Second side always gets burnt...

[crankin]

Everytime I cook foods on the grill, I flip the food halfway through the grilling time. So say I am making chicken breasts that take about 16 minutes to cook. If I flip them at halfway through (like all recipes say to) at 8 minutes, the first side looks beautiful, but then the second side becomes blackened in about half that time. Does anyone else experience this? Should I just flip the food 3/4 of the way through to avoid this or is there something else I can do?

 

[Zeasor]

The ENTIRE piece is cooking when you put it on the grill so the flip side won't require as long to cook after the flip.

 

[ironchef]

You also need to manipulate the temperature of the grill. When you flip the chicken over, you need to move it to a cooler spot keeping in mind that the second side will usually always take a shorter time to cook than the first side. Cooking the chicken more on the first side will also help.

 

[YT2095]

IF 16 is needed, you`d be favored doing 5 on one side and 5 on the other and back again, keep watching it also, same as you would with a BBQ.
once you turn it, it`s Still cooking on that top side inwards.

 

[kitchenelf]

And more than likely the coals have gotten hotter by the time you flip them. As IC said, just move to a cooler part of the grill.

 

[Uncle Bob]

And more than likely the coals have gotten hotter by the time you flip them. As IC said, just move to a cooler part of the grill.

Exactly!! Miss Elf!

Crankin...Make sure your coals are all well lit, ashed over, and the fire is stablized. I don't know exactly what you are doing to cause it, but it seems you are having a temperature spike causing side two to burn. Make sure you are not having any flare-ups (open flame) due to chicken fat dripping in the coals etc. All of the answers given here are excellent comments. With Fire control being the bottom line answer to prevent side two from burning.

Have Fun

 

[Jeekinz]

I start my chicken pieces bone side down, then flip to the skin side just to get a nice crisp skin. At this point I keep the lid off the grill and watch for flare ups. Then finish on the bone side. For legs, thighs and wings, once the meat has backed off the bone, it's done. White meat is a little difficult. There is a small window when the meat is cooked but not dry. Maybe a longer time over lower heat?

You could also place a piece of folded foil on the grill grates. When you flip, place the chicken on the foil and finish cooking.

 

[RPCookin]

Everytime I cook foods on the grill, I flip the food halfway through the grilling time. So say I am making chicken breasts that take about 16 minutes to cook. If I flip them at halfway through (like all recipes say to) at 8 minutes, the first side looks beautiful, but then the second side becomes blackened in about half that time. Does anyone else experience this? Should I just flip the food 3/4 of the way through to avoid this or is there something else I can do?

One more comment... most grills have individual personalities. You have to experiment to find what works best with yours. As any good grill cook will tell you, grilling is an art, and blindly following recipes is a good way to make a lot of food for the dog. You won't usually know what brand or style of grill a recipe was originated on, so the directions may or may not work on your grill exactly as they did for the author.

You have to develop a feel for your grill and for how you like your food cooked, and work from that foundation.

 

[mitmondol]

blindly following recipes is a good way to make a lot of food for the dog.



How right you are!!



"You have to develop a feel for your grill and for how you like your food cooked, and work from that foundation."

Good advice with the grill or your stove or oven for that matter.

For one, I never use a recipe's timing for the exact reason.
The half/half cooking time by the way can not be correct anyway, because while the first side cooks, so does the whole thing really, so usually the second time is shorter, not 50/50.

 

[ChefJune]

Back in the day when I lived nearer the ground and grilled more often, I solved the "problem" of dry, overcooked chicken by precooking in the oven, and finishing it on the grill, to get that smoky flavor and charred skin.

Works well for ribs, too, when you aren't smoking them.