Oprah's Favorite BBQ Chicken

OK, Oprah has never tasted this chicken. Nor does she know anything about it. I saw the back of Gayle's head once though. Does that count? Anyway, barbequing chicken is not as easy as it looks. It's taken a few tries to get this recipe down and now that it's well, down, I'm passing it along. If you've got a bit of time to spare and a killer BBQ sauce, you too can make juicy, crispy chicken.

Oprah's Favorite BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

• Chicken parts on the bone. As many as you want. Any part you desire. Go crazy.


• Apple Juice


• Your favorite BBQ spice rub - I use Dinosaur BBQ rub


• Your favorite BBQ sauce - I use either Hickory House, Sweet Baby Ray's, or KC Masterpiece

Preparation:

Dip the chicken into the apple juice and place into a pyrex dish. Sprinkle your rub onto the chicken, covering both sides. Now, it's awesome if you can let the chicken sit in the fridge overnight and let the rub really permeate the meat. If not, no biggie. Just let the rub sit on the chicken for as long as you can. Even 1 hour is good. Set your grill on low, to about 200-225 degrees. We put ours on low and keep the lid open. Place the chicken skin side down on the grill, leave the lid open, and go do your nails or take a nap. The chicken should be left alone, untouched for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Flip the chicken being careful not to leave the skin on the grill. I use a spatula for this. Let the chicken cook another 15 minutes on the other side. Now for the fun bit. Slather your BBQ sauce all over the chicken, both sides. Then crank up the grill to medium and shut the lid. Cook on both sides for about 10 minutes each, until the skin gets all blackened and saucy. Flip once so that the sauce can carmelize on both sides. Feel free to baste with more sauce to build on the flavor. I am a firm believer in 0ver-saucing when it comes to BBQ chicken. Pare this chicken with some cole slaw, corn bread*, and a bottle of beer and you are stoked.

*BTW I tried the Williams-Sonoma jalapeno cheddar cornbread mix and it's awesome. While a total rip at $12, it was really moist, spicy, and cheesy and fed a crowd. I can't find it online but they have it in the stores. How 1996.