Grilled Whole Chukar with Plum Sauce

Chukar Prep:

1. Working with one bird at a time, place the bird on a cutting board, breast side down.
2. Using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone.
3. Once you've cut from the tail to the neck on one side, repeat on the other side of the backbone. Remove the backbone and discard.
4. Flip the bird over. Press firmly with your palm on the breastbone until you hear the bone crack.
5. Pull the legs from the ends so that they are fully extended.
6. Pat the birds dry with a paper towel. Drizzle olive oil over the birds and rub it into the skin. Sprinkle salt over the birds and rub the salt into the skin as well. Let the birds sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before grilling.

Plum Sauce:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the plums are softened.
2. Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Return the sauce to the pan and simmer for about 5 more minutes, or until the sauce is glossy in appearance.
4. Reserve ¼ cup of the sauce for basting and ¼ cup for serving.
5. The sauce makes about 1 cup but you'll only need about half of it for this recipe. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Grilling:

1. Preheat grill to 350°F. Grease the grill grates with olive oil.
2. Place chukars, breast side down directly over the flames. Grill for 2-3 minutes, or until grill marks are achieved.
3. Flip the birds and move them off the flames to cook them in indirect heat.
4. Brush about 2 tablespoons of plum sauce on the skin of the birds. Cook for 4-5 minutes and brush on about 2 more tablespoons of sauce.
5. Continue cooking for 20-25 minutes, or until the breast meat reaches 150-160°F.
6. Remove the birds from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with warm plum sauce. Enjoy!