Guest blogger, my husband!
Ok, this is something that I've wanted to do for a little while now. BBQ is one of my favorite things because its super easy but requires lots patience Chicken is great for BBQ because the smoke and the little bits of char from the grill greatly enhance the chicken's flavor. The one recommendation I can give though is never use chicken breast on the grill, unless you like super dry chicken. I found that the 1/4chicken (thigh and leg) is the most juicy and flavorful off the grill.
To enhance the chicken's juiciness, the brine is a must. It adds great flavor to the chicken that won't just fall off when its flipped on the grill. Chicken takes a good amount of time to cook so it is a must to watch the grill for flare ups. Once the chicken is seared, lather on the great BBQ sause to create a beatiful glaze. Once the chicken gets to 160 degress you are done!
Enjoy in the great outdoors.
Barbecued Chicken
Adapted from Tyler Florence - Sunset, July 2009
Brine
About 2 tbsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
8 chicken quarters (7 to 8 lbs. total)
Barbecue Sauce
1 slice bacon
10 to 12 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup each light brown sugar & molasses
2 tbsp. red or white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. each ground cumin, paprika, and freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
**Added a touch of cayenne pepper**
Preparation:
1. Mix brine ingredients with 2 qts. water in a 2-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal, and chill for 15 minutes to 2 hours.
2. Make sauce: Wrap bacon around thyme; tie with kitchen twine. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add thyme bundle and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook over low heat, covered, 20 minutes. Remove thyme; spoon 1/2 of sauce into a bowl.
3. Prepare a gas barbecue for two-level heat. Wipe cooking grate with oiled paper towels. Pat chicken dry with more paper towels, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with some oil.
4. Grill chicken skin side down on high-heat area 5 to 7 minutes. Move pieces to cooler area, turning over, and cook 20 minutes, covered. Spoon sauce from pan onto skin side and cook chicken until an instant-read thermometer measures 160 degrees at thickest part, 10 to 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Serve with sauce in bowl.
Review: Thanks to my husband for the great recipe, and guest post, too. He did a wonderful job. I loved the homemade barbecue sauce, it had great flavor and a touch of that sweet heat that I love. It's so easy to make your own barbecue sauce, that it might be worth it to make extra so you can bottle it up for later!
