Grilling Leg Quarters

So you’ve recently purchased a Weber charcoal barbecue and are wondering how to prepare a delectable chicken on it. While you presumably understand the essentials, there are a few things you may not be aware of. Here are some recommendations for cooking chicken on a Weber charcoal barbecue.

1. Get Rid Of Any Extra Fat And Skin

Fat adds taste to chicken, but too much fat causes a lot of flare-ups on the grill, which can result in charred skin. Trim any excess skin and fat that hangs over the main section of the chicken thigh and drum.

2. Prepare A Dry Brine Using Kosher Salt

This is a tip for tightening up your chicken skin and getting rid of excess moisture on the surface so you can achieve crispier skin.

Simply season the entire chicken quarter with a good quantity of salt. Don’t be concerned about the amount of salt used; some will not absorb the meat and fall to the grill.

Keep the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, uncovered. You may move in any direction and get a variety of results. Longer is usually preferable. This is a very crucial part if you want great grilled chicken leg quarters.

Tip: Brining chicken wings and breasts is a terrific technique to add flavor and crispiness to them. Grilled chicken drumsticks are also a must!

3. Get The Grill Ready

Preheat your grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure your grill grates are free of debris. Once the grates are nice and hot, scrape them clean if there are any residual parts from the previous time you grilled.

It’s critical to have hot grill grates before adding your chicken leg pieces if you want crispy skin.

4. Seasoning With Salt And Pepper Plus A Drizzle With Oil

Begin by pouring olive oil over the chicken quarters and massaging it from both sides. You do not want to use too much oil; approximately a half teaspoon per quarter should be enough.

I prefer to keep my seasoning basic to fully appreciate the flavor of the grilled chicken. You don’t need much more than that because we previously salted it when we brined the chicken quarters.

Season the chicken on both sides with freshly ground black pepper. I prefer to season each quarter with approximately 1/8 teaspoons of black pepper. Careful to pepper both sides.

It’s just spicy enough to taste without being overpowering. Toss and saute it with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

5. Cook The Chicken Parts On The Grill

Place your chicken quarters on the grill now that your chicken and grill are both ready. Keep the chicken skin side down on the grates first.

You may flip the cooked chicken legs over to grill the other side after approximately 7-10 minutes. Allow a few more minutes if the skin is adhering to the grates and isn’t ready to be flipped.

When crisp and baked skin, it will naturally detach from the grates. Enable them to finish cooking on the other side.

6. Pour In The BBQ Sauce

When your chicken is almost done, slather it in BBQ sauce. Barbeque sauces usually contain a lot of brown sugar, which burns fast.

When making barbecue chicken, make sure to add the sauce last, so it doesn’t burn.

Allow the chicken to simmer for a few minutes after covering it with barbecue sauce. This will thicken and stickier the sauce on your cooked chicken leg quarters.

Cook for a few minutes after flipping them over and coating the other side.

Cooking Chicken On The Grill

Instructions In A Step-By-Step Format

1. In a mixing dish, combine all marinade ingredients.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. There should be altogether six pieces: two legs, two breasts, and two wings.
3. Toss the chicken parts into the marinade-filled basin. Mix thoroughly and set aside to marinate the chicken. Refrigerate for up to four hours. If you do not have enough time duration, you can bake the chicken instead.
4. Get the charcoal grill ready—Preheat the oven to 350°-450°F.
5. Brush the cooking grates clean before beginning to grill the chicken. When grilling the chicken, make sure you start with the skin side. Keep the lid covered while grilling it over indirect heat.
6. Cooking time for the wings and breast should be approximately 30 to 40 minutes. The thighs and drumsticks should take around 40 to 50 minutes to cook.
7. Put the chicken flesh on direct heat for the last five minutes of cooking. Cook till it turns a golden brown hue. Before taking it from the grill, turn it once or twice more.

How Do You Know When It’s Finished

According to the USDA, only when the interior flesh temperature reaches 165°F is the fowl considered done. Keep in mind that while the chicken is resting, its internal temperature may rise by 5-10 degrees. By putting a thermometer into the thickest section of the thigh, but excluding the bones, you may check the inner portion of the thigh.

Depending on the section of the chicken and the temperature at which it is cooked, it will approximately take anywhere from 10 to 90 minutes. I’ve included a list of typical grilling timings for chicken.

Tips For Consistently Great Grilled Chicken

• Oiling your grill grates before you start cooking is a step not to miss. This prevents the chicken from adhering to the pan during cooking.
• To avoid scorching the chicken, cook it over medium heat. The basting sauce helps color the chicken, but if the heat is too high, the skin may burn before you fully cook the chicken. Preheat the grill to 500°F, then gradually reduce to 350°F after the chicken is placed over the coals.
• Make sure the grill is covered. A covered grill produces a seal covering the chicken on all sides while it cooks, providing equal cooking. 

Conclusion

Take and move the chicken off the grill and place it on a platter after it has reached 165°F and has absorbed the barbeque sauce.

This step is necessary to allow the chicken to absorb some of its fluids and continue to cook up to temperature if you removed it a little before it reached temperature. It will just take approximately 5 minutes.

Grab your napkins, and let’s get started. This chicken will be moist and a touch sticky, but it will be great!