Ultimate Bbq Chicken
Ingredients
- Rub ⓘ
- 1/4 cup sugar ⓘ
- 2 tablespoons onion salt ⓘ
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt ⓘ
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons paprika ⓘ
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder ⓘ
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper ⓘ
- 1 tablespoon dried sage ⓘ
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne ⓘ
- BBQ Sauce ⓘ
- 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion salt ⓘ
- 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds ⓘ
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder ⓘ
- 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper ⓘ
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin ⓘ
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne ⓘ
- 2 cups tomato ketchup ⓘ
- 1/4 cup white vinegar, more to taste
- 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice ⓘ
Instructions
- For the spice rub- mix all ingredients in a bowl.
- Store in an airtight container.
- For the sauce- put all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar (keep a screen handy- it spits).
- Reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Let cool, store in the refrigerator in a tight-lidded jar for months.
- BBQ Chicken- Rinse the chicken and pat it dry.
- Sprinkle on the rub generously.
- Get your BBQ (gas or charcoal) very hot.
- If you have some hickory chips or apple chips, feel free to add them.
- When the grill is ready, put the chicken, skin side up, on the grill: if you have a charcoal grill push all your coals to one side and put the chicken on the other side.
- If you have a gas grill turn off one side and put the chicken on that side.
- You don't want the chicken over direct heat.
- Put the lid on the grill and cook the chicken for about 30 minutes, maintaining an internal temperature of 230- 250 degrees by adjusting the vents (opening the vents lets in oxygen and raises the temperature).
- If your grill doesn't have a thermometer, use an oven thermometer to monitor the heat.
- After 30 minutes, baste the chicken with apple juice.
- Continue to cook and baste until the chicken is done, about 3 hours.
- At first, the chicken will appear that it isn't cooking at all, and you will be tempted to crank up the heat.
- DON'T!
- Trust me- just keep going.
- You will think nothing is happening and wonder if this recipe is wrong, wrong, wrong.
- Just let it go- it will cook.
- Baste every half hour or so with more apple juice.
- Check for doneness at 2 1/2 hours.
- When it is done, baste each piece with the sauce and let it cook a few more minutes to let the sauce adhere to the chicken.
- Serve with more of the sauce, lots of napkins, some beer, and prepare for applause.
- Note: I was once hungry for this chicken in January (brrrr!) and with 2 feet of snow, didn't feel like trudging out to the grill.
- I made it in the oven and it turned out great.
- Just keep the oven temperature on 250 degrees, put the chicken on a cookie rack set over top of a sheet pan covered in aluminum foil.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
884
kcal
44% DV
Protein
Fat
Carbs
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).