Kansas City Barbecued Chicken

Kansas City, Missouri

Meat: Any–it's a vehicle for sauce
Sauce: Thick, sweet, tomato-based

It's all about the sauce in Kansas City. Pitmasters specialize without prejudice in brisket, spareribs, and even chicken and sausage. What doesn't vary is the style of the tomato-based, sweet, and sticky sauce, long established as America's favorite barbecue topping. (KC Masterpiece is a popular commercial version.)

Meaty chicken leg quarters stay moister on the grill than chicken breasts and are a perfect vehicle for the sauce. The thick sauce glazes the meat, making for delightfully sticky-fingered eating. Substitute any other wood chips for hickory.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 chicken leg-thigh quarter and 2 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients

• 4 cups hickory wood chips
• 8 (10-ounce) bone-in chicken leg-thigh quarters 
• 1/4 cup Kansas City Dry Rub
• 2 cups water
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups Kansas City Barbecue Sauce

Preparation

1. Soak wood chips in water 1 hour; drain well.
2. Loosen skin from thighs and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub Kansas City Dry Rub evenly under loosened skin; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Remove grill rack; set aside. Prepare grill for indirect grilling, heating one side to medium-high and leaving one side with no heat.
4. Pierce bottom of a disposable aluminum foil pan several times with the tip of a knife. Place pan on heated side of grill; add half of wood chips to pan. Place another disposable aluminum foil pan (do not pierce pan) on unheated side of grill. Pour 2 cups water in pan. Coat grill rack with cooking spray; place grill rack on grill.
5. Place chicken on grill rack over foil pan on unheated side. Close lid; cook 1 1/2 hours. Add additional wood chips halfway during cooking time. Turn chicken over; cover and cook 30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Remove chicken from grill; let stand 10 minutes. Remove and discard skin.
6. Bring sauce to a simmer in a small saucepan. Brush chicken with 1/2 cup sauce. Serve chicken with remaining sauce.

Posted in: best american recipes