Smoked Chicken with Alabama white sauce
Smoking meats indirectly produces very succulent and juicy chicken. When the smokiness is paired with tangy Alabama white sauce the dish is elevated to higher culinary levels. This is one of my favourite ways of cooking chicken on the BBQ.
Equipment
- 1 Lidded BBQ or BBQ Smoker
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 kg skin-on whole chicken or chicken legs, thighs or wings
Dry spice rub
- 1½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- ½ tsp thyme leaves, fresh or dried
Alabama white sauce
- 230 g mayonnaise, full fat
- 90 ml white wine vinegar OR apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp horseradish sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp course black pepper powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Dry brine the chicken
- Dry brine the chicken with ½ tsp of table salt per kg chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour. This step ensures the chicken remains juicy.
Making the Alabama white sauce
- Make the Alabama white sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Refrigerate for an hour. Keeping a little sauce aside for a final drizzle.
Dry spice rub
- Mix the dry rub ingredients in a bowl.
- After the chicken has dry brined in salt apply the dry rub liberally on all sides of the chicken.
Setting up your BBQ
- Setup your BBQ grill for indirect cooking or alternatively cook in the oven at gas mark 6 (200°C).
- Place the smoking wood above the charcoal grate on one side of the BBQ and place the dry-rubbed chicken on the other side of the BBQ.Close the lid and cook until the internal temperature reaches 65°C.
- As the chicken moves towards 65°C the smoke causes the surface of the chicken become a redish-bronze colour.
- At this point dunk the smoked chicken into Alabama white sauce to completely cover the chicken in sauce.Don't forget to keep a little sauce aside for the final drizzle.
- Return to the BBQ and cook until the chicken reaches 75°C.
- When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°C sear over hot coals to crisp up the skin. Alternatively, you can place the chicken under a hot grill.
- Work one or two pieces at a time to manage the flames flaring up and burning the skin.
- Serve with extra Alabama white sauce drizzled on top!
- Chalo kawa! The sauce really compiments the smoked chicken.
- Alternativily, you could smoke chicken wings.
- Which are equally scrumptious.
Any Questions?
- 1. What sauce did you dribble on the top?2. Can we cook in the oven too?
- How do you adjust the recipe if I don't have a BBQ?
