Ok, I think I have figured out what kind of chicken to cook for the work event I mentioned in my previous post.  Not only is this BBQ chicken outstanding, it is going to be the start of my future competition recipe for chicken.  I will continue to grow this recipe, till I believe it cannot be beaten by anyone.  The first thing I need to do, is to come up with my own BBQ sauce for this recipe.

Brine:

• 1 gallon water
• 3/4 C kosher salt
• 2/3 C sugar
• 3/4 C low sodium soy sauce
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t ground sage
• 1/4 C olive oil

To make the brine combine all ingredients in a large pot and heat to a rapid boil.  Remove from heat and let the brine come down to room temperature.  Place chicken thighs in the brine and refrigerate for 1 hour.  This is enough for about 7 lbs of chicken thighs.

Rub:

• 2 T ground black pepper
• 1 T sugar
• 2 t cayenne pepper
• 2 T chili powder
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 T granulated garlic
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 T ground oregano
• 4 T sweet paprika
• 2 t dry yellow mustard
• 1 T celery salt
• 1 T salt

Mix all the rub ingredients together in a bowl, make sure they seasonings are well mixed.  Remove chicken from brine, rinse off very well and pat dry with paper towels and place on a large cutting board or cookie sheet.  Sprinkle on a good amount of rub on both sides of the chicken, making sure to get some underneath the skin too.  Let sit in the refrigerator covered with aluminum foil for about 1 hour.

Cooking:

Prepare the grill for indirect grilling.  Place chicken on skin side down away from the heat and let cook for 30 minutes.  Flip the chicken after 30 minutes and place a good Kansas City BBQ Sauce on the skin side of the chicken thighs.  Let cook for another 10 minutes and flip again, and coat the other side with the BBQ sauce.  Let cook until juices run clear and the chicken is fully cooked.

Results:

This was very good.  I used an Archer Farms Kansas City BBQ sauce from Target on the thighs.  It was one of the best store bought sauces I have ever tried.  I think this will be a good candidate for the work party I mentioned in my previous post.

B A R B E C U E...

So a video that just made me want to give this a shot.  Sounds a little odd, but was a definitely a fun experiment.  Ended up making some of the best bologna I have ever had.

Here is a video that shows how to make it for yourself:

A fellow FoodBuzz member had posted a recipe for Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with a Chipotle Mayonnaise, that I just had to try.  I overall really enjoy the black bean burgers that I make on an occasion, but it was time to try something new.  This recipe used two of my favorite ingredients, Chipotle Peppers in Adobo and Cilantro.

I took her advice and mashed the beans a bit before adding the remainder of the ingredients, in a hope they will hold together better.  Unfortunately, the burgers were still a bit loose and could handle being flipped.  However, the burgers had a great taste and this is definitely a good start to a new veggie burger recipe.

The chipotle mayonnaise was a bit disappointing in the recipe, but that is probably due to the fact I really enjoy the chipotle mayonnaise I used with the recipe: Chipotle Chicken Thighs.  I would use this mayonnaise in the future with these burgers instead.  However, the one with this recipe is far simpler to make.

Here is a picture of the burgers that I made, along side with some brisket, baked beans, and a corn dish:

Looking for something different to grill up, give these a shot, it is definitely worth it.

Chickens on a thrown, also known as Beer Can Chickens, have become very popular over the years.  They are simple to prepare and taste great.  There are a lot of variations of the original beer can chicken out there. Whichever way you decide to make there are just a few simple steps you need to take to prepare and cook the chicken.

First part is optional, but makes it much easier to cook the chicken.  That is to get a beer can chicken roaster.  There are lots of varieties out there, and I recommend the simplest and cheapest one you can find, as they all do a great job.

Next you need to get the chicken itself, make sure to buy a roaster or fryer chicken; roasters are usually larger and more ideal for feeding more people.  To prepare the chicken, remove all parts from the cavity of the chicken, and rinse the inside and outside of the chicken with water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Next choose the liquid you are going to cook with.  To prepare the can open up the can and leave it half full with liquid (beer, lemonade, Dr. Pepper, or wine are all great choices).  Place two additional holes on top of the can using a church key style can opener. Place a tablespoon of the rub inside the can and set aside.

Take the remaining rub and rub it all over the outside of the chicken.  Next place the can inside the roaster and place chicken on top.

Place chicken on the grill using indirect heat and let cook till all juices run clear.  The grill should be at about 325-350 degrees and should take about 2 hours to cook.

Once chicken is finished, remove from the grill and let rest for about 15 minutes.  This will let the juices settle and cool a bit to handle.  Remove the can from the chicken and start carving it. 

You end up with a chicken that is very tender, juicy, and has a great taste. 

Here are some pictures of what I call Sour Butt Chicken that I just did yesterday:

For the recipe, check out: Sour Butt Chicken.  This is my favorite beer can style chicken recipe that I have tried to date.