Succulent and fruity with a sharp bite, these thighs are sure to impress at your May Long get together.
Barbequed chicken dripping with flavor never fails to satisfy! Paired with a fresh and crunchy slaw, and a glass of Hard Honey, this is the perfect light summer meal loaded with nutrition.
"Here's to a weekend that never ends."
Make sure you grab the ingredients from the farmers' market on Saturdays to make this dish as fresh & local as possible!
Juicy Apple Pie Moonshine BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or legs from Mrs. Fifield's Flocks
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup barbecue sauce (recipe below)
Directions
Oil and salt the chicken pieces:
Coat the chicken pieces with olive oil and sprinkle salt & pepper over them on all sides.
Prepare the grill:
Prepare one side of your grill for high, direct heat. If you are using charcoal or wood, make sure there is a cool side to the grill where there are few to no coals.
Sear the chicken, then move to the cool side of the grill:
Lay the chicken pieces skin side down on the hottest side of the grill in order to sear the skin side well. Grill uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how hot the grill is. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Once you have a good sear on one side, turn the chicken pieces over and move them to the cooler side of the grill.
If you are using a gas grill, maintain the flame on only one side of the grill, and move the chicken pieces to the cooler side, not directly over the flame. Reduce the temp to low or medium low (between 250°F and 275°F, no more than 300°F).
Cover the grill and cook undisturbed for 20 to 30 minutes.
Turn over, baste, and cook until done:
Turn the chicken pieces over and baste them with with your favorite barbecue sauce. Cover the grill again and allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes. Repeat, turning the chicken pieces over, basting them with sauce, covering, and cooking for another 10-15 minutes. The timing will depend on your grill set-up, the size of your chicken pieces, and how cold your chicken pieces are to start with! If you're grilling smaller pieces of chicken on a charcoal grill, they may be done much earlier. The goal is to maintain a low enough grill temp so that the chicken cooks "low and slow." The chicken is done when the internal temperature of the chicken pieces are 160°F, or when inserting a knife into the middle of the thickest pieces, the juices run clear. Let the chicken pieces rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve:
Use a clean brush to paint the cooked chicken with more barbecue sauce and serve.
Apple Pie Moonshine BBQ Sauce
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup Apple Jelly from Waugh’s River Gardens
1/2 cup honey from Silver Feather Farmette
1/4 cup Earth Cyser Artisanal Vinegar from Moth + Moon Farm or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Granny's Apple Pie Moonshine from Still Fired Distillery
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Combine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium low heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool before using.
Creamy Slaw
Fresh from Gloria's Market:
1 small head of green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots
2 apples cut into sticks or grated
Dressing:
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp celery seed
1 tbsp parsley
3 tbsp Earth Cyser from Moth + Moon Farm or apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Add cabbage, carrots, apples, and onion to a bowl. In a smaller bowl combine mayo, yogurt, celery seed, parsley and vinegar. Season with salt & pepper to taste and add to the slaw. Toss ingredients together, then cover and sit in the fridge to let the flavors mingle before serving on the side of your chicken.
