Cornell Chicken

By ruthg

It's one of the juiciest, most complex barbecued chickens we've ever tasted, and we have Ivy League poultry science professor Robert C. Baker to thank. Cornell Chicken—which earned its name from the cultlike following it developed during Baker's tenure at the university—is a bird marinated then basted in a tangy mayonnaise-like emulsion that keeps the meat moist and caramelizes beautifully as it cooks, yielding perfectly bronzed, crisp skin. It's served at the New York State Fair in Syracuse each August, but we honor Baker's memory throughout the year by making it at home.

Ingredients

• 2 (2 1/2–3-lb.) chickens, halved (backbones discarded)
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 egg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place chicken in a bowl. Purée vinegar, oil, seasoning, and egg in a blender until smooth. Pour half the marinade over chicken; toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 2 hours. Reserve remaining marinade.

2. Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.) Remove the chicken from the marinade and, using paper towels, wipe excess marinade from chicken and pat dry. Grill chicken, turning as needed, and using a brush, baste often with reserved marinade, until slightly charred and cooked through, 35–40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 165°.