Southern BBQ Chicken

We bought a Southern Home

Some years back Mr. Tom and I purchased a Southern get away home in Pawleys Island South Carolina. Pawleys Island is reputed to be the oldest resort in America, at least that's what the locals claim. In as much as it is a beautiful place and we loved it there, the main reason for choosing Pawleys Island was my brother and his family had been living there since 1990. We wanted to be able to vacation close to them and make sure the cousins grew up close, as we did with ours.

Over the years my brother opened numerous restaurants of all kinds. He had a consulting company and provided start-up and culinary expertise to clients hoping to open their own restaurants. It was great for us as we got to sample many different cuisines of the South. It seemed that every visit brought with it a different location and a new culinary experience. They ranged from the most expensive you could imagine right on down to a Hooters knock off called ...HIGHBEAMS, get it! As it happened Highbeams was a sports bar and in Raleigh North Carolina. As we were on holiday and heading to our Pawleys Island home we made a detour to see my brother in Raleigh and the new place he had just opened.

The timing was great. It was smack dab in the middle of March Madness and as we found out there is no place like Raleigh NC during March Madness. The location was brand new opened only two weeks. There was a TV every 6 inches and a plethora of scantily clad beautiful young ladies. The place was lined with the colors of the day, Duke, North Carolina and NC State. The threee owners of the bar were NC State grads, the sign on the mens room door read " NC State Fans only, all others use the ladies room". My son Josh was about 14 and thought he had gone to heaven, Mr Tom although a bit more reserve about the surroundings seemed pleased as well. As it would happen there was one other attraction that particular week that fueled our visit to this remote out of the way stop. The University of Vermont had made the NCAA tournament for the first time since Calvin Coolidge was president or something like that. Low and behold they had actually won the first game and were scheduled to play Saracuse the night we arrived.

It wasn't easy to get those North Carolina fans to give a hoot about a Vermont basketball team and give up valuable TV space, but my brother had clout! We dined on the best bar food you could imagine. My brother was buying the wing sauce from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo where it all started. He bought it by the palate and had shipped down. It was a sports bar where everything was made from scratch. It would be a great place for Guy Fiori and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives to visit.

In as much as I will always have my heart in Vermont, here is a salute to the cuisine that surrounds my southern home. There are certain things that come to mind when I think of the Southern Culinary landscape other than Emeril and Paula Dean. Watermelon, Peaches and the treasured Vadaila onions. Each year when the onions are in season local civic groups make them available in 50 pound bags, The Rotary, VFW, school kids and alike hit the streets selling them and my neighbors all have a pantry full.

Southern BBQ Chicken,

Apple Smoked and Served with a Vidalia Peach Chutney

and a Quarter of a Watermelon for Dessert

For the Rub

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fine chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fine chopped sage
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Mix together and reserve

The Peach Chutney

You may substitute mango or apple and use fresh or fresh frozen

Two large or three small fresh peaches peal the skins off

1/2 cup of a peach nectar
2 tablespoons of a good peach preserve
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
3 table spoons fine chopped Vidalia onion( do not substitute, if not available just omit)
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Place all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 15 minutes. If necessary add a touch more liquid. Let it cool.

1 whole 5lb chicken split into two halves. Remove the backbone and rub the birds with olive oil.

Start the grill one zone on high and the other on medium if two zones. If you have three zones the two outside zones on high and the middle on low, let it heat for 10 minutes.

2 two large handfuls of  apple wood chips or whatever style you desire. Soak the wood in water for 1 hour. Wrap them in foil and poke holes in the top of the foil with a pencil, about 8 holes. Place the package on the indirect heat on the back of the grill. Turn off the indirect heat burner and lower the other two or 1 zone to medium.

3 Coat the chicken halves generously with the rub. Make sure the chicken is at room temperature for 15 minutes. About the time your grill is heating up.

4 place the chicken on the grill breast side up. Place the chicken on the indirect medium heat and close the lid on the grill. Keep the lid closed as much as possible, the chicken should take about 1 hour or a little longer. Check the internal temperature, it should be 180 degrees in the thick part of the thigh. Rotate the chicken a couple of times for even roasting.

5 Remove the bird and let it rest for at least 10 minutes, serve the chutney with it.