Oven-Baked, Best Ever, Juiciest Chicken

This is a variation of a recipe from Clarks Outpost in Tioga, Texas. It's best to start it the day before so it has enough time to marinate. Everybody raves about it!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 10  cups cold water
• 2  cups golden brown sugar, packed
• 1  tablespoon coarse salt (like Sea Salt)
• 2 (3 1/2-4 lb)  roasting chickens, halved lengthwise
• 1  cup barbecue sauce

• DRY SEASONING RUB

• 3  tablespoons fresh coarse ground black pepper
• 3  tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons paprika
• 2  tablespoons salt
• 1  teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Mix 10 cups water, sugar and salt in a large roasting pan or stock pot.
2. Place chicken skin side down in the water mixture (add more water if necessary to cover chicken.).
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
5. Drain chicken and pat dry.
6. Place chicken halves skin side down in a single layer on heavy large baking sheet with rim, that has been lined with aluminum foil, preferably Release foil.
7. Brush each half with 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce.
8. Sprinkle with 1-1/4 teaspoon of Rub.
9. Turn halves over and repeat.
10. Bake chicken skin sides up, basting every 20 minutes (VERY IMPORTANT) with pan juices, for about 2 hours.
11. THIS IS WORTH THE EFFORT!
12. If you use chicken parts, like breast, thigh or drumsticks, reduce the cooking time to 1 hour, 30 minutes-ish. And reduce cooking time even more if using a convection oven.