Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Kingsford U: Grill Once Eat Twice

I am at a loss for words.

I know that is shocking, normally you can't get me to shut up.  But after the past weekend at Kingsford University and 3 days of sensory overload, I don't know where to start.  I guess I'll start with five ways that Kingsford University is NOT like regular college.

The food is much better than a meal pass!  Dinner at Tom Colicchio's Craftsteak, dinner cooked by Chris Lilly, Ken Hess, & crew, and the lunch we cooked (chicken tacos) ourselves were top notch.

The cooking equipment consisted of more than a microwave and illegal hot plate.  Yes....that IS a flat screen TV in that Pitmaker smoker/grill unit!


The dorm rooms didn't have bunk beds and cinder block walls
.  Kingsford put us up at The Signature at MGM Grand.


The Dean of the University didn't put us on double secret probation
.  If anything, Chris was putting us up to things! 

The "adult beverages" consisted of more than cheap beer and grain alcohol
.  I have a great story about the 'Cue Cocktail Contest but out of respect for the ONE innocent party on our team, I will defer. 


One of the themes of Kingsford U was "grill once eat twice".  So tonight I followed that precept since it takes no more time, fuel, or chickens to cook two chickens as it does to cook one.  Wait.....it does take more chickens, I'm bad at math.  But it doesn't take more coal or time.
I spatchcocked two chickens and seasoned them with my favorite poultry rub.  Here's a tip from me...season the holy living flip ("flip" trademarked by DivaQ) out of the backside of your butterflied chickens.  I put about twice as much on the back side that I do the top.  You won't be biting through the backside so feel free to light it up.
I grilled the birds at 350f direct heat on a raised grate (8-9" above the coals) for one hour, keeping them bone side down the entire time.  
I pulled them off when they hit an internal temp of 160f in the breast and 180f in the thigh.  One bird came off right at one hour and the other took another 15 minutes.  That's why you cook by temp, not time.
Since it was a weeknight, we went simple and served it with some grilled zucchini.   Alexis rocked out some dinner rolls because she had made up dough this weekend and froze it into serving sized balls. No need to break out the stand mixer tonight.


The best part is that we have chicken leftover for dinner tomorrow night!  And like leftovers, I have much more to come from the past weekend.