This is a recipe that really demands cooking on the grill with a source of smoke, such as wood chips. The kind of wood used traditionally isn’t available where I live, so I use hickory. It’s probably okay cooked in the oven, but it won’t be the same. Note that it’s pretty spicy, but you can tone it down by reducing the number of hot peppers or substituting milder peppers such as jalapeños.
In the jar of a blender (or food processor), measure the following:
- 6 scallions, cut into 4″ pieces
- 1 large or 2 medium shallots, peeled
- 3-4 habanero or Scotch bonnet chilies, stems removed but the seeds left in.
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 1½ inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into slices across the grain
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 heaping TBL ground allspice
- 1 generous TBL soy sauce
- 1 heaping TBL brown sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp cider or white vinegar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Run blender until a smooth paste forms. If you taste it at this point, just be aware that it’s very concentrated and the flavors will soften somewhat when it’s on the chicken and cooked.
Trim excess fat from
- 1 whole chicken, cut into quarters or 8-10 chicken thighs or 4-6 leg quarters
The amount of chicken the paste will service will vary with the surface area of the parts. Spread it around on all the outside surfaces and put the chicken in a bowl or zipper-sealable bag, and refrigerate for 18-36 hours.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, set up the grill and be sure to have soaked some kind of wood for smoke. I love hickory chips, but you might prefer something else. You’ll need enough fuel to cook the chicken for up to 45 minutes. If you’re using coal, arrange the grill for indirect heat or cook at/under 300º F if you’re using gas. Make sure you have a lot of smoke going and place the chicken skin side up, cover the grill and let it cook for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it just to make sure you don’t have any flare-ups. The chicken will be a lovely color at this point. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 10 minutes. Start to check whether the chicken is cooked through. The timing will vary depending on the thickness of the meat and the temperature of the grill. The chicken is going to be dark (not burnt) on the outside when it’s fully cooked.