Barbecue Chicken

BARBECUE CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 4 pounds of your favorite chicken parts (legs, thighs, wings, breasts), skin-on
• Salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 cup barbecue sauce, store-bought.

(Barbecue sauce (also abbreviated BBQ sauce) is a flavoring sauce used as amarinade, basting or topping for meat cooked in the barbecue cooking style, including pork or beef ribs and chicken. It is an ubiquitous condiment and is used on many other foods as well.

The ingredients vary widely even within individual countries, but most include some variation on vinegar and/or tomato paste as a base, as well as liquid smoke, spices such as mustard and black pepper, and sweeteners such assugar or molasses.)

Method

1 Coat the chicken pieces with vegetable oil and sprinkle salt over them on all sides. Prepare your grill for high, direct heat. If you are using charcoal or wood, make sure there is a cool side to the grill where there are fewer coals.

2 Lay the chicken pieces skin side down on the hottest side of the grill in order to sear the skin side well. Grill for 5-10 minutes, depending on how hot the grill is (you do not want the chicken to burn). Once you have a good sear on one side, move the chicken pieces to the cooler side of the grill. If you are using a gas grill, maintain the flame on only one side of the grill, and move the chicken pieces to the cooler side, not directly over the flame. Reduce the temp to low or medium low (between 250°F and 275°F, no more than 300°F) Cover the grill and cook undisturbed for 20-30 minutes.

3 Turn the chicken pieces over and baste them with with your favorite barbecue sauce. Cover the grill again and allow to cook for another 15-20 minutes. Repeat, turning the chicken pieces over, basting them with sauce, covering, and cooking for another 10-30 minutes. 

NOTE that timing will depend on your grill set-up, the size of your chicken pieces, and how cold your chicken pieces are to start with! If you are grilling smaller pieces of chicken on a charcoal grill, they may be done much earlier. The goal is to maintain a low enough grill temp so that the chicken cooks "low and slow".

4 The chicken is done when you the internal temperature of the chicken pieces are 165°F for breasts and 170°F for thighs, which you test by using a meat thermometer. Or if you insert the tip of a knife into the middle of the thickest piece and the juices should run clear, the chicken is done. If the chicken isn't done, turn the pieces over and continue to cook at a low temperature. If you want can finish with a sear on the hot side of the grill. To do this, put the pieces, skin side down, on the hot side of the grill. Allow them to sear and blacken slightly for a minute or two.

5 Paint with more barbecue sauce and serve it