Woodlife BBQ Chicken
What’s summer without barbecue? The secret to this recipe is giving the chicken time to sit in the brine before roasting or grilling. Then pair it with your favorite potato salad and some slaw and you’re ready for a backyard gathering or a Tanglewood picnic. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 12 cups warm water (a bit over room temperature)
- ¾ cup kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 black peppercorns
- 8 pieces of bone-in chicken (we prefer legs and thighs)
For the BBQ sauce
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 1½ cups ketchup
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the brine and submerge the chicken in it. Cover and let it sit for 12 hours in the fridge.
- Combine all BBQ sauce ingredients in a stainless-steel pot and cook over medium heat just until everything comes together. Do not let the sauce come to a boil.
- After the chicken is brined, remove it from the liquid and pat it dry. At this point, you can either roast it in the oven at 350° or grill it over medium heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°. Right before the chicken is fully cooked, paint it with the BBQ sauce and cook just long enough for the sauce to set and the chicken to finish cooking. Grab a handful of napkins and tuck in!
Notes
Photograph by Mark Loader