Follow my recipe and you'll never use sauce on your chicken again. The tastiest grilled chicken is just a few steps away!

Step 1: Step 1: Brine First , Ask Questions Later.

The first step to any tasty grilled or smoked meat is to brine it. This is my favorite for chicken and turkey. The whole idea of the brine is to take the flavorless chicken liquid out, and put your tasty liquid in. Here's how you do it.

Heat 4 cups of water to a simmer

Then add in no particular order

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of white sugar

1/2 cup of kosher salt

about 1 teaspoon peppercorns

four or five allspice berries

1 bayleaf

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon vanilla.........................yes vanilla

When everything dissolves take it off the heat.......while your brine cools to room temp. cut up your chicken.

Step 2: Quarter Your Chicken

This recipe works just as well with any chicken part you want to use. I like whole chickens because you get the back.......more on this later.

Cut your legs and wings off the bird, then take separate the breast from the back...

Feel free to debone the breast if you want. I like it better whole.

Put the chicken (including the back) in a large bowl

Step 3: Refrigerate

Cover your chicken with ice.... Then add the room temperature brine to your bowl. Put a lid on it and refrigerate for a couple of hours, or better yet over night.

Step 4: Time to Grill....almost

Start a fire and get your coals going ( I prefer a chimney of charcoal starter. Lighter fluid is not your friend.)

Arrange the coals on one side of your grill and place a pan or tray next to the coals.

If you're using a gas grill place the pan on one side of your grill. Add the brine from the chicken to the pan.

* Try not to spill it, it is chicken liquid. Make sure you wash your hands and all utensils that come into contact with the brine or the raw chicken.

Step 5: Grill That Chicken

I like to start with all the chicken over the coals or open flame if you're using a gas grill. Then once the skin shrinks just a bit I'll move all the chicken *except the back* to the side of the grill that's above the liquid. Cook for about 45 minutes checking and turning it about every ten minutes.

I leave the back above the coals to drip down and make a lot of smoke, but I don't mind if it gets burnt from a flame up.

Step 6: Snack Time!

About 30-45 minutes after you start your chicken the back has completed it's job. Pop out the oysters and have a little snack for the chef, then throw away the back. You're gonna want to check your chicken about every ten minutes now. The color is the key.

Step 7: Your Chicken Is Done. Check Color and Temperature

Your chicken is done when it's crispy and golden brown on the outside and coming away from the bone. Always use a meat thermometer because your chicken will appear to be pink. (You might want to take a picture so that when your mother-in-law says,"I don't know, Morgan, it looks awful pink" you can show her the temp of the chicken was even a little over 165.) Slice the breast like you would a turkey and enjoy!

*If you like "smokier" chicken you can add some wood chips soaked in water for 20 minutes on top of your coals.

*This brine works great for fish and pork too. Add a 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and another 1/4 of brown sugar for pork, and for fish add 1/2 teaspoon of old bay and use only white sugar. *

Hope you enjoy!