My brother visited from Cleveland last weekend, and the July heat and humidity here in NC nearly made him shave his grizzly beard. After spending much of Saturday outside, I couldn't think of a better way to help him relax than showing him the southern tradition standing over a smoking grill for an hour and a half.
Without the time to barbecue a big piece of pork and a traditional meat smoker, we used a charcoal grill and chicken instead. Many steps, several hours and multiple cold beverages later, we reeked of smoke but didn't care because the food was awesome.
Here's how we did it.
Barbecue sauce is sacred in NC, so I went with the oldest recipe I could find in John and Dale Reed's Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue. Here's the recipe, as it appears in print:
Old Time Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce
1 gallon cider vinegar
1 1/3 cups crushed red pepper
2 tbs black pepper
1/4 cup salt
Mix the ingredients together and let stand for at least four hours. This one doesn't even need refrigeration.
If you don't need to make a gallon of it, the ratio equate to 128 parts vinegar to 11 parts red pepper to 2 parts salt and 1 part black pepper. Or, if you're feeling daring, a bunch of crushed red pepper, some black pepper and salt in a jar of vinegar.
We strayed from the traditional side dishes, opting instead to run the gas grill alongside the makeshift smoker and grill seasonal zucchini, squash and eggplant. Peaches are also in season, so we halved them, grilled them and dropped butter and brown sugar in their cavities for dessert.
Without the time to barbecue a big piece of pork and a traditional meat smoker, we used a charcoal grill and chicken instead. Many steps, several hours and multiple cold beverages later, we reeked of smoke but didn't care because the food was awesome.
Here's how we did it.
Barbecue sauce is sacred in NC, so I went with the oldest recipe I could find in John and Dale Reed's Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue. Here's the recipe, as it appears in print:
Old Time Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce
1 gallon cider vinegar
1 1/3 cups crushed red pepper
2 tbs black pepper
1/4 cup salt
Mix the ingredients together and let stand for at least four hours. This one doesn't even need refrigeration.
If you don't need to make a gallon of it, the ratio equate to 128 parts vinegar to 11 parts red pepper to 2 parts salt and 1 part black pepper. Or, if you're feeling daring, a bunch of crushed red pepper, some black pepper and salt in a jar of vinegar.
Carolina Smoked Chicken
hardwood charcoal
wood chips (we used cherry)
two whole chickens (2-4 pounds each)
BBQ sauce
1. Light the charcoal. While the charcoal heats, soak 2 cups of wood chips in water.
2. Cut each chicken in half (each half should have a breast, thigh, leg and wing) and baste with the bbq sauce.
3. When the coals are covered in a light layer of ash, spread them out in the grill. Drain the wood chips, spread them across the charcoal and adjust the lid.
4. Let the wood begin smoking (2-3 minutes), then open the lid and lay the chicken cavity-side-down on the grill. Close the lid, adjust the filter on the top of the lid (I keep it half open), and walk away.
5. Let the chicken cook for at least an hour (depending on the size of the birds) without opening the lid. Do not baste the meat while it cooks - the smoke will provide more than enough flavor! If the gill stops smoking, open and check that the charcoal is still burning. Otherwise, leave it to smoke. (If the charcoal dies before the chicken's done, it can be finished in the oven at 350 degrees.)
6. When you think the chicken's done, open the lid and check by piercing the thigh with a meat thermometer. The juices should run clear and the deepest layer of meat should be 180 degrees.
7. Remove the chicken, baste with more sauce, and serve.
We strayed from the traditional side dishes, opting instead to run the gas grill alongside the makeshift smoker and grill seasonal zucchini, squash and eggplant. Peaches are also in season, so we halved them, grilled them and dropped butter and brown sugar in their cavities for dessert.
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