BBQ Chicken

Barbecue Season is here!

Even though I am a vegetarian a lot of my friends and family are not. A girlfriend asked me to make this for her and I was happy to oblige. Its a grill recipe but I use it in the crockpot more often than not and it comes out melt in your mouth fabulous. I dont have to watch it and the kids and it doesnt heat up my kitchen on hot days.
This is the time of year to stock up on chicken for your freezer too  for all your summer cookouts when you see those barbecue weekend specials. Depending on where you live, pork and beef can be inexpensive now as well.

A quick word about barbecue sauces and rubs.......
Do you really know what goes in those sauces? High fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors? Yikes, no thank you. Barbecue sauce is insanely easy to make and very forgiving. My next post will be some of my favorites.

Barbecue Chicken

4 pounds chicken thighs, drumsticks, and breast halves (Whatevers on sale or in the freezer)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1(15 oz) can tomato paste
6 garlic cloves minced
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper


To make sauce, in a saucepan combine tomato puree, garlic, onion, honey, maple syrup, salt and peppers. Stir in apple cider vinegar and bring to boiling. Simmer uncovered about 30 minutes. It should be nice and thick.

GRILL: Brush sauce generously on chicken on a medium hot grill. Grill about 50 minutes until chicken is no longer pink adding more sauce the last 10 minutes.

CROCKPOT: Remove skin and extra fat from chicken. Layer sauce and chicken in crockpot. Cook on low for 7 hours.

Serve extra heated up sauce with the chicken for those who like to dip.