Sweet and Tangy Barbecued Chicken Thighs

I love a good Barbecued Chicken and tangy BBQ sauce. I ran across this recipe on America's Test Kitchen but tweaked it a bit for the kind of chicken we like and for our gas grill. We like chicken thighs, they are more moist and easier to eat since they only have one bone in them. I served this with steamed veggies and the fresh corn corn bread I posted earlier. Tastes Yummo on a chilly fall evening. Enjoy!

Sweet and Tangy Barbecued Chicken

CHICKEN:
               

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar 

4 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

6 pounds bone-in thigh pieces

SAUCE :

1 cup ketchup 

5 tablespoons molasses 

3 tablespoons cider vinegar 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

1/3 cup grated onion 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1 teaspoon chili powder 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

2 large EMPTY Cans (the big 28 oz. sauce washed out with label peeled off)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne in bowl. Arrange chicken on rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle both sides evenly with spice rub. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk ketchup, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, and pepper together in bowl. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add chili powder and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in ketchup mixture and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Set aside 2/3 cup sauce to baste chicken and reserve remaining sauce for serving. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

3. FOR A GAS GRILL: Place 2 empty cans each filled half way full with water, directly on 1 burner of gas grill (opposite primary burner). Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 325 to 350 degrees.)

4. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken, skin side down, over hotter part of grill and cook until browned and blistered in spots, 2 to 5 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until second side is browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Move chicken to cooler part and brush both sides with 1/3 cup sauce. Arrange chicken, skin side up; Cover and cook for 25 minutes.

5. Brush both sides of chicken with remaining 1/3 cup sauce and continue to cook, covered, until thighs register 175 degrees, (15 to 25 minutes longer.)

6. Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve, passing reserved sauce separately.

Fresh Corn Cornbread

I love cornbread... in the morning with butter and honey on it for breakfast....served along side chili, or this time I made it to go with some yummo BBQ 'd chicken. I will post that recipe later. I usually used the recipe off of my box of corn meal, but when I watched America's test kitchen a few weeks ago and they made their corn bread this way, I just had to give it a try. Man, oh man it makes yummy cornbread, not too dry, not too heavy and not too caky. It is a little more work to use fresh corn and puree it but it's so worth it. I thought since gardens are producing all kinds of vegetables this time of year it's a good recipe to post. Hope you like it as much as we did. Enjoy!

Fresh Corn Cornbread
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
1 -1/3 cups (6 2/3 ounces) stone-ground cornmeal 
1 cup (5 ounces) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder  
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1- 1/4 teaspoons salt 
3 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs (2 1/4 cups) 
6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces 
1 cup buttermilk 
2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk 

Instructions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl, set aside.
2. Process corn kernels in blender  or food processor until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer puree to medium non-stick skillet. (you should have about 1½ cups). Cook puree over medium heat, stirring constantly, until very thick and deep yellow and it measures 3/4 cup, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat. Add 5 tablespoons butter and whisk until melted and incorporated. Add buttermilk and whisk until incorporated. Add eggs and yolk and whisk until incorporated. Transfer corn mixture to bowl with cornmeal mixture and, using rubber spatula, fold together until just combined.
4. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Scrape batter into skillet and spread into even layer. Bake until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 25 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cornbread from skillet and let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving OR do as I did and cut straight from the skillet after cooling for 5 minutes and eat while warm... that's the best way. Enjoy!