Roadside Chicken

[Gerry D.]

I just have to say that not only is this recipe delicious but fun to grill. I marinated four whole chickens that I cut up myself for about 4 hours. Then grilled indirect with a little cherry. The fun part is the basting!. I filled up two of the big worcestershire bottles with the sauce and used it all. I wear cargo shorts all the time and keep the bottles in my pockets with my tongs. I was feeling a little weighted down but it was really fun, shaking the sauce over the chicken and watching it drip. Flavor is the best!

 

[Jason Gladstone]

Glad to hear you tried Roadside with indirect heat. I think I'll go that route next time. I had some folks over for dinner and filled the Performer grate with chicken parts...direct heat. I was really dancing trying to keep the stuff from burning up prior to cooking through....while basting...it was a lot of work. Indirect and baste until near done...then direct to finish sounds a bit more relaxing to me. I guess it worked well and tasted just as good eh?

 

[Gerry D.]

I always buy chicken bone in skin on anymore. I bank all of the coals to one side and put the smaller pieces furthest away from the coals and the bigger ones closest, trying to keep all of the chicken to the side opposite of the grill than the coals. When just cooked through I move the pieces a couple at a time directly over the coals to crisp up the skin. Can't go wrong. I don't even check the chicken anymore. When I run out of the baste it's time to move to direct. I fill up a big worcestershire bottle with the baste. Try as you might you can not dry this chicken out. I love recipes where I can relax and drink beer and tend to the grill when it comes to mind. Granted I usually do this on the kettle and fill up one half of the grill with assorted chicken parts, takes about 45 minutes. Turns out great every time. I usually marinate for at least 4 hours. Can't lose.

 

[Evan T]

Bryan-

I tried your Roadside Chicken recipe and my family went nuts! That was by far the best chicken I've made in years! I tried to duplicate the infamous Sertoma chix bbq marinade with no success. This recipe comes as close as I'll get (unless I volunteer next May at Longs Park and get the actual recipe).

I have a few questions-

1) I followed the recipe except I used the oil in the marinade and I used apple cider vinegar. What was the reasoning for not using the oil when marinading the chicken? Also is there a difference in taste using the white vinegar versus apple cider vinegar?

2) Also you didn't mention how much chicken is used for each batch of sauce/marinade. I had 7 1/2 lbs. of legs and thighs so I made 2 batches for the marinade and 1 batch for the basting.

I preheated my gas grill on high until it reached 350. I cooked the chicken to try and get the char markings and brown the skin a bit. I transfered the chicken to one side of the grill and cooked on indirect heat for an hour. I basted every 15 minutes and used apple wood chips for the smoke.

We had dinner and the chicken was awesome! When I first bit into the chicken I noticed the tartness of the vinegar and the flavors of the seasonings blending well together. The only thing is at first I thought it was a bit too salty ( I try and limit my sodium intake) but I still devoured 5 pieces myself!

I may cut back to a teaspoon of Kosher salt next time.

3) How would the chicken turn out if I didn't brown it at first and placed it on the grill and cooked it with indirect heating? Reason I ask is though I charred the skin at first the flavors jumped in my mouth but the skin seemed to remain a bit rubbery. I want to try and get the crisp brown skin.

Any suggestions is greatly appreciated and once again....THANK YOU for the awesome recipe!!

BTW: After reading and seeing all the wonderful pics of food from you and everyone using the WSM smoker I can no longer wait....I'm buying one next week!!

 

[Sid Ingram]

Ive been a member for several months now and this is the first post that may actually be helpful for some folks.
I bought a 10# pkg of chicken leg quarters (about $6.00), trimmed all the extra skin, fat, and wing tips off. I marinated in two batches of the RSC marinade(less the oil) overnight. I removed the water pan, then fired up the(wsm) smoker with one lit chimney of briquets and one unlit chimney of briquets.
When the temp hit about 350, I placed half of the chicken quarters on the upper grill. I tried to keep the temp between 350 and 375... The best way to control the temp was to remove/replace the fuel door... there were lots of flames at times...When the temps started to get too high I replaced the door... This cook kept me very busy... every 10 min or so I removed the lid, basted the birds,(using the RSC recipe with oil) turned them over, basted them again, and replaced the top. After about 1hour 15 min, the internal temps of the chicken indicated that they were done...
I repeated the process for the second batch.
The results were fantastic; the skin was dry and chrunchy, seasoned very well, and very edible...
I used two batches (without oil) for the marinade and two batches of the marinade with oil for basting while cooking...
I used a catsup bottle with a squirt top, but the hole was too large.. I placed a piece of masking tape over the top of the bottle before screwing on the lid.... then pierced a much smaller hole in the tape... Worked great!
I hope I havent bored you with so many details... my wife says that when someone asks me what time it is, I tell them how to build a clock...

The main point is that this is VERY do-able on the WSM.
Have fun

 

[Bill Spearman]

Interesting post. We continue to find the WSM is a versatile machine. I intend to try your approach to chicken as well as Bryan S's use of the lower grate for tritips, etc.

 

[Bill Spearman]

P.S. Like your adaptation of the catsup bottle.....

 

[Bryan S]

Originally posted by Evan T:
Bryan-

I tried your Roadside Chicken recipe and my family went nuts! That was by far the best chicken I've made in years! I tried to duplicate the infamous Sertoma chix bbq marinade with no success. This recipe comes as close as I'll get (unless I volunteer next May at Longs Park and get the actual recipe).

I have a few questions-

1) I followed the recipe except I used the oil in the marinade and I used apple cider vinegar. What was the reasoning for not using the oil when marinading the chicken? Also is there a difference in taste using the white vinegar versus apple cider vinegar?

2) Also you didn't mention how much chicken is used for each batch of sauce/marinade. I had 7 1/2 lbs. of legs and thighs so I made 2 batches for the marinade and 1 batch for the basting.

I preheated my gas grill on high until it reached 350. I cooked the chicken to try and get the char markings and brown the skin a bit. I transfered the chicken to one side of the grill and cooked on indirect heat for an hour. I basted every 15 minutes and used apple wood chips for the smoke.

We had dinner and the chicken was awesome! When I first bit into the chicken I noticed the tartness of the vinegar and the flavors of the seasonings blending well together. The only thing is at first I thought it was a bit too salty ( I try and limit my sodium intake) but I still devoured 5 pieces myself!

I may cut back to a teaspoon of Kosher salt next time.

3) How would the chicken turn out if I didn't brown it at first and placed it on the grill and cooked it with indirect heating? Reason I ask is though I charred the skin at first the flavors jumped in my mouth but the skin seemed to remain a bit rubbery. I want to try and get the crisp brown skin.

Any suggestions is greatly appreciated and once again....THANK YOU for the awesome recipe!!

BTW: After reading and seeing all the wonderful pics of food from you and everyone using the WSM smoker I can no longer wait....I'm buying one next week!!

The biggest diff between mine and Sertoma is they use butter, I use oil. They use virt no spices, and I do. I just don't want the hassle of keeping the sauce warm to keep the butter in liquid form. I know, I know, as much as I love butter... Amish butter at that, I'll see if I can get the Sertoma recipe for you. It was offered to me several years ago, but I declined, because I liked mine better, JMO. I use no oil in the marinade because I feel it blocks the marinade from getting in to the meat. JMO here. They DO NOT marinade at all, just spray on the sauce. The diff between White and Cider vin is you'll get more vin bite with using the White. As far as how much chicken, as much as you can fit in a 1 gal Zip bag. You'll get way better flavor cooking over good charcoal than a gasser IMO. I have a Brand New still in the box spare WSM that I'd be willing to sell you for $200.00 if you're interrested. Let me know, My email is in my public profile. HTH

 

[Evan T]

Thanks for the response to my questions Bryan.

I plan on making another batch of chicken next weekend and I will follow your recipe as you have explained (no oil in marinade and white vin)

I will take you up on your offer for your WSM new and still in the box. I will drop you an email and we can exchange contact info.

THANKS once again!!!

 

[Todd Reich]

Bryan
What temp are you looking for on your weber kettle when you do this chicken? I did one chimney of lump and was running 550 on my weber kettle.

 

[B. Kaylor]

I just did a batch of Roadside, following Bryan's recipe to a "T". Only befor the last flip, I basted with No. 5 Sauce, waited anout 7 minutes, fliped and basted the other side. Oh my.... this is tasty!! We pulled for sandwiches, and chopped some for tortilla roll-ups, with cream cheese and topped with colby/monterey jack cheese. We took them to a church function for finger food. Should have made more! They went fast. Thanks for sharing Bryan!!! Tasty..Tasty...Tasty!!

 

[Bryan S]

Originally posted by Todd Reich:
Bryan
What temp are you looking for on your weber kettle when you do this chicken? I did one chimney of lump and was running 550 on my weber kettle.

Todd, I don't worry so much about the temp as I do about having enough lump in there for when you baste. If you start with too little charcoal, and with all the basting, you'll have a hard time keeping the fire hot enough to grill the chicken. It's been awhile since I've done it on the grill but IIRC I use about 1.5 chimneys of unlit and place that in an even layer on the grate. Then light a very full chimney and dump that on as even as possible. Put the cooking grate in and leave the lid off for 10-15 min till it all gets going good and hot. Place the chicken on and let flames begin. I'm guessing at the start it's 550-600 lid temp on the thermo in the Master Touch lid. Most times it's pegged so. And vents wide open the whole cook. HTH

 

[Evan T]

Plan on making more of this chicken this weekend....if the rain will hold out.

 

[Ryan Kelley]

Originally posted by Bryan S:
I have a Brand New still in the box spare WSM

Spare WSM! My Hero!

 

[Chris in Cameron Park]

Tried to follow Bryan S's suggestions as best I could. I was too scared to do direct, so I set up with indirect w/foil underneath for drippings.
It turned out great. It took almost 2hrs at 325-350 for the chicken to reach 175*.

Yummy!!

 

[Bill Hays]

Originally posted by Chris in Cameron Park:
Tried to follow Bryan S's suggestions as best I could. I was too scared to do direct, so I set up with indirect w/foil underneath for drippings.
It turned out great. It took almost 2hrs at 325-350 for the chicken to reach 175*.

Yummy!!

That's how it's supposed to look! Ya done good, Chris!

How do those bottles work for applying the marinade/sauce? Do you lose much to the grill?

Thanks,

Bill

 

[Chris in Cameron Park]

Originally posted by Bill Hays:
How do those bottles work for applying the marinade/sauce? Do you lose much to the grill?

Bill

Yeah, there was a lot that just ran off the thighs, but one bottle was plenty to baste 4 or 5 times and the foil caught all the drippings, so it wasnt bad.

 

[Tim C]

just completed my first of many roadside cooks. outstanding. i did indirect with lump and crisped it up at the end. i'll have to try halfs next time. thx bryan

 

[Ken_K]

I did this a few weeks ago. Used one of those squeeze bottles. I did half chickens over direct heat Kingsford on my OTS. It came out great and didn't really have too much of problem with flare-ups though I did drown a fair number of coals and was really struggling to keep the heat up at the end of the cook, but did just manage to get them done. They turned out fantastic. What a great recipe and technique Bryan!

I think the next time I do this I will try the dunking method that was mentioned earlier in the thread. That should eliminate the coal drowning problems.

 

[Tim C]

i dunked for most of the cook then brushed towards the end. next time im gonna make more of the sauce. we gave some chicken to my folks and they really liked it. ive never had chicken that tender and juicy.