 Our guide to pickin' chicken!
Although barbecuing is usually constrained to high season, we thought we'd impart some wisdom that will come in handy even in the winter months.
Here is our guide to finding the best chicken for your next barbecue - or, of course, your sunday roast.
Whole chickens
If you're looking to impress friends and family, serving a whole golden-brown chicken at your barbecue can really create the wow factor.
There are many different kinds of whole chicken to choose from - organic, corn-fed (as suggested by Phil Vickery) and poulet to name just a few.
Corn-fed chickens are just that, and their diet is reflected in their yellower flesh. As well as the different colour, they are generally accepted to have a stronger flavour than other birds.
Poulet are young birds, literally 'spring chicken'. As such they are smaller than most chickens, but have a lovely subtle taste to them. For more details on what constitutes organic meat, check out our guide to barbecuing organically.
Whether you go for corn fed, organic, free range or the smaller poulet, give beer can chicken a go. It's the ultimate barbecue recipe and the best way to cook a whole chicken!
Fresh or frozen?
You can buy chickens fresh or frozen. If buying frozen, check to see that there are no wedges of ice between the chicken and the packaging - this suggests the chicken has once been thawed before being refrozen.
When you get your frozen chicken home, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator. Thawing too quickly can lead to contamination. Whether you buy fresh or frozen always remember to remove the pack of giblets from inside the bird - it will only melt if you barbecue it!
Once you've cooked your chicken, don't leave it out at room temperature. If you have some left over, wrap in foil and keep it in the fridge. If you don't plan to eat the cooked chicken within a few days, it is perfectly safe to put it in the freezer. Never put a raw chicken back in the freezer once it has been defrosted.
Which cut?
If you are buying cuts of chicken rather than a whole one, be prepared to get a little less for your money. Breast is the most expensive cut, but it is very lean and makes a fantastic canvas on which to try marinades and rubs.
Legs are darker meat, more fatty but very tasty. Often they are served as drumsticks and make good finger food at a barbie, as do chicken wings, which, although bony, are also very pliable when it comes to marinating.
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