(ARA) - Ah, spring. There's nothing like the scent of blossoming trees and flowers, a warm breeze, newly-mown grass -- and chicken cooking on a grill.

Spring marks the beginning of grilling season for most Americans. We haul out the grills, the charcoal or the propane cylinder, the juiciest steaks or chicken breasts we can find, the long-handled spatula, the skewers, the tongs, the basting brush… What? You don't have all the necessary accoutrements? Time for a lesson in Grilling 101.

There are some grilling tools that most cooks find indispensable. Two main tips: Buy tools with long handles to keep from getting burned as you tend the grill. And buy quality -- you don't want the tongs falling apart just as you're turning over those chicken legs.

Some basic equipment includes basting brushes for applying various marinades and sauces (more than one may come in handy); a charcoal starter if you have a charcoal grill; heavy-duty foil for wrapping food; a meat thermometer for any food more than 1 inch thick; a spray bottle to put out any errant sparks and reduce flare-ups; stainless steel spring-loaded tongs for turning food without puncturing the skin; a spatula with a long, wide blade; and a wire brush for cleaning the grill.

There are also many optional tools depending on the kinds of food you like to cook -- for example, hinged baskets for fish and skewers for shish kabobs. You can add to your collection as you try new foods and cooking methods on the grill.

So now what do you do with all this stuff? This is where the choices multiply and the fun really begins. A good cookbook is one place to start exploring possibilities. Most foods, especially meat and poultry, can be marinated in any number of ingredients before cooking to give flavor and variety. Some general guidelines, though, include using glass, ceramic or stainless steel containers to hold marinade ingredients. The container should be large enough to hold the food in one layer. Most chicken and meat needs to marinate for one to three hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Use extra marinade to baste food on the grill. If your marinade contains tomato or sugar, baste toward the end of grilling time to avoid blackening the food. Oil or butter in a marinade can cause flare-ups, so baste carefully and move meats around or close the grill's cover to reduce flare-ups.

But what are you going to marinade and then grill? One of America's most popular choices for grilling is chicken. Because of its versatility, chicken presents a wide range of options to suit nearly any taste. Whether you choose to flavor your grilled chicken with a tangy lemon-herb marinade or baste it with a sweet, smoky barbeque sauce, chicken makes a great choice for the grill.

Gold'n Plump, a leading provider of premium quality chicken products, offers some simple tips for getting the best tasting chicken from your grill.

-- Find the freshest chicken you can. Check the "sell by" date on the package for the best flavor. All Gold'n Plump chicken products have the freshness date labeled on the package.

-- Because of its fat and skin, chicken is prone to grilling flare-ups. Remove as much fat as you can and remove up to half the skin to reduce flare-ups. Or you can buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs that come pre-trimmed.

-- To make sure you have enough on hand, plan for about 10 ounces of chicken per person. That would equal approximately a half chicken breast, two drumsticks or two thighs per person.

-- Master the art of cooking chicken without drying it out. When grilling, often the breast is overdone while the thighs or legs are underdone. To avoid this, position the chicken (or its pieces) to give the legs and thighs more heat. Many Gold'n Plump products are pre-marinated to retain more moisture and flavor.

-- Test for proper doneness by using a meat thermometer. Chicken should register 170 degrees to 175 degrees. Bone-in pieces generally require more cooking time than boneless. If you don't have a thermometer, puncture a thigh with a small skewer; juices should run clear. If you're grilling a whole bird, let it rest for 8 to 10 minutes -- its internal temperature will rise several degrees and the meat will become firm for carving.

-- If grilling chicken pieces with skin, begin grilling with the skin side down. The other (bone) side should stay longer toward the fire than the skin side.

For more information about Gold'n Plump chicken, including recipes for marinades and grilling, visit www.goldnplump.com or call (800) 328-2838.

Courtesy of ARA Content