Farmer Dave’s BBQ Chicken

Since our chickens are raised on pasture, the meat has a rich, real chicken flavor that goes super well with this tangy-sweet sauce.

All of sudden, the days are longer, the kids are out of school, and when you look down at your watch to start thinking about dinner, it’s 9PM!

If you’re like me, you might already be staying outside in the flower beds past bedtime then thinking, “How in the world am I going to feed everybody AND get more than five hours of sleep this summer?”

Well, one thing I can help you with is sharing this BBQ chicken recipe. It is super tangy, juicy, and smokey. And I’ve never known how he does it until I got him to sit down and walk me through it a few days ago.

It's broken up into smaller tasks you can squeeze into little moments throughout a day or two. Plus, it spends a long time on the grill, which lets you be on top of dinner AND still have time to mow the lawn. You’re going to love it!

Dave’s BBQ Chicken

Brine

• 1 whole chicken

• ½ cup salt

• ¼ cup sugar

• Water to cover

Spice Rub (you can prep this ahead of time)

• ¼ cup sugar (we like coconut sugar, but anything will work)

• ¼ cup kosher salt

• 2-3 tablespoons paprika (smoked, regular, or a mix of both)

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1/2 -1 tablespoon cumin

• ½ tablespoon thyme

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Optional: 1 teaspoon cayenne or chipotle (if you want it spicy)

BBQ Sauce

In a small saucepan, heat 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste. Add a few dashes of each of the following to taste: apple cider vinegar (~¼ cup), honey or brown sugar (~¼ cup), tamari or soy sauce (~1 tbsp), molasses (~1 tbsp), mustard (~1 tbsp), and a dash of liquid smoke.

Add water a little at a time to adjust consistency. Stir in your spice rub 1 tablespoon at a time (~2-3 tbsp total) and add sweetness until it tastes right to you. Simmer until the flavors combine.

Prep the chicken:

1. Brine: Brine the chicken overnight in the fridge.

2. Dry it: In the morning, take the chicken out and leave it in the fridge on a wire rack so the skin can dry completely.

3. Part it out: A few hours before you want to cook, cut it into parts. See my video on how to do this easily (but leave the breast on the bone for this recipe so they cook evenly).

4. The rub: Rub the chicken in olive oil, then the spice rub. Use lots! Let it sit for an hour (more is even better) while you go harvest your rhubarb.

5. Grilllow and slow: Set your grill to 225°F for a few hours. Put the chicken on skin-side up, then go plant your new irises.

6. The finish: When the breast hits 130°F and dark meat is at 150°F, turn up the grill up to 275°F. Brush generously with the BBQ sauce and cook for ~10 minutes. Flip it skin side down, brush it again, and give it another ~10 minutes (or until the breast is at 135°F and dark meat is at 155°F).

Let it rest for a few minutes, then serve it with extra sauce for dipping. 🤤