| Here are the steps the Weekend Griller can follow to | | | | 8. Bend both halves of the carcass backward at the |
| butterfly a whole chicken. | | | | cut to expose the breastbone. It should pop right up |
| Why Butterfly a Chicken in the First Place? | | | | through the cut. |
| With the backbone and the breastbone (keel bone) | | | | 9. Run your thumbs or index fingers down both sides |
| removed, a whole chicken will lay flat on the grill and | | | | of the breastbone to bluntly dissect it from the meat, |
| cook more evenly. Laying your whole grilled chicken on | | | | and then pull the bone out. |
| a bed of fresh lettuce or other greens will make a | | | | 10. Remove any excess fat from the carcass. You |
| great presentation and impress your guests. | | | | may also want to tuck the wing tips under the skin to |
| Tools for the job: | | | | protect from burning them. |
| - Whole Chicken | | | | You can rinse the bird now but rinsing the chicken |
| - Cutting Board | | | | thoroughly under cold running water is not necessary |
| - Sharp Kitchen Shears | | | | from a food safety standpoint, since proper cooking |
| - A Sharp Paring Knife | | | | will kill any bacteria. |
| Directions | | | | The US FDA recommends the following cooking |
| | | | guidelines: |
| 1. Start with a whole broiler/fryer chicken weighing 3-1 | | | | - Cook whole poultry to a temperature of 180°F |
| 2 to 4 pounds | | | | (take measurement in the thigh). |
| 2. Remove the neck and giblets from the body cavity, | | | | - Always keep poultry refrigerated, even when in a |
| and then trim away any excess fat from around the | | | | marinade, until it's ready for cooking. |
| cavity opening (neck end.) | | | | - Always thaw frozen poultry in the refrigerator, never |
| 3. Position the chicken so the back is facing up (breast | | | | at room temperature. You can usually thaw a chicken |
| side against cutting board) and the drumsticks are | | | | this way overnight. |
| pointing towards you. | | | | - If any part of the bird has an odd or "off" odor, |
| 4. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut all the way down | | | | discard the entire chicken. Before cooking the chicken, |
| one side of the backbone (about ½ to 1 inch | | | | wash it, inside and out, with cold water and then pat it |
| from center). | | | | dry with paper towels. Discard the paper towels. |
| 5. Next, cut all the way down the other side of the | | | | - Thoroughly wash your hands, the utensils, and the |
| backbone removing it completely. | | | | work surface when you're done. |
| 6. Rotate the chicken so the drumsticks are pointing | | | | And for more great guides and recipes for the |
| away from you. | | | | Weekend Griller visit our website -- The Weekend |
| 7. Use a paring knife to make a small cut in the white | | | | Grillers. |
| cartilage that conceals the top of the breastbone. | | | | |