Barbecued butter chicken halves

Marinade: combine cold water, white vinegar, a generous amount of Worcestershire, plenty of kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, a little poultry seasoning, a touch of cayenne and a big hunk of butter.

Heat on medium until the butter is about half melted, turn off the heat and whisk until the butter disappears; cool completely to room temperature.

Optional: cut off the flat part of the wings to cook separately or add to stock.

With the chicken breast side down, cut along both sides of the spine with scissors from the tail to the front and remove the backbone.

Spread the chicken open, cut about a quarter inch into the cartilage at the center of the breastbone, push up and pull the bone out; trim leftover cartilage or leave it.

Cut down the center to split into halves, giving the knife a whack through the wishbone.

Make a few cuts into the leg and thigh and a couple of very shallow cuts through the breast skin.

Put the chicken in a zip top bag set in a bowl, whisk the cooled marinade, pour it in, squeeze out the air and seal; refrigerate a minimum of four hours up to overnight (about six used here).

Arrange the halves skin side up in a baking dish, pour in all the marinade and bake in the center of a 325 degree oven about 35 minutes, until partially cooked.

Grill right away, or move the chicken to a plate and refrigerate until grilling. Pour the marinade into a saucepan and bring it to a boil to use as a mop and finishing sauce.

Over hot white coals, grill skin side down covered about four minutes for color, then turn bone side down and do most of the cooking there, brushing generously with the boiled sauce at every turn and rotating for hot spots.

Aim for about 145 to 150 in the breast and about 175 in the thigh; kept as a whole half, the breast runs slightly over. The leg quarter pulling away from the body signals it is nearly cooked through.

Brush with more sauce, plate, and spoon over more of the buttery sauce.