| BY SPECIAL REQUEST |
| Here is the famous make-ahead (and finish on the grill) barbeque technique for which we have so many requests. The result is moist, tender, perfectly cooked chicken or ribs – with a crispy finish that has that barbeque flavor! COOK'S NOTE: A brisket of beef, or other slow-cooked roast of meat can also be prepared in this way; simply roast the meat (well basted with barbeque sauce, covered, in a 300 degree oven) until an instant-read thermometer, inserted in the center of the meat, reads about 210 degrees - then remove the roast from the oven, allow it to cool for 45 minutes or longer, and finish on the grill at serving time, basting with fresh barbeque sauce, and grilling just long enough to glaze and give the roast a crispy finish |
Reserve about 1/4 of the barbeque sauce (variety of your choice) for later use.
Generously cover the chicken or ribs with the remaining sauce. The chicken or ribs do not need to be submerged in the sauce, just generously coated to absorb the flavor of the sauce. [Cook’s Note: chicken will hold its shape best and have more flavor if bone-in pieces are used. Leave skin on to protect chicken from heat of barbeque, and to provide crispiest result.]
Place the chicken or ribs in a shallow roasting pan [no more than two layers of chicken or ribs, for even cooking].
If using individual pieces of chicken, put the white (breast) meat in one pan, the dark meat (thighs and drumsticks) in another pan – since they cook best in different lengths of time. If using halved chickens, they’ll be fine, even though both kinds of meat are included.
Cover the pan containing the food. Place in preheated 300 degree oven according to this timetable:
Chicken breasts (best with bone in): 30-35 minutes
Chicken thighs: 40 minutes
Chicken drumsticks: 45 minutes
Combined chicken thighs and drumsticks: 45 minutes
Halved chickens: 45-50 minutes (depending on size)
Pork baby back ribs: 35-40 minutes
Regular Pork Ribs: 45 minutes
Beef Ribs: 1 hour (more if very large)
Remove the pan from the oven, and allow to stand, partly covered, for 45 minutes. [Cook’s Note: this oven baking may be done ahead, but, if chicken or ribs will be reserved for longer than 2 hours, refrigerate them to hold them safely; then, remove from refrigerator and allow to return to room temperature before placing on the barbeque grill.]
Near serving time, place the room temperature chicken or ribs on a hot barbeque grill, directly over the heat (do not use the “indirect” method) and coat the pieces generously with the reserved barbeque sauce (the sauce in the baking pan has been diluted with poultry/meat juices, and will be too thin to provide a good glaze).
Grill until a good glaze has formed on the chicken or ribs, and the smoky barbeque flavor has been acquired. Know that the chicken or ribs are already perfectly cooked (and moist) - the grilling is for the purpose of finishing the exterior (providing a good glaze) – be careful not to dry out the pieces.
Allow the chicken or ribs to “coast” (rest) for 5 or 10 minutes before cutting, to re-absorb the juices that press against their exterior when heat is applied by the hot grill.
Generously cover the chicken or ribs with the remaining sauce. The chicken or ribs do not need to be submerged in the sauce, just generously coated to absorb the flavor of the sauce. [Cook’s Note: chicken will hold its shape best and have more flavor if bone-in pieces are used. Leave skin on to protect chicken from heat of barbeque, and to provide crispiest result.]
Place the chicken or ribs in a shallow roasting pan [no more than two layers of chicken or ribs, for even cooking].
If using individual pieces of chicken, put the white (breast) meat in one pan, the dark meat (thighs and drumsticks) in another pan – since they cook best in different lengths of time. If using halved chickens, they’ll be fine, even though both kinds of meat are included.
Cover the pan containing the food. Place in preheated 300 degree oven according to this timetable:
Chicken breasts (best with bone in): 30-35 minutes
Chicken thighs: 40 minutes
Chicken drumsticks: 45 minutes
Combined chicken thighs and drumsticks: 45 minutes
Halved chickens: 45-50 minutes (depending on size)
Pork baby back ribs: 35-40 minutes
Regular Pork Ribs: 45 minutes
Beef Ribs: 1 hour (more if very large)
Remove the pan from the oven, and allow to stand, partly covered, for 45 minutes. [Cook’s Note: this oven baking may be done ahead, but, if chicken or ribs will be reserved for longer than 2 hours, refrigerate them to hold them safely; then, remove from refrigerator and allow to return to room temperature before placing on the barbeque grill.]
Near serving time, place the room temperature chicken or ribs on a hot barbeque grill, directly over the heat (do not use the “indirect” method) and coat the pieces generously with the reserved barbeque sauce (the sauce in the baking pan has been diluted with poultry/meat juices, and will be too thin to provide a good glaze).
Grill until a good glaze has formed on the chicken or ribs, and the smoky barbeque flavor has been acquired. Know that the chicken or ribs are already perfectly cooked (and moist) - the grilling is for the purpose of finishing the exterior (providing a good glaze) – be careful not to dry out the pieces.
Allow the chicken or ribs to “coast” (rest) for 5 or 10 minutes before cutting, to re-absorb the juices that press against their exterior when heat is applied by the hot grill.
