| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 9 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Two 12-ounce bottles amber beer, chilled
- 1 head garlic, split crosswise
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- Two 4-pound chickens, cut into 8 pieces each
- Vegetable oil, for brushing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, for seasoning
Instructions
- For the chicken: In a pot large enough to hold the chicken, combine the sugar, 1/4 cup salt and 2 cups cold water. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour in the beer and add the garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. Submerge the chicken in the brine. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
- For the Alabama white barbecue sauce: Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, horseradish, sugar and Worcestershire in a medium bowl until smooth. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, hot sauce to taste and a liberal grinding of black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook the chicken. (Can be made a day ahead, along with the chicken brine.)
- Prepare a grill for medium indirect grilling. Drain and rinse the chicken and pat very dry. Season the chicken lightly with salt and more liberally with black pepper. Brush lightly with vegetable oil.
- Brush the grill grates with vegetable oil and lay the chicken, bone-side down, on the indirect heat side of the grill. Cover and cook until the skin is golden and the chicken is about three-quarters cooked (130 to 135 degrees F on an instant read thermometer), 20 to 25 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces so they are skin-side down and continue indirect grilling until the chicken is cooked through and reads 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes more.
- Brush the chicken all over with some of the Alabama white barbecue sauce and move the chicken, skin-side down, to the direct heat side of the grill. Grill just until the skin crisps, about 3 minutes, moving as necessary to keep it from burning. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve the remaining Alabama white sauce on the side for dipping.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 1371 |
| Total Fat | 103 g |
| Saturated Fat | 23 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 78 g |
| Cholesterol | 323 mg |
| Sodium | 1883 mg |
Reviews
Made the white sauce and hubby loved it! Keeping this recipe!
The jury is out on this one. Although the chicken turned out tender and juicy, it was still kind of bland, and the sauce isn’t our thing, although it didn’t detract or add to the blandness. Maybe the leftovers will taste better, warmed up in the oven, especially with some more seasoning, like garlic powder and paprika.
Loved the brine, really pulled some great flavor all the way thru the chicken. I’ll be keeping this in my recipe arsenal. The white sauce was also really however it starts to overpower as a dipping sauce. But great as a baste for those last few minutes of grill time.
Reminds me of home, eating at Bob Gibson’s all the time!
I was only able to brine for 5 hours, but we did a non-brined chicken as comparison, and there was a slight difference. Obviously I will do this again with overnight brine – but, that being said, this was an amazing dinner, the chicken was tender, and the white sauce was amazing! Very different for us, and will be added to our bbq routine!
This recipe was excellent! The sauce is called Alabama White barbecue sauce, however, I don’t really consider it a “barbecue” sauce but it is a tasty sauce just the same. the brine recipe was worth it alone. the chicken turned out so tender and juicy, combine that with the tangy zing of the white sauce and it is a recipe I will make again! I followed the recipe closely, next time i will tweak a couple measurements. Probably double the horseradish, and I will eliminate the bay leafs from the brine. (I don’t think they did anything to the flavor)
Delicious! Grilled exactly as instructed and it turn out perfect! First time brining and I’m a believer. Sauce was yummy too! We used it on grilled artichokes that we had with it – so good.
Nicely done
excellent. KISS keep it simple satchmo !
It is very easy to read. I like the layout better, and the font size is perfect. Personally, I think it is an all around better look. I do wish that your proofreading was a little more on point. (Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper) X2, but overall, a much better look.