All-American Barbecued Chicken

The Runner-Up recipe for 1989 in the San Francisco Chronicle, John Phillip Carroll.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 5 -6  lbs  assorted frying chickens
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper

• Basic Barbecue Sauce

• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  onion, finely chopped
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1 1⁄4 cups ketchup
• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2  teaspoons chili powder
• 1⁄3 cup cider vinegar

Directions

1. Make BBQ Sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until slightly thickened. Yields about 2 1/4 cups.
2. For Chicken: Prepare a barbecue fire for indirect cooking and position the grilling rack 4 to 6 inches from heat. Rub the chicken pieces lightly with oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. For the initial browning, place the chicken pieces skin side down directly over the hot coals (you will move them later, for indirect cooking). Turn frequently for about 10 minutes, until browned on both sides. Have a spray bottle of water at hand to douse flare-ups. Move the chicken to another part of the grill so the pieces are no longer directly over the fire (they may overlap slightly).
3. Cover the barbecue, with vents open halfway, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn, and cook, covered, 5 minutes more. Brush generously with sauce, cover, and cook for 5 minutes; then brush again, cover and cook a final 5 minutes. Pass the remaining sauce at the table.