Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients

• 6 (22-ounce) chicken halves (fryers are best)
• 2 (16-ounce) bottles barbecue sauce
• 5 to 7 pounds charcoal briquettes
• Lighter fluid

Directions

Arrange the grill grate approximately 25 to 27 inches from the charcoal. If it is too close, the chicken will cook too fast, burn and dry out.

Pile the charcoal in a pyramid. Ignite the charcoal with lighter fluid. Once the top portion of the charcoal has turned white, spread the charcoal out evenly using a fireproof tool such as a metal rake or shovel.

Place the chicken on the cooking surface. Approximately every 5 minutes, turn the chicken with tongs (being careful not to tear the skin) and baste with the sauce each time (for best results, used a clean shaker or squeeze bottle).

Grill for approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add charcoal, if necessary, to finish off (maybe 1/2 to 2/3 way through the cooking process) and be sure not to use lighter fluid, just sprinkle the new charcoal over the existing. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F.