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BBQ grilled chicken breasts

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Powak
Powak Posts: 1,391
in EggHead Forum
Recently I conquered chicken breasts using that rosemary garlic lemon juice recipe floating around on here. Turns out killer chicken every time. However sometimes I gotta mix it up, and swmbo’s been wanting some Sweet Baby Ray’s coated chicken breasts. I always turn out drier than a popcorn fart chicken when I glaze em with Baby Ray’s at the end. Is there a sure- fire way to always turn out juicy glazed chicken? I usually cook both sides of the chicken at 400-450 raised direct 4-6’minutes a side then sauce em and crisp up but im almost wondering if I should sauce em before going on the grill? Or sauce one side as soon as the chicken goes on the grill?
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,471
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    I feel two things affect the moistness of cheekun breasts, and neither is the glaze.  
    Breasts dry out if a) you overcook them, or b) you didn't brine them before grilling.  Are you temping the breasts and pulling them at 160 or so?  I'm not familiar with this "rosemary garlic lemon" glaze, is it more a marinade?  There really shouldn't be a difference between the two, as long as you're not changing anything else.
    I used to wet-brine my breasts, then I started dry-brining but wrapping tightly with Saran wrap overnight (so the juices drawn out don't evaporate in the frig, but get pulled back in).   And the last two years, I just do thighs.   =)  
     

    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    Brine!

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
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    Botch said:
    I feel two things affect the moistness of cheekun breasts, and neither is the glaze.  
    Breasts dry out if a) you overcook them, or b) you didn't brine them before grilling.  Are you temping the breasts and pulling them at 160 or so?  I'm not familiar with this "rosemary garlic lemon" glaze, is it more a marinade?  There really shouldn't be a difference between the two, as long as you're not changing anything else.
    I used to wet-brine my breasts, then I started dry-brining but wrapping tightly with Saran wrap overnight (so the juices drawn out don't evaporate in the frig, but get pulled back in).   And the last two years, I just do thighs.   =)  
     

    This is the best chicken breast recipe for the grill I’ve ever had. https://www.seriouseats.com/five-minute-grilled-chicken-cutlet-rosemary-garlic-lemon-recipe

    Fool proof and even if you over cook em a hair that quick marinade keeps em perfect. I usually take chicken breasts, fillet em so they’re thinner and then cut those those halves in two so they cook quick.

    I cut them the same way for the With bbq sauce style though there’s no acid tenderizing the meat so I’m wondering if just gotta apply it early in the cook? 

    With you on thighs, can never go wrong with those.
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    Like @Botch said temp is key and dry/wet brine will help but not nearly as important as pulling at 155-160. If I’m saucing chicken breast I’ll cook one side then flip, sauce and repeat when the second side is ready. If I had to guess I’d say I start saucing around 130 or so. This will let the sauce firm up and not overcook the chicken. 

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
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    Mattman3969 said:
    Like @Botch said temp is key and dry/wet brine will help but not nearly as important as pulling at 155-160. If I’m saucing chicken breast I’ll cook one side then flip, sauce and repeat when the second side is ready. If I had to guess I’d say I start saucing around 130 or so. This will let the sauce firm up and not overcook the chicken. 
    Right on. I’m going to try this next time. Thanks for some numbers. Do you cook them at the fire ring or felt?
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    I always cook at felt or above and just alter the amount of lump for whatever I’m cooking.  Chicken breast my lump will be around the seam of fire bowl and ring 

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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