Basic Barbecued Chicken

By Addie

Barbecued chicken is a staple of summer cookouts—no matter that it’s actually grilled chicken slathered in sauce rather than proper barbecue (the term barbecue is generally reserved for food cooked slowly over a smoky fire). This is a simple back-pocket recipe that, once you get over the naming discrepancies, you can keep on hand for whenever the urge for juicy, saucy, crispy-edged chicken hits.

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 cup water
• For the chicken:
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for prepping the grill
• 1 whole (4- to 6-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Preparation

Step 1

For the sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until completely incorporated. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until flavors have melded and sauce is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
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For the chicken:

Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium (about 350°F) and rub the grill with a towel dipped in oil. Meanwhile, coat chicken pieces on all sides with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

When the grill is hot, place chicken skin side down on the grill and cook, covered and undisturbed, until skin is crispy and brown, about 10 minutes. Flip chicken pieces over and continue cooking until meat is opaque on the outside but still soft to the touch, about 10 minutes more.

Reserve 1 cup of the barbecue sauce in a separate bowl and set aside. Brush about a quarter of the remaining sauce on one side of the chicken pieces and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Flip chicken, brush with more sauce, and cook another 5 minutes.

Continue flipping and brushing chicken every 5 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each chicken piece reads 160°F and there is no pink near the bone when the chicken is pierced, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Serve immediately with reserved sauce.
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REVIEW:

I always start the chicken bone side down, not skin side down. If you plop the chicken down on the grate and the skin sticks or burns, you've pretty much ruined it, at least for presenation. This way you can get the meat well along toward done before you flip it to finish off the skin to crispiness and the grate will be seasoned by fats so things won't stick. And don't pierce anything on the grill. All the juices have retreated to the center of the meat and if you poke a hole they will come gushing out. Also, remember that the temperature will rise about 10 degrees per minute after they come off the flame, so pull it early and let it finish off on the indirect side of the grill.