Alabama BBQ Chicken
By Meredith ButcherPublished on November 9, 2012
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
White BBQ Sauce
¾ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish ½ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepperChicken
2 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded1 teaspoon table salt 1 teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups hickory wood chips 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting panBefore You Begin
To hold the wood chips, you will need a small disposable aluminum tray.
Instructions
- Blend ¾ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Refrigerate sauce in airtight container for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- With 2 whole chickens breast side down, using kitchen shears, cut through bones on both sides of backbones; discard backbones. Flip chickens over and, using chef’s knife, split chickens in half lengthwise through centers of breastbones. Mix 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon cayenne in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chickens.
- Soak 2 cups hickory wood chips in bowl of water to cover for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, open bottom grill vents completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in center. Scatter wood chips evenly over coals and set cooking grate in place. Cover, with lid vents positioned over center of grill and opened halfway. Let grill heat for 5 minutes.
- Dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and oil grate, holding paper towels with long-handled tongs. Place chicken skin side down on center of grill. Cover (with half-opened lid vents over chicken).
- Grill chickens until skin is well browned, 35 to 45 minutes. Flip chickens skin side up and grill, covered, until breast meat registers 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
- Transfer chickens to cutting board, brush with 2 tablespoons sauce, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Remove foil and brush chicken with 1 tablespoon sauce. Carve and serve, passing remaining sauce at table.
for the sauce
for the chicken
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 8Ingredients
White BBQ Sauce
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chicken
2 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups hickory wood chips
13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
White BBQ Sauce
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chicken
2 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups hickory wood chips
13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
White BBQ Sauce
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chicken
2 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups hickory wood chips
13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For an Alabama-inspired barbecued chicken recipe, we ditched the tomato and slathered a mayonnaise-based sauce on hickory-smoked chicken. Smoking generally takes hours, but our recipe expedites the process by cutting the chicken in half and cooking it in the middle of the grill, sandwiched between piles of smoking coals topped with hickory chips. We coated our chickens with the Alabama-style barbecue sauce—a seasoned mayonnaise and vinegar mixture—two times after cooking so the hot chicken absorbed the sauce and was flavored through and through.
Before You Begin
To hold the wood chips, you will need a small disposable aluminum tray.
Instructions
- Blend ¾ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Refrigerate sauce in airtight container for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- With 2 whole chickens breast side down, using kitchen shears, cut through bones on both sides of backbones; discard backbones. Flip chickens over and, using chef’s knife, split chickens in half lengthwise through centers of breastbones. Mix 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon cayenne in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chickens.
- Soak 2 cups hickory wood chips in bowl of water to cover for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, open bottom grill vents completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in center. Scatter wood chips evenly over coals and set cooking grate in place. Cover, with lid vents positioned over center of grill and opened halfway. Let grill heat for 5 minutes.
- Dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and oil grate, holding paper towels with long-handled tongs. Place chicken skin side down on center of grill. Cover (with half-opened lid vents over chicken).
- Grill chickens until skin is well browned, 35 to 45 minutes. Flip chickens skin side up and grill, covered, until breast meat registers 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
- Transfer chickens to cutting board, brush with 2 tablespoons sauce, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Remove foil and brush chicken with 1 tablespoon sauce. Carve and serve, passing remaining sauce at table.
for the sauce
for the chicken
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