Outside the dugout: What's cooking?

Sounds VERY tasty.

Here's a vinegar-based chicken recipe for PATIENT grillers. If you need a quick recipe, pass this one by. This is best when made in bulk- have the family over for a holiday or birthday. Invite people who will stand out with the griller, keep him company and bring him cold beer from the keg.

I usually buy a few breasts because my bro-in-law and a few other people want them, but smaller pices are easier and faster to cook. Breasts can take three hours or more. Thighs are the best eating pieces and faster. I cook a LOT of wings and send some inside to tease guests and let them know how good the main entre will be. People like legs, so I cook a bunch of them, too, and they also can be good appetizers.

Best for cooking is a barrel-type grill. The recipe requires cooking in a closed grill. Grills that have two tiers, obviously, cook more chicken at once. Piled coals should take up about 20-30% of the lower area so that chicken can be grilled without being directly above the coals. Don't have too many coals at once. Cooking hot is faster, but it dries the chix. It helps if there's some way to freshen the coals without removing the chix- depends on the grill. The coals should be mostly white when the chicken goes on the grill.

Prepare the chicken in advance with seasoning, but I also trim excees fat and wing tips. Season with equal parts salt, pepper and garlic powder. I normally combine the three in a large shaker jar. Be generous when seasoning each individual piece. The basting sauce is equal parts peanut oil and apple cider vinegar- other oils are OK- plus, again, equal parts of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix the sauce in a cooking pan and heat it to a brief, low boil to combine the ingredients.

Most important of all, cook the chix SLOWLY, never directly over the coals. Baste the chicken, turn and baste again, every 20-30 minutes. If the coals flair from the oil, they either are too hot, too close to the coals or both. Thighs should take roughly 2 hours, possibly more. Wings are much faster and you can take off the done wings and cook a few more while the other pieces cook. Guests familiar with this recipe may leave the indoor AC and gather, seemingly to keep the cook company, but also to grab a wing. I use a big, old fashion paper grocery bag in a cooler to hold the chix as it comes off the grill. If you have friends who make great potato salad, be sure to invite them, and it's a good occasion to invite the guy who can't cook, but likes to bring Sonny's beans.

A person who learns to cook this dish successfully will be loved and admired. Patience to cook slowly is critical, but the rest of the preparation is simple. My dad learned it living in the FlaVets in '46-'48 and cooked it the rest of his life. He taught me to baste and turn at a young age and I've passed it on to my kids and my oldest grandgirl is approaching the age to learn.

 

nothing exotic but a really good spaghetti with garlic bread is always a tummy pleaser. Just finished up.