The best way to determine whether or not your barbecue chicken recipe was a hit with your family or guests is to watch them dig in, smack their lips and ask for more!
You can decrease the learning curve for barbecuing chicken by following these recipes below.
Barbecue Chicken on the Grill
When barbecuing chicken, there are some steps that must be followed. For example, the first step is to choose the right size and type of chicken so that the end result will be tender, not tough. Purchase chicken with skin on, not skinless, especially when your cooking method involves a barbecue grill.
Two to four chicken fryers, about 3 to 4 pounds each.
1/4 cup peanut or olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
Barbecue sauce(see recipe below)
Barbecue Sauce – (Makes about 2-1/2 cups BBQ sauce)
2 tablespoons of the peanut or olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
12 ounces canned chicken broth
salt and ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat briefly to warm it. Add the onion and garlic and cook until somewhat soft, about five minutes.
Add the vinegar and reduce the heat halfway.
Add the brown sugar, chicken broth and tomatoes, stir and bring to a boil.
With the heat on medium, simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour mixture into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Place the mixture in a clean medium saucepan and season with salt and pepper to taste or about 1/4 -teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper.’ Place saucepan over low heat and cook the mixture until it has thickened, stirring occasionally.
Time to Barbecue the Chicken on the Grill‘
Remove the whole chicken from the package and place on a meat chopping board, breast side down. Split the chicken down the backbone and open it, pressing it flat. You may cook the chicken whole, opened, or split it in half by slicing along the backbone again and into fourths by cutting between the lower breast-upper thigh area.
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat.‘
When barbecuing chicken, it is important to brush the chicken on both sides with an oil such as olive or peanut to help hold in the natural juices and keep the chicken from drying out. Do this and then place the chicken skin side down onto the grill. Do not turn until the skin is golden brown and crispy or about five minutes. Turn chicken over. Brush on the barbecue sauce, about every 3 minutes. Continue to cook, alternating on each side until cooked. Cooking time is dependent on how hot your cooking temperature is.
Remove chicken from grill and place on a large attractive platter.
Make the platter beautiful by garnishing with orange slices and sprigs of parsley. Serve those eager guests of yours and watch for the lip-smacking!
And when they ask for your tips on barbecuing chicken, give them your best!
Barbecue Chicken in the Oven
Ingredients:
Two tablespoons olive oil
Two large cloves garlic, crushed or minced
One tablespoon minced onion
One cup catsup
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
One 3-pound frying chicken cut into fourths
Place a 1-quart sauté or sauce pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and cook onion and garlic for about four minutes. Add water, catsup and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until thickened.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place chicken, skin side up in a large roasting pan. Pour 2/3 of the barbecue sauce over the chicken. Place in oven and bake for about 1 hour, basting with barbecue sauce about every 20 minutes, until done.
Remove from oven and place on an attractive serving platter. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.
When barbecuing chicken, always be sure to make at least an extra plate full for snacks and leftovers for the next few days! And keep a mental tally of all the lip-smacking!
