Grilling in the RainWe were expecting four for the Fourth, so I was planning to barbecue for six. I wanted to grill chicken, slow smoked over apple wood. With 48 pieces of chicken – 24 thighs, 12 drumsticks, 12 wings – and side dishes, that would be plenty.
On Saturday I made my barbecue sauce (see "I 'Cue Too" in the May archives). I wound up with 2 quarts. Next, I washed the chicken and marinated the pieces in Cornell Chicken Marinade. I covered the chicken and put it in the fridge for 24 hours.
My plan was to start the fire on Sunday at around 2 p.m., and eat sometime after 6. The weather forecast called for rain, and when Independence Day rolled around, it was raining – not merely a light drizzle, but a teeming downpour.
At 2 o'clock with the rain still falling hard, alternative plans were put into play. I decided to roast the chicken in three batches, so I placed 18 thighs on a large cooking pan and put it in the oven. About an hour later, the chicken was nicely browned, and the sun was shining.
I still had 30 pieces of chicken to go, so I raced outside, filled up my charcoal chimney, stuffed some rolled up newspaper under it and lit a few corners. When the coals were about half ready, it started to rain again. I propped the grill cover over the chimney, and it started to pour. Resigned to oven cooking for the rest of the day, I poured the coals out onto the fire grill, put the cover on and went back inside.
But by the time I had the rest of the chicken out of the fridge, it had once again stopped raining, so I went back outside. I lifted the grill cover, and the coals were roaring hot. I pushed the coals over to one side of the grill and used that area to quickly sear the chicken on both sides, moving the pieces into a pile away from the coals as they were done.
Next, I threw a few chunks of soaked apple wood over the coals. I covered the grill, with the top vents almost completely closed, and smoked the chicken for two hours, moving the pieces around every 30 minutes.
After 2 hours had passed, I sauced over most of the pieces and closed the grill again. I turned the pieces over 30 minutes later and sauced the other sides. I kept about a third of the pieces unsauced because I love the taste of unadorned slow-smoked chicken. After another half hour, it was done.
We served the chicken with baked beans, potato salad, and Brussels sprouts (with a red-onion-and-garlic butter sauce). The meal was excellent. The unsauced bird tasted softly of apple smoke. The sauced pieces exploded with sweet and hot flavors. The chicken was eaten quickly. In fact, only the potato salad was leftover. Plates were piled with bones.
Great fun with great people – fireworks in the parking lot off our backyard, fresh fruit daiquiris, bottles of Brooklyn Larger, Mystic spinning CDs, and a big thumbs-up from Kaseem.
And this, just in from one of our guests, Maria C. Tuah:
"The BBQ chicken was a sweet smoked apple, finger and lip smacking sensation. The potato salad was made right and I could tell by the softness of the potatoes because they melted in my mouth. The baked beans had a spice that kicked my senses and made my left brow go up and my hands moving, savoring the flavor. The Peach daiquiri’s and feel good music were an added bonus of the evening along with laughs and dessert. I was impressed with the soulfood that was laid on me, I had to give Schlesinger the French five-finger, tips to the lips kiss, and Magnifique compliment. A Bon Soiree it was! Thank you."
And this quote, from Renee: “Them beans slapped me, I wasn’t ready”
Thanks everyone for attending - it is one of my favorite Fourths'!