Chicken Under Bricks March 5, 2010

The first time I saw a recipe for this I thought it sounded crazy, but then I got a Weber’s Real Grilling cookbook and I read the description and saw a picture. It seemed a bit unconventional to me, but it really reduced the cooking time for a whole chicken and it seemed worth a try. The results are amazing.

Whole chickens are usually fairly inexpensive, and go on sale for less than $1 a pound quite frequently, making this one of the most economical main dishes I can think of. The skin gets crispy and the meat stays very juicy and tender. The rub is simple, but adds the right amount of flavor. It is my absolute favorite way to cook a whole chicken. And I don’t actually own bricks, I just use a heavy cast iron skillet and it does the trick. The hardest part is probably cutting the backbone out of the chicken, this is necessary to flatten the chicken; you can use a knife, but kitchen shears will work better. Don’t worry if you don’t do this part perfectly, mine never look pretty, you just want the chicken flat. You might want to watch for flare-ups, as you can see in the picture mine got a little blackened, but it was still very good; you can also see how tender the meat is, it is practically falling right off the bone.

Chicken Under Bricks

Rub:

• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp granulated onion
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. In small bowl, mix the rub ingredients.

Chicken:

• 1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds, excess fat removed
• vegetable oil
• 1 cup your favorite bbq sauce, optional

1. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using a knife or poultry shears, cut along the backbone and remove it. Open the chicken like a book and flatten as much as possible; cut and discard wing tips.
2. Season the chicken with the rub.
3. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill over indirect high heat. Lightly coat the bottom of a baking sheet with oil. Place the baking sheet on top of the chicken and weight it down with foil-wrapped bricks or a cast iron pan (I actually oil the bottom of my cast iron pan and place it directly on the chicken, why wash a baking sheet if you don’t have to?).
4. Grill until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
5. Using pot holders, carefully remove baking sheet and bricks/pan. Using a wide spatula, carefully release chicken from grate and move to medium high heat and grill 5-10 minutes  more (I like to flip chicken at this point to get nice skin on both sides, but the original recipe doesn’t do this).
6. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Cut chicken into serving pieces and serve with bbq if desired.
   

BBQ Baked Potato February 24, 2010

I am having one of those weeks. You probably know what kind of week I mean; the one where it would help if I was more organized, planned my meals better and just had more time. So, last night in an effort to be more of this organized super-mom I wish to be, I surveyed my fridge, seeing what quick meal ideas I could come up with. I had leftover homemade BBQ Sauce, so I decided I would defrost some chicken in the fridge overnight and make slow cooker bbq chicken the next day.

So, the next day happens. I go to throw my ingredients into the slow cooker, only to remember we don’t eat gluten. The only way I know how to serve shredded BBQ chicken is on a roll. And sure, I have made some gluten free breads and rolls, but they aren’t all that special. And truth be told, homemade bread is only worth the trouble if it tastes great, or at least good. And even if I did have a gluten free bread recipe up my sleeve, today was not a day I had time to make bread.

I do the only think I know to do, I call my sister and ask what else her family eats bbq shredded meat on or with. She suggests a baked potato, apparently this is popular in bbq country. So I chopped up some green onions, grated some cheddar cheese (although I think colby-jack would be better, I had none) and went about my day. When I arrived home, very tired and way past our regular dinner time, with a very grumpy toddler at my foot, I quickly washed up some potatoes, threw them in the microwave and had dinner on the table in no time. It was delicious, thanks Lynn. Dinner Saved.

BBQ Baked Potatoes

Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce
• 1/2 cup Italian Dressing
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• diced onions and garlic, optional (my homemade bbq sauce has onions and garlic, so I don’t add more)

1. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook around 3 hours on low. Using a fork, shred chicken and stir back into sauce to combine.
2. Cook on high for approximately 1 more hour, or until meat is done.

• 4-6 baked potatoes
• sour cream, cheese, green onions or chives, all optional but delicious

1. To serve, split open potatoes, lengthwise. Spoon chicken on top of potatoes. Top with optional ingredients if desired. Enjoy.

Homemade BBQ Sauce February 19, 2010

There is something so good about barbecue. The aroma of the meat and the sauce. I don’t let the rain stop me, I grill year round. I know there are some gluten free bbq sauces on the market, but I have just started making my own all the time. Homemade barbecue sauce is really quite simple to make, and tastes better than the bottled stuff. It is also very easy to adapt to your family’s taste and it is good on so many things. I usually make up batch and store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator of freezer to use later.

I have always been a huge Emeril fan, but I especially enjoy his last few cookbooks. They are full of quick and flavorful recipes that are very kid-friendly. The following recipe is an adaption of  the Homemade BBQ Sauce in Emeril’s new cookbook Emeril at the grill, a cookbook for all seasons.

My version of a gourmet burger, minus the bun, dripping with Homemade BBQ Sauce.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

• 1 Tb oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tb chopped garlic
• 2 cups kechup
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TB red hot sauce, optional
• 1 Tb yellow mustard
• 1 tsp creole seasoning

1. Heat oil in saucepan over med-high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute longer. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened and flavors have blended, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. *Any unused sauce can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen (I like to use a glass salad dressing or canning jar with lid).