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Barbecue Chicken

Print Recipe
Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Barbecue Sauce
  • 1 3/4 cups ketchup
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp chile powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
For the Dish
  • 1 whole chicken that has been halved.
  • salt water for brining over night
  • a neutral oil like vegetable or canola for brushing
  • salt and pepper
  • prepared bbq sauce

Method
 

For the Barbecue Sauce
  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. There is no need to bring the mixture to a boil, as the idea is just to warm it enough to melt and integrate the ingredients. Once you have done that, remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer to a jar, bottle, squeeze bottle, or however you want to store it. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
For the Chicken
  1. You don't have to brine but I do like to because it makes a juicier chicken and the salt water adds salt to the inside of the chicken. Place the halved chicken (instructions in the post on how to half a chicken) into the brine just enough to cover in a plastic container or bag and place in the refrigerator over night.
  2. When ready to grill, prepare your gas grill or charcoal grill. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. When dry, coat the chicken with a neutral oil like vegetable or canola and salt and pepper the chicken.
  3. If you are using a gas grill, place the chicken skin side up on the side that there is no direct heat. I don't place on direct heat to prevent it from charring too fast. If using a charcoal grill, move the charcoals to one side and place the chicken on the opposite side.
  4. When the chicken starts to brown, I start to add barbecue sauce to top and bottom. Continue to cook, brushing with bbq sauce every 15 minutes until the internal temperature reads 165-170 degrees. Hope you enjoy!