Yes, high performance chicken quarters. SST = Spicy Smokey Tasty!
The other day I grilled me some quarters that came out pretty good! If you want to give my recipe a shot, here is what I used:
4 chicken quarters
1 cup Tabasco sauce
1 Whole onion
1 Tblsp Dried Parsley Flakes
2 Tblsp minced, chopped, smooshed, or sliced garlic - take your pick. I smoosh mine under a wide knife after chopping, making a paste...
4 Tablsp butter
Salt and Pepper
Large Ziploc bag (or a few smaller ones, big enough for the chicken)
1 Handful of mesquite chips
Your favorite grilling device
First things first! In a large ziploc bag, throw your chicken quarters. Add into the bag a few dashes of salt and pepper and the Tabasco. Seal up the bag, give it a few shakes to coat the chicken and throw the bag in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best, but not critical. Next, slice up the onion into thick rings. Don't break them apart yet, you'll want them like little onion pucks so they're easier to pick up off the grill.
While your coals are getting to temp, or your gas grill is warming up, soak the mesquite chips in a few cups of water. You'll want to soak them at least 30 minutes. Soaking is very important! If they are dry, your chips will burn up too fast and won't have time to impart that tasty smokey flavor to your food.
To check your grill for appropriate temp, hold your hand just an inch or so over the cooking surface. Starting counting the seconds - if the heat becomes uncomfortable after 6 to 8 seconds or so, you're good to go. You've got yourself medium heat! Too hot, and your chicken will burn before cooking all the way. Too cool, and you'll be there for hours.
When your grill is at temp, toss half your woodchips on top of your coals. Slowly and carefully distribute the chips - you don't want to drop too much at once and create cold spots as a result of a high concentration of wet woodchips. Keep the other half of the chips for when you move the chicken to a lower heat area.. more on that later.
Place your chicken on a medium heat area, skin side up and cover your grill. Covering is best for maximum smokiness.
After about 20 minutes check the underside of the chicken - if it's dripping and appears to be seared go ahead and place the chicken on a plate off to the side. Add in the rest of your woodchips and wait about 5 minutes and replace your chicken on the grill, skin side down this time. Give it another 20 minutes.
At this point your skin side should look pretty brown and crispy, but your chicken probably needs some more time to cook all the way through. To check, give the leg bone a twist - if it doesn't want to break free more time is needed. If it twists easily and wants to pull right out, you're done! The best way to be sure though is with a meat thermometer. 165 degrees internal temp is sufficient. I usually just twist the leg though, and haven't seen any pink yet...
If you need more time, don't fret - at this point you'll want to move your chicken to a lower temp area to finish cooking. (low temp is 10 seconds or so of "hand holding" time)
Place your onion rings in a higher heat area, and close your lid. When the onions start to take on a slightly golden hue and have some good looking grill marks on em, they're ready for a new home. Wrap them up in tinfoil with the parsley flakes, butter, and garlic and toss on the grill to finish cooking.
Lastly, when your chicken is at temp, be sure to let your chicken quarters cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Poultry needs to rest to taste the juiciest. You can serve the onions perhaps over some broccoli or as a side all on it's own.
Servings = 4 (2 if you're me)
Carb Count = 4 net carbs per serving, (3 from onions, 1 from tabasco)
Enjoy!
