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| Recipe of the Month
Finger-Lickin’ Barbeque Chicken
Prep Time: 45 min. Marinate: 2 hours
Grill: 50 minutes Serves: 6
3 to 4 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast, thighs, and drumsticks)
Marinade
1 ½ cups dry sherry
1 cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup lemon juice
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
Sauce
1 15-ounce can tomato puree
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
¼ to ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Steps
| 1 | Place chicken in a plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, in a medium bowl stir together sherry, onion, lemon juice, garlic and bay leaves. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours, turning bag occasionally. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. | | 2 | For sauce, in a large saucepan combine the reserved marinade, the tomato puree, honey, molasses, salt, thyme, red pepper and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups. Remove from heat; remove bay leaves. Stir in vinegar. | | 3 | Preheat grill for 10 minutes. Adjust for indirect cooking over medium heat*. Place chicken, bone sides down, on the grill rack over unlit burner. Cover and grill for 50 to 60 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, brushing with some of the sauce the last 15 minutes of grilling. To serve, reheat the remaining sauce and pass with chicken.
*Place the food on the opposite side of the lit burners, therefore cooking indirectly. | |
Handling Tips for Food and Grilling Safety
Brought to you by Atlanta Gas Light Company
To Defrost: There a several safe methods to defrost meats, poultry and seafood. The preferable method of defrosting is slowly in the refrigerator. You can speed up the process by placing food in a leak-proof plastic bag and submerging in cold tap water. Thawing in the microwave is the fastest method, but you must fully cook meat and poultry immediately after thawing in the microwave.
Cleanliness: Remember to wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Sanitize cutting boards often and after cutting raw meats, wash hands, cutting boards, utensils and counter tops with hot soapy water.
Separate Foods: Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, fish and poultry away from other foods. Never place cooked food on a plate which previously held raw meat, poultry or seafood. If you plan to use some of your marinade as a sauce on cooked food, reserve a portion of the marinade in advance and don’t put raw meat and poultry in it. Marinades that have come in contact with raw meats should be boiled first to destroy any bacteria.
Refrigerate Promptly: Cold temperatures keep harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods and leftovers within two hours or less. Never defrost at room temperature, and always marinate foods in the refrigerator.
Cook to the Right Temperature: See the chart below.
Safe Cooking Temperatures | Type of Meat | Temperature | | Ground Meats | Hamburger
Beef, veal, lamb, pork
Ground chicken or turkey | 160ºF
160ºF
165ºF | | Beef, veal, lamb | Roasts & Steaks
Medium-rare
Medium
Well-done |
145ºF
160ºF
170ºF | | Pork | Chops, roasts, ribs
Medium
Well-done
Ham, fresh
Sausage, fresh
|
160ºF
170ºF
160ºF
160ºF | | Poultry | Chicken, whole & pieces
Duck
Turkey (unstuffed)
Whole
Breast
Dark meat
Stuffing (cooked separately) | 180ºF
180ºF
180ºF
180ºF
170ºF
180ºF
165ºF | | Fish | | Done | 140ºF
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