Chickens Under a Brick - chickens

Method

• Rinse chickens inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.
• Butterfly the chickens by removing the spine, flattening the birds with your hand and removing the breast bone with a small sharp knife or your fingers.
• Then firmly but gently pound them flat with the side of a cleaver or a small iron skillet.
• Remove and discard the wing tips and fold the wings back.
• Tuck the legs into the skin surrounding the vent by making neat slits at the point where the leg end can easily be inserted.
• Heat a stove-top grill large enough to cover two burners and brush the chickens very lightly with oil.
• Add salt and pepper.
• When the grill is hot, reduce the flame to medium and lay the chickens skin side down on the grill above each burner.
• Move the chickens gently with tongs until they begin to sear, to be sure they don't stick to the grill.
• Cover each with a heavy, flat-bottomed object large enough to cover the entire chicken.
• You can use 8-quart stockpots or their equivalent filled with water, 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillets or flat bricks (covered with foil).
• In about 5 or 6 minutes the chicken will begin to brown.
• If not, raise the flame.
• If the chickens have begun to burn, turn them over, replace the weights and reduce the flame.
• At this stage you will be making your own decision based on empirical data.
• The result should be a rich mahogany finish and an intense chicken flavor.