After dressing and washing the chickens as previously directed, split
them open through the backbone; frog them 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
breast-bone without breaking it.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, lay it upon the gridiron with
the inside first to the fire; put the gridiron over a slow fire, and
place a tin sheet and weight upon the chicken, to keep it flat; let it
broil ten minutes, then turn and proceed in the same manner with the
other side.
The chicken should be perfectly cooked, but not scorched. A broiled
chicken brought to the table with its wings and legs burnt, and its
breast half cooked, is very disagreeable. To avoid this, the chicken
must be closely watched while broiling, and the fire must be arranged
so that the heat shall be equally dispensed. When the fire is too hot
under any one part of the chicken, put a little ashes on the fire
under that part, that the heat may be reduced.
Dish a broiled chicken on a hot plate, putting a large lump of butter
and a tablespoonful of hot water upon the plate, and turning the
chicken two or three times that it may 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 to broil a chicken well.