BBQ Recipe – Spicy Barbeque Chicken With Hunters Sauce

This barbeque chicken recipe is a wonderfully flavoursome variation that oozes taste and character from the carefully proportioned seasonings which include herbs, garlic and sugar.

Whenever this chicken comes off the grill, it is gone in next to no time. A real  barbeque favourite. I hope you enjoy it!

Marinade

• 2.3 litres of water
• 2 tbls salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 chicken legs and thighs with skin on, 9 oz upwards in weight

Hunters BBQ sauce

• 1 rasher of lean bacon, smoked if preferred
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup demerera sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tbls white wine vinegar
• 1 tbls dry mustard
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• A few sprigs of thyme
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• Ground black pepper

Method

For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasoning's to penetrate the chicken.

Meanwhile, make the Hunters BBQ sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without colouring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low.

Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavours. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.

Preheat the oven 375 degrees F.

Pre-heat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat.

Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square.

Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a non-stick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels.

Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes.

Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the BBQ sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time.

Serve with extra sauce and enjoy!

Chicken grilling tips

1. Be careful not to overcook or undercook the chicken as this will result in soft, usually greasy chicken or meat that is too tough to enjoy. Take your time cooking any pieces of chicken or breast meat and if the grill heat is too high, move the chicken to the outer edges of the grill away from the heat until a more suitable cooking temperature is achieved.

2. To determine when chicken is thoroughly cooked, cut into the thickest part—if it is pink, it isn't fully cooked and it is not safe to eat.

3. The safe internal temperature for chicken breasts is 170 degrees, so use a meat thermometer for perfectly cooked results.

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