Reverse-Seared Grilled Chicken with Barbecue Sauce by Tyler Florence
Base recipe found on pg 87 of American Grill by Tyler Florence
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds/1.4 to 1.8 kg), broken down into 10 pieces
For the Chicken -
SLOW-BAKE THE CHICKEN
Preheat the oven to 220°F (110°C) —be sure not to have it on the convection setting. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the dry brine ingredients.
Mix well until everything is coated.
Arrange the chicken on the lined pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 130°F (54°C), about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven to rest. At this point the chicken is partially cooked.
You can place it in a zip-seal storage bag and store it for later use, or freeze until needed. If desired, you can even add a marinade or sauce and refrigerate to use within 24 hours.
SET UP THE GRILL (Cauldron)
When ready to finish, preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat, and set it up with two zones: a hot side and cold (less hot) side, for direct and indirect cooking. (See method, page 15.)
You want the temperature to hover around 400°F (205°C).
REVERSE-SEAR THE CHICKEN
Place the chicken on the hot side of the grill. Rotate and flip every 5 minutes from the hot side to the cooler side to create an even sear on the chicken without burning it. Cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 155°F (68°C), about 25 minutes from cold or 12 minutes from room temperature.
Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest before serving.
For the BBQ Sauce & Dry Brine - found on pg 238 of American Grill by Tyler Florence
Ingredients
1 slice bacon
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cups (480 ml) ketchup
4 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) molasses
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
Wrap the bacon slice around the bunch of thyme and tie it together with a bit of cooking twine.
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
Place the bacon-wrapped thyme in the pan and cook until the bacon starts to get crispy, about 4 minutes.
Add the onion and garlic to the bacon grease and sauté until they begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
Add the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, vinegar, mustard powder, cumin, and paprika. Season with black pepper and mix well. Let come to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Discard the bacon-wrapped thyme.
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
Grated zest of 1 to 2 lemons
4 cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane
5 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Recipe Credit: Tyler Florence from his book American Grill.
