check my temperature again after another three hours to maintain temperature levels. At this point I check my apple water solution to make sure that there is still plenty there and if needed I add more to it. Now we are down to the final three hours, check your briquets one last time but add no more than seven since you are almost there. At the end of the three hours use a meat thermometer to ensure that the brisket  is at 165 degrees at the thickest part. Take the brisket from the grill and let rest for about thirty minutes before beginning to slice. ENJOY THE GRILL
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Gas grills are another popular form of grilling or smoking briskets. They are generally easier to maintain the temperature for smoking a brisket.  As with a charcoal grill, you must select your brisket carefully. You do not want a brisket that has too much fat or to be larger than you need.  You need to put your favorite rub on your brisket three to four hours ahead of time so that the seasonings will go deep into the meat. Always remember to refrigerate your meat during this time to keep it spoiling. When you get ready to start the smoking process you need to inject liquid smoke into the brisket if you want the smokey flavor that you get with a charcoal grill. Sear your brisket about ten minutes on each side then place on the cool end of the grill. You need to place a pan with a mixture of apple juice and water beside the brisket to prevent the brisket from drying out. After about three hours check the brisket and your water/juice solution to be sure that your solution has not evaporated. Three hours later you need to check your brisket again, replacing your solution if needed. Three hours later check your brisket one last time. This time use a meat thermometer to verify that the internal temperature is at 165 degrees in the thickest part of the brisket. Let the brisket set thirty minutes to one hour before slicing and serving.Making dinner

One other method that I am going to cover is in the oven. Select your brisket carefully trimming off any excess fat. Season your brisket with the seasoning of choice. You can either inject the liquid smoke now or just before searing your brisket. Place a small pan in the oven with an apple juice(or any other juice) and water solution. Set the temperature at 250 degrees place your brisket in the oven, check your brisket after about four hours. Check the water level in your pan to make sure that you did not lose too much due to evaporation. After another three hours check your brisket to make sure that the brisket has reached 165 degrees in the thickest part of the brisket Take from the oven and let rest for thirty minutes to one hour before slicing.

All of these methods work well. You have to decide which method works best for you. Most of the experts say that you need to smoke a brisket for twelve hours for it to be done. I disagree because I do not like the “bark” otherwise known as char on my brisket The “bark” has known cancer causing agents to be found in it. Cooking your brisket for ten to twelve hours gets your brisket to the tear test just as easily but without the “bark”. I do not like to waste good food. Try any of these methods, I am sure that you will not be disappointed in the outcome. This is something that you will have to try for your individual taste.

ENJOY THE THRILL OF THE GRILL

Jerry