Grilling Success: Chicken with Butter

Happy with how the chicken from earlier came out. Regular technique with a few changes:

Spatchcocked the bird and gently removed the keel bone--makes for easier carving. Salt on both sides, followed by the slices of lemon. Leave it out for an hour to come to room temperature.

Filled the charcoal starter about halfway with lump charcoal, then added a few extra briquettes on top after I saw the lumps contract a bit. Kept them to 2/3rds of the grill and tossed on a big chunk of soaked applewood for some extra smoke and flavor.

After removing the lemon slices, set the chicken over the heat skin side up, keeping an eye out for flare ups for the first few minutes. Once things quieted down, I closed the lid and gave it a total of ten minutes before opening.

By this time, the heat is a little more manageable, and I move the bird down a ways as I flip so that the breasts get direct heat, but the legs are a bit more indirect. Close the lid, give it another ten minutes.

Open the lid and flip the chicken again skin side up to finish cooking. Depending on how the fire was built, as well as the size/starting temp of the bird, you may need another ten minutes or so. Check the deep spots with a probe thermometer, and this time I put a few pads of butter on the breasts and thighs.

In the end, there was only a bit of lemon flavor, but the added smokiness and butter both came through. Definitely a win.