• Make sure your grill is well cleaned. Use a wire brush or scraper. One trick is to scrub the grill with half an onion. It flavors the grill while cleaning off any old gunk.
• Choose the best or most convenient fuel. Charcoal briquettes are readily available but not as pure as hardwood charcoal, which burns cleaner and slightly hotter. An even better choice is a combination of hardwood charcoal and hardwood logs or chips, which will smoke some extra flavor into your food.
• To start your fire, a chimney starter is by far the best. A chimney starter is a metal cylinder used to light charcoal. First, add crumpled newspaper, followed by charcoal, and then light. The flames from the newspaper ignite the coals, making then red hot in about fifteen minutes. Pour coals onto your grill, and add more charcoal as necessary.

  Coals should be layered three times as high on one side as on the other, allowing you to have different levels of heat in case a flare-up should occur.

• Use the cover. To prevent flare-ups and create even heat circulation, leave the lid on while cooking.
• Don't poke the food. Use a spatula or tongs, but avoid piercing the chicken to prevent the natural juices from escaping.
• Monitor your fire temperature. To check the fire temperature, use the "seconds rule." Hold the palm of your hand a couple of inches above the fire. If you can stand the heat for 5-6 seconds, you have a low fire, around 350° F. Three to four seconds equal medium, and 1-2 seconds equal hot, around 600° F.

• Place washed blueberries in a saucepan and add water. Bring to boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes until blueberries are soft.
• Add seasonings and oil and place in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• Divide into two separate bowls.
• Clean the chicken well, salt and pepper inside and out generously.
• Place on a standing rack and baste liberally with the blue berry mixture from one bowl.
• Place on a grill with indirect heat where the coals are in a separate area and not directly under the chicken.
• Cover the grill and cook at 325° F until a thermometer inserted between the thigh and breast measures 165° F. This will take approximately 1-½ hrs.
• During this time, baste often with the remaining blueberry mixture.
• Once the chicken is done, remove from the grill and let rest for five to 10 minutes before serving.

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