Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Yard Bird

Wow I have a hankering for some really good grill roasted chicken, the melt in your mouth variety with some fresh homemade salsa slathered right on top. Just seems that we never have time during the lazy days of summer to get everything done. You know, you have to mow the grass, weed the garden and if you're lucky harvest a bounty of fresh produce from your own little truck farm.

Now you expect me to cook supper too? It's time to tell you my secret and go hunting for my favorite "yard bird", Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Yard Bird, to be exact.

Yes.

Delicious golden brown moist and tender some of the best melt in your mouth grill roasted chicken you will ever eat. Now, don't let the hunting phrase concern you. The extent of hunting chicken for me is looking for a big plump 3½ to 4 pounder at the local grocery or meat market. I always bag my limit of two because it is just as easy to cook two at the same time to guarantee some leftovers…

"Come on, Capt'n Salsa, quit beating around the bushes and just give us the recipe!"

Oh, Okay.

Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Yard bird is so easy you will probably laugh. Of course it goes with out saying you need to rinse the chicken in cold water before you cook it. All you are going to need is a generous amount of Lemon Pepper Seasoning. Mix up a solution of 1 part vegetable oil with 4 parts of Apple Cider Vinegar, remember that's the brown vinegar, together in a squirt bottle, an empty syrup bottle will do just fine.

Now we are going to cook our grilled chicken whole on your favorite charcoal or 2 burner gas grill using the "indirect heat" method. Your grill needs a lid that will close, too. Most of the time now I just use the gas grill, heating the grill with both burners, then turn one of them totally off, yes, off and the other burner turn it all the way down to low.

I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Preheat your choice of grills. Then rinse and clean the birds. Now hose down the chicken with the mixture of oil and vinegar using the squirt bottle and sprinkle a generous portion of Lemon Pepper Seasoning all over the chicken. Don't forget the body cavity.

Place the chicken breast side up on the grill away from the heat source, above the burner that is turned off, indirect heat method remember.  Squirt a little more oil and vinegar into the cavity of the chicken until it "overflows. " Now close the lid. You want a low to medium low heat level. The objective is to take at least 2 to 2 ½ hours to cook the chicken, nice and slow. Don't worry after a couple of times you will have it "down to a science" and know what works best for you.

Once you have your chicken on the grill go mow the grass or work in your garden for the next 2 to 2 ½ hours without even looking at the birds…well, if you insist on looking after about an hour, you can raise the lid and give the birds a good squirt of the oil and vinegar solution…Now, close that lid and get back to work…ggg.

You will know the chicken is done by grabbing the tip of one of the legs with a paper towel, careful it will be hot, and gently twist the leg bone in a circle. If the leg bone easily breaks free at the joint, the chicken is done - a beautiful golden brown, moist and tender every time.

Easy huh?

Place the chicken on the grill, mow the grass and when you are finished with your yard you have Capt'n Salsa's Grill Roasted Chicken make that Yard Bird! Serve it up with one of your favorite homemade salsa recipes.

Roasted Corn Salsa or tasty Salsa de Tomatillos Delicious! Wrap it all up in a warm tortilla, complete with your favorite thirst quenching beverage and you will marvel about how great your yard looks.

Imagine. Mowing the grass and cooking supper all at the same time…Enjoy!