SMOKED BARBECUE CHICKEN
This delicious recipe has been created for us by Adam Purnell, otherwise known as ‘Shropshire Lad.’ He knows a thing or two about treating ingredients well, either meat or vegetables, and is a man who is adept at teaching the art of cooking with fire.
Butchering a whole chicken so that you can cook the cuts of meat separately is a great way to ensure the individual pieces are cooked to perfection. With a bit of preparation, and by using the right knife, you can remove individual cuts from the grill to rest at their optimum temperature, something you can’t do with a whole chicken.
INGREDIENTS:
Whole chicken
50g of your chosen dry rub
100ml of your chosen barbeque sauce
2 x corn on the cob
50ml mayonnaise
20g parmesan
1 tsp black sesame seeds
METHOD:
1 - Cut the whole chicken into quarters. To do this, take a sharp chef’s knife and cut out the backbone of the chicken, running the knife along either side of the spine. Save this to make stock for another dish.
2 - Slice along the skin that connects the thighs to the breasts and separate the legs. Once the legs are removed, turn over the crown (two remaining breasts) and run the knife through the cartilage and wish bone so that you now have two breasts on the bone, and two legs.
3 - Finally, remove the wing tips from the chicken breasts with the knife (as these will burn). Save these and add to your stock ingredients. If you don’t intend to make stock the same day, freeze until ready to use.
4 - Season the chicken quarters liberally with your chosen spice rub and massage into the skin and meat. Choose a classic American barbecue style ‘house rub’ or any mix of herbs and spices. Set aside the chicken pieces, they will take on the flavours of the rub while you set up the barbecue.
1 - Cut the whole chicken into quarters. To do this, take a sharp chef’s knife and cut out the backbone of the chicken, running the knife along either side of the spine. Save this to make stock for another dish.
2 - Slice along the skin that connects the thighs to the breasts and separate the legs. Once the legs are removed, turn over the crown (two remaining breasts) and run the knife through the cartilage and wish bone so that you now have two breasts on the bone, and two legs.
3 - Finally, remove the wing tips from the chicken breasts with the knife (as these will burn). Save these and add to your stock ingredients. If you don’t intend to make stock the same day, freeze until ready to use.
4 - Season the chicken quarters liberally with your chosen spice rub and massage into the skin and meat. Choose a classic American barbecue style ‘house rub’ or any mix of herbs and spices. Set aside the chicken pieces, they will take on the flavours of the rub while you set up the barbecue.
5 - You will need a grill with a lid for the best results. Set it up for two-zone cooking, meaning the charcoal is set to one side of the grill.
6 - Once the charcoal is lit, add a lump of smoking wood or some chips to generate a smoky flavour. Place the chicken on the opposite, indirect side of the grill and put the lid down. Make sure you place the vents in the lid in a position that will draw the smoke and indirect heat over the chicken.
7 - Check the chicken as it cooks, regularly measuring the internal heat with a temperature probe. The breast will be safe to eat, and at its juiciest, at 72°C so taking it off the grill at this temperature is key. The legs will give a better eating experience, with the meat falling off the bone once they reach 85°C.
5 - You will need a grill with a lid for the best results. Set it up for two-zone cooking, meaning the charcoal is set to one side of the grill.
6 - Once the charcoal is lit, add a lump of smoking wood or some chips to generate a smoky flavour. Place the chicken on the opposite, indirect side of the grill and put the lid down. Make sure you place the vents in the lid in a position that will draw the smoke and indirect heat over the chicken.
7 - Check the chicken as it cooks, regularly measuring the internal heat with a temperature probe. The breast will be safe to eat, and at its juiciest, at 72°C so taking it off the grill at this temperature is key. The legs will give a better eating experience, with the meat falling off the bone once they reach 85°C.
8 - Should you intend to glaze the meat with a sauce, do so just before the chicken pieces are ready (around five minutes from hitting temperature). Sauces are nearly always very high in sugar, and if added from the start will completely burn before the chicken is cooked.
9 - Once the chicken is cooked allow it to rest. This gives time for the muscles that have been subjected to the high heat to relax again and will be tender when eaten. About 15-20 minutes should be perfect for this, which leaves time to prepare the salad and sweetcorn.
10 - Brush the raw corn on the cob with mayonnaise. This method is used in Mexico, and it sounds a little crazy but the mayonnaise melts and seasons the sweetcorn as is cooks. Place the mayonnaise-covered corn on the barbecue, making sure to turn it intermittently, and as soon as its charred all over, serve with a grated parmesan, sesame seeds and chopped coriander.
8 - Should you intend to glaze the meat with a sauce, do so just before the chicken pieces are ready (around five minutes from hitting temperature). Sauces are nearly always very high in sugar, and if added from the start will completely burn before the chicken is cooked.
9 - Once the chicken is cooked allow it to rest. This gives time for the muscles that have been subjected to the high heat to relax again and will be tender when eaten. About 15-20 minutes should be perfect for this, which leaves time to prepare the salad and sweetcorn.
10 - Brush the raw corn on the cob with mayonnaise. This method is used in Mexico, and it sounds a little crazy but the mayonnaise melts and seasons the sweetcorn as is cooks. Place the mayonnaise-covered corn on the barbecue, making sure to turn it intermittently, and as soon as its charred all over, serve with a grated parmesan, sesame seeds and chopped coriander.