Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (216 page)
SERVES 4
If using kosher chicken, do not brine in step 1. See
“TRIMMING SPLIT CHICKEN BREASTS”
for instructions on removing the rib sections from the breasts.
¹⁄ | cup salt |
¹⁄ | cup sugar |
4 | (10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed |
¹⁄ | cup spice rub (recipes follow) |
1.
Dissolve salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Rub each breast evenly with 1 tablespoon spice rub.
2A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
2B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed during cooking to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.)
3.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken on hot side of grill, skin side down. Cook (covered if using gas) until well browned on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Move to cool side of grill, cover, and continue to cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer.
4.
Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Store leftover spice rub in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If brining the chicken, omit the salt from the spice rub.
¹⁄ | cup paprika |
2 | tablespoons kosher salt |
2 | tablespoons garlic powder |
1 | tablespoon dried thyme |
2 | teaspoons ground celery seeds |
2 | teaspoons pepper |
2 | teaspoons cayenne pepper |
Combine all ingredients in bowl.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Store leftover spice rub in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If brining the chicken, omit the salt from the spice rub.
¹⁄ | cup curry powder |
¹⁄ | cup ground cumin |
¹⁄ | cup chili powder |
3 | tablespoons pepper |
3 | tablespoons packed brown sugar |
1 | tablespoon kosher salt |
Combine all ingredients in bowl.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Store leftover spice rub in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If brining the chicken, omit the salt from the spice rub.
¹⁄ | cup packed brown sugar |
3 | tablespoons kosher salt |
3 | tablespoons ground coriander |
2 | tablespoons ground ginger |
2 | tablespoons garlic powder |
1 | tablespoon ground allspice |
1 | tablespoon pepper |
2 | teaspoons cayenne pepper |
2 | teaspoons ground nutmeg |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons ground cinnamon |
Combine all ingredients in bowl.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Store leftover spice rub in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If brining the chicken, omit the salt from the spice rub.
¹⁄ | cup ground cumin |
2 | tablespoons chili powder |
2 | tablespoons ground coriander |
2 | tablespoons dried oregano |
2 | tablespoons garlic powder |
4 | teaspoons kosher salt |
2 | teaspoons cocoa |
1 | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
Combine all ingredients in bowl.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Thai-style grilled chicken is coated in an herb and spice mixture and served with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. The flavors are wonderfully aromatic and complex, a refreshing change from typical barbecue. We set out to develop our own version. We chose bone-in chicken breasts for our recipe. After testing numerous rub combinations, the simplest version won out, made only with cilantro, black pepper, lime juice, and garlic, accented with the earthy flavor of coriander and fresh ginger. To flavor the meat and skin, we placed a thick layer of the rub under the skin as well as on top of it. The true Thai flavors of this dish come through in the sauce, a classic combination of sweet and spicy. Most recipes suffered from the extremes, but we found balance in a blend of sugar, lime juice, white vinegar, hot red pepper flakes, fish sauce, and garlic.
SERVES 4
If using kosher chicken, do not brine in step 1. Some of the rub is inevitably lost to the grill, but the chicken will still be flavorful.
CHICKEN
¹⁄ | cup salt |
¹⁄ | cup sugar |
4 | (10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed |
SAUCE
¹⁄ | cup sugar |
¹⁄ | cup distilled white vinegar |
¹⁄ | cup lime juice (2 limes) |
2 | tablespoons fish sauce |
3 | small garlic cloves, minced |
1 | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
RUB
²⁄ | cup chopped fresh cilantro |
¹⁄ | cup lime juice (2 limes) |
12 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh ginger |
2 | tablespoons pepper |
2 | tablespoons ground coriander |
2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
1. FOR THE CHICKEN:
Dissolve salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
2. FOR THE SAUCE:
Whisk all ingredients together in bowl until sugar dissolves; set aside.
3. FOR THE RUB:
Combine all ingredients in bowl. Slide fingers between skin and meat to loosen skin, taking care not to detach skin. Rub about 2 tablespoons mixture under skin on each breast, then rub even layer of mixture over outside of each breast. Place chicken in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while preparing grill.
4A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
4B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed during cooking to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.)
5.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken on hot side of grill, skin side down. Cook (covered if using gas) until well browned on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Move to cool side of grill, cover, and continue to cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer.
6.
Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with sauce.
BETTER GAS GRILLING
1. Remove the warming rack before lighting the grill unless you know you are going to need it. On most grills, the rack is very close to the cooking surface, and it can be hard to reach foods on the back of the grill without burning your hands on the hot metal.
2. Heat the grill with all the burners turned to high (even if you plan on cooking over low heat) and keep the lid down for at least 15 minutes. Once the grill is hot, scrape the cooking grate clean with a grill brush and then adjust the burners as desired.
3. Whether cooking by direct or indirect heat, we often keep the lid down. Keeping the lid down concentrates the heat when searing and keeps the temperature steady when slow-cooking.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
The problem with most barbecued chicken is that the sauce is applied too early, so the sugars burn before the chicken has had a chance to cook through. To ensure moist barbecued chicken with great grilled flavor, we first seared the chicken breasts over high heat, then finished cooking them over cooler, indirect heat. During the last few minutes of grilling, we brushed the breasts with a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce made with onion, tomatoes, orange juice, molasses, and chili powder and served more sauce on the side at the table.
SERVES 4
If using kosher chicken, do not brine in step 3, and season with salt as well as pepper. You will not need all of the barbecue sauce for the chicken. Refrigerate the remaining sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. See
“TRIMMING SPLIT CHICKEN BREASTS”
for instructions on removing the rib sections from the breasts.
SAUCE
2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
Salt and pepper | |
1 | (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes |
1 | (8-ounce) can tomato sauce |
³⁄ | cup distilled white vinegar |
¹⁄ | cup packed dark brown sugar |
¹⁄ | cup orange juice |
2 | tablespoons molasses |
1 | tablespoon paprika |
1 | tablespoon chili powder |
CHICKEN
¹⁄ | cup salt |
¹⁄ | cup sugar |
4 | (10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed |
Pepper |
1. FOR THE SAUCE:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, orange juice, molasses, paprika, and chili powder, bring to simmer, and cook over low heat until thickened, 2 to 2¹⁄
2
hours.
2.
Process sauce in blender (or food processor) until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Measure out and reserve 1 cup sauce for brushing on chicken and set remaining sauce aside for serving.
3. FOR THE CHICKEN:
While sauce simmers, dissolve salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Season chicken with pepper.
4A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
4B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed during cooking to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.)
5.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken on hot side of grill, skin side down. Cook (covered if using gas) until well browned on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Move to cool side of grill, still skin side up, cover, and continue to cook until chicken registers 150 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Brush chicken generously with ¹⁄
2
cup reserved sauce and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Flip chicken, brush with ¹⁄
2
cup sauce and continue to cook, uncovered, until chicken registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
6.
Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, passing sauce for serving separately.
Add 6 tablespoons soy sauce, 6 tablespoons rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1¹⁄
2
tablespoons toasted sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger to sauce after pureeing.
Add 6 tablespoons lime juice, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons ground cumin, and 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons chili powder to sauce after pureeing.
