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½ cup sugar

½ cup kosher salt

1 cup hot (but not boiling) water

3 cups cold water

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Oil for coating grill grate

1¼ cups Sweet, Hot, and Sour BBQ Sauce (page 391)

DIRECTIONS

1. Trim any excess fat from the chicken parts.

2. Put the sugar, salt, and hot water into a 2-gallon zipper-lock bag. Shake to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add the cold water and the chicken parts. Press the air out of the bag, seal, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

3. Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with the pepper. Let the chicken rest at room temperature before grilling, about 30 minutes.

4. Heat the grill as directed.

5. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the chicken over the unheated part of the grill, cover, and cook, turning once or twice, until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear (about 170°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone), 30 to 40 minutes total. Breasts cook faster, so check them first. During the last 10 to 15 minutes of grilling, move the chicken over the heated part of the grill to brown all over. Brush with the barbecue sauce during the last 5 minutes. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 350°F.

6. Remove the chicken to a serving platter.

MASTERING TECHNIQUE BASIC BONELESS CHICKEN PARTS

Boneless, skinless chicken parts—particularly chicken breasts—dry out quickly on the grill. Our solution is to brine the meat to retain moisture. If you skip the brine, be sure to baste the meat often with oil or basting sauce to keep it moist. This recipe mostly demonstrates technique. To add flavor, use any combination of the marinades, brines, rubs, and/or sauces beginning on page 350. For a triple shot of flavor, use a marinade or brine, then a dry rub, and finally a sauce, salsa, or chutney.

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TIMING

Prep: 5 minutes (plus 5 minutes for sauce)

Brine: 1 to 2 hours

Grill: 10 to 14 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled tongs

• Long-handled basting brush

THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium-high (450°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep

Clean, oiled grate set 2 inches above the fire

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 6 SERVINGS)

½ cup sugar

½ cup kosher salt

1 cup hot (but not boiling) water

3 cups cold water

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or thighs, (about 1½ pounds total)

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Oil for coating grill grate

1¼ cups Sweet, Hot, and Sour BBQ Sauce (page 391)

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the sugar, salt, and hot water into a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Shake to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add the cold water and the chicken pieces. Press the air out of the bag, seal, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

2. Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with the pepper. Let the chicken rest at room temperature before grilling, about 30 minutes.

3. Heat the grill as directed.

4. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the chicken on the grill, cover, and cook until no longer pink and the juices run clear (about 170°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part), 5 to 7 minutes per side. Brush with the barbecue sauce during the last 5 minutes. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 450°F.

5. Remove the chicken to a serving platter.

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GETTING CREATIVE

• Replace the barbecue sauce with one of the glazes beginning on page 384, such as Red-Cooking Lacquer, Peking Crackle, or Mustard-Molasses Glaze.

* * *

MASTERING TECHNIQUE BASIC CHICKEN WINGS

Chicken wings have a lot of skin that drips fat into the fire. Keep a spray bottle handy to douse any flare-ups. It also helps to keep the grill covered