How to Broil Chicken

After dressing and washing the chicken, split it open through the rear bone; frog it by cutting the cords under the wings and laying the wings out flat; cut the sinews under the second joint of the leg and turn the leg down; press down the chicken breast bone without breaking it.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, lay it upon the gridiron with the inside first to the stove; put the gridiron over a slow fire, and place a tin sheet and weight upon the chicken, to keep it flat; allow it to broil ten minutes, then turn and proceed in the same manner with the other side of the chicken.

The chicken should be perfectly cooked, but not scorched. A broiled chicken carried to the dining table with its wings and legs burnt, and its breast half cooked, is very un-healthy. To avoid this, the chicken should be closely watched while broiling, and the stove should be arranged so that the heat shall be equally dispensed. When the stove is too hot under any one part of the chicken move the pan to reduce the heat to the affected part.

Dish a broiled chicken on a hot plate, putting a sizeable lump of butter and a tablespoon of hot water upon the plate, and turning the chicken two or three times that it can absorb as much of the butter as possible. Garnish with parsley. Serve with poached eggs on a separate dish. It takes from thirty to forty minutes of cooking time to broil a chicken well.