TYLER FLORENCE’S ULTIMATE BARBECUED CHICKEN, ADAPTED

Who doesn’t love Tyler Florence? A real hunk of a man, and he cooks, too. Some of his recipes are good, and some are too over the top for me with too many flavors. But, when I saw him make “the ultimate barbecued chicken” on one of his recent shows, I was interested. First, he brined the chicken while he made a fast and easy basting sauce, then he grilled the chicken, transferred it to the oven and basted with the sauce at the end of the cooking time.

Hubby and I are not fans of icky sweet BBQ sauce, so I reduced the sugar slightly in the sauce and subbed frozen apple juice concentrate for the brown sugar in the brine. I also eliminated the bacon, subbed sweet paprika for smoked, and added chipotle chile pepper to bring back some smokiness and water to thin the sauce. The changes must have worked, because we loved this dish! The sauce had just the right amount of smoky sweetness for us. The chicken was moist and tender and full of flavor. If you want Tyler’s original recipe, you can find it on The Food Network's website. Below is my adapted version. Bon appetit!

Tyler Florence’s Ultimate Barbecued Chicken, Adapted Rating: 8 out of 10 Printable Recipe INGREDIENTS: Brine: 3 cups water 1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt (or kosher salt, if preferred) 1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate 1 garlic clove, smashed or crushed 2 sprigs fresh thyme 4 whole chicken legs with thighs, bone in, skin on Barbecue Sauce: 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance buttery spread or olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tsp. garlic, grated or chopped 1 cup ketchup 1 Tbsp. molasses 1 tsp. red wine vinegar 1-1/2 tsp. wet mustard 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika 1/8 tsp. black pepper 1/ tsp. ground chipotle chile pepper 3/4 cup water For the brine, combine all ingredients except chicken in a 2-gallon resealable plastic bag. Massage to distribute. Add chicken; close bag; refrigerate 1/2 hour or up to 2 hours to allow salt and seasonings to penetrate chicken. (I brined for 2 hours.) Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a 2-quart heavy pot, using medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance. Add remaining ingredients; stir; reduce heat to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld flavors. Reserve 1/2 cup of sauce for basting (or more if you are a sauce hound); place remaining sauce in a bowl or jar to serve at the table or use for future BBQ. Take chicken out of brine; pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange chicken on preheated (375-400F) grill. Cook for about 25 minutes, turning once midway. Baste with sauce on one side, cook about 5 minutes; repeat on other side. Be sure chicken is cooked all the way through by cutting into the thickest part of the thigh – if no blood, chicken should be done. Yield: 4 servings