Page 96 - Barbecue Chicken Made Easy

overcooked meat just below, a layer of slightly overcooked meat, and finally, in the center, a perfectly cooked layer. You have seen this in steaks no doubt, where almost half the meat was brown and only a sliver in the center was rosy.
When you reverse sear, you start by slowly roasting the meat at a low temperature, 225°F, in the indirect convection zone so the energy penetrates all the way to the center but it does not overcook the exterior. Then you move it to the high energy infrared zone with the lid open and pound one side with energy, browning it. You flip it often so much of the energy bleeds off into the air rather than pushing down into the meat. The result is a nice deep brown exterior and tender juicy center. Here’s the technique:
First, you need to set up your grill in 2 zones. You should get in the habit of using the 2-zone setup for just about everything. To reverse chicken with this set up, dry brine the bird, then apply a rub and start the meat on the indirect side where it can gently roast at a low temperature. For most foods, we recommend 225°F on a grill. At this temperature the energy can work its way from the surface to the center so it is evenly cooked. At high temperatures, the exterior overcooks while waiting for the center to warm. If you wish, put some wood on the hot side to get a gentle smoke rolling.
When the meat hits about 150°F, lift the lid and move it to the direct infrared energy side, skin down, and crisp the skin. Stand right there and watch it because it can go from golden to black in a hurry. If there are flareups you can move it back to the indirect side. (Beware of flareups: They can set the skin on fire and deposit soot on the food.) Once the skin is crisp, flip the chicken over and brown the backsides. Boom! You have perfectly cooked, moist chicken with potato chip skins. The reverse-sear technique works on all poultry and most other meats more than 1-inch thick.