Whether that grill has been well-loved over the years or it is the first time that the flame has been lit, everyone can benefit from some grilling tips. The Grill Dads are serving some tasty tricks that will make more novice cooks learn to master the flame.
Mark Anderson and Ryan Fey are The Grill Dads. With a little dash of humor, the pair makes grilling less intimidating. From their Food Network show to their cookbook, the duo helps put cooks at ease.
Recently, The Grill Dads shared a few simple, yet easy to apply, grilling tips. Even though many people might go simple with their summer meals, little things make a difference. From understanding the difference between direct and indirect heat to prepping some food ahead of guests arriving, these ideas make sense.
Ready to master the best BBQ Chicken recipe from The Grill Dads?
BBQ chicken is a popular choice for gatherings. Even though some people can debate favorite sauces, a great dish comes down to proper cooking techniques.
When it comes to saucing meat, The Grill Dads recommend saucing the food at the end, especially with sauces that have sugar, like BBQ sauce. If the sugar cooks too long, it changes from a nice caramelization to an overly bitter note.
The best idea is to cook the protein till almost done and then add the sauce. Those final minutes are the perfect time to brush, coating, or even slather that sauce. Then, pull the protein off and enjoy.
Also, do not serve the sauce that was used during cooking as a side. Keep cooking sauce and serving sauce separately.
Lastly, remember to build flavor with a dish. Grilling is not the time to focus on subtly. These dishes can benefit from a bold umami punch or a boost of spice. The Grill Dads suggest incorporating some Asian ingredients, like soy sauce, oyster sauce, or even fish sauce, like the ones offered by Lee Kum Kee.
Looking for a great BBQ Chicken recipe? The Grill Dads graciously shared their go-to dish.
Soy Brined BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
Soy Brine
1 gallon of water
1c Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Soy Sauce
1/2c Kosher salt
Zest of 1 naval orange
2T black peppercorns
1/3c brown sugar
4 smashed cloves of garlic
1 x 1” piece of fresh ginger, roughly peeled
5 chicken leg quarters
Hot Honey Hoisin BBQ Sauce
1 x 20oz. Bottle of Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce
2T Lee Kum Kee Sriracha Chili Sauce
2T Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Soy Sauce
2T Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Flavored Sauce
1/2c rice vinegar
2T honey
2 cloves minced garlic
1T minced ginger
Plating
1 blood orange, halved
1 naval orange, halved
3 limes, halved
1/3c chives, chopped (½” long)
Directions
- Combine all brine ingredients besides the chicken in a large container. Whisk aggressively. Add your chicken and place it in the fridge for 12-24 hours — 24 hours is preferred. When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and pat it dry. Let it sit while you prepare your sauce and heat up your grill.
2. Heat your smoker to 400ºF and allow it to pre-heat for at least 30 minutes. We like to cook our chicken on a rack on a sheet tray so the hot air can circulate and we don’t get sugary BBQ sauce inside the grill, but you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.
3. To make your sauce, add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer.
4. Test for seasoning. If it is too sweet, add more vinegar. If it isn’t spicy enough, add more.
5. Sriracha Chili Sauce. If it is too tart, add more honey. It most likely won’t need salt, but add some, as needed.
6. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, then remove from the heat.
7. Place the chicken in the smoker and cook until the internal heat hits about 165ºF. Our target final temp is 175ºF internal. This temp is great for dark meat because it renders out all the connective tissue without drying it out. This would be way overcooked if it were a chicken breast, so adjust if you’ve made the mistake of switching. Once you are at 165ºF, start basting the chicken with sauce. Once basted, close the lid for a minute or two, then baste again. Keep repeating this until the chicken hits 175ºF and remove. Allow it to cool as you grill the citrus.
8. Grill all of the citrus. Give the chicken a healthy squeeze of the juice from each citrus. Top with chives and serve!