Deep in the Heart of Texas Backyard Barbeque
Chicken
Chef Dean Fearing, The Mansion on Turtle Creek,
Dallas, TX
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 12 servings
- 3
whole chickens (3-4 pounds each), cut each chicken into eight
pieces
- 3
Tablespoons canola oil
- Dried
thyme to taste
- Crushed
red bell pepper flakes to taste
- 2
quarts barbeque sauce*
- Salt
and cracked black pepper to taste
Make
sure the whole chickens are rinsed under running water. Cut each
chicken into eight pieces, brush with vegetable oil and season
to taste with salt, pepper, thyme and red pepper flakes on both
sides. Set aside.
A clean grill is a happy grill. Make sure old ashes are discarded
and grates are brushed clean. Add wood charcoal and ignite. When
charcoal has burned to white ash, add chicken quarters skin side
down. The process now is to render as much grease from the skin
without burning the skin or causing the grease to flare-up on
the fire and burn the skin. Take your time and be attentive to
the cooking of the chicken. Do not overload the grill. Chicken
may have to be cooked in batches depending on the size of your
grill.
At this point, add water-soaked hickory chips (a small handful
at a time) to the edge of the fire. This will start the smoking
process. Seal in the smoke with a lid or the top of the grill.
Remember to keep an eye on the chicken and turn when skin is rendered,
about 8-10 minutes. If the smoke dies down, add another handful
of hickory chips.
Grill and smoke chicken for about 15 minutes making sure the meat
is cooking evenly on both sides. Check chicken for doneness. Then
begin basting each piece of chicken with barbeque sauce. Don't
be afraid to brush on a lot of barbeque sauce heavy and keep turning
each piece to prevent burning in one area of the grill.
Remove barbequed chicken from grill to a platter and serve family
style. You may find one whole chicken is just not enough to satisfy
"A Big Texas Appetite."
*Chef Fearing recommends his Smokey Bacon BBQ Sauce, which can
be purchased through The Mansion on Turtle Creek. To order or
for more information on a variety of Dean Fearing's sauces, please
call (214) 520-5846.
