Food Network: The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken

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The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Ingredients
Brine:
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 chicken legs and thighs, still connected, bone in, skin on, about 10 ounces
each

The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:
1 slice bacon

1 bunch fresh thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if available
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water,
salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable
plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've
only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate
the chicken.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with
kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a
large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to
render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and
garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining
ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for
20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1
1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table.

The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.

Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take
a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a
small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot
grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine,
pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and
cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill
marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for
15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch
of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more
minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking

time. Serve with extra sauce.