Memorial Day Weekend has come and gone, which means barbecue season has officially arrived. After a long winter and spring spent cooking indoors, nothing is quite as satisfying as firing up the grill and making oversized helpings of mouth watering summer food. From burgers and steaks to shish kabobs and corn, just about everything tastes better when its charred with grill marks. That’s why this week I’m sharing my sweet and tangy recipe for Ginger Beer Chicken. An aromatic bouquet of spices resides inside this simple marinade and blossoms into flavor as it cooks over the grill. I use Ashland, Ore.-based, Caldera Brewing’s Ginger Beer as my base, then add more ginger, cayenne pepper, garlic, and a variety of other zesty ingredients. This recipe is perfect to enjoy on a warm and balmy night and pairs well with rice and your favorite green.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Rest time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken thighs
⅓ cup Caldera Brewing Ginger Beer
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
2 teaspoons honey
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
pinch of salt to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional) to taste
Directions:
Place chicken in a large bowl or plastic bag and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, whisking until marinade appears even. Add marinade to chicken and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or more).
Once the chicken has had a chance to bathe in the marinade, remove from the refrigerator (at least 10 minutes before you are ready to grill) and prepare the grill.
You will want to use a two-zone method of grilling to achieve the juiciest, most flavorful and perfectly cooked chicken. Two-zone simply means setting one side of your barbecue to a high temperature, and the other side to a lower, setting. For this recipe we will use one side set to high, and the other set to medium
Once your grill is heated up and ready (one side hot at 550 degrees Fahrenheit), one side medium at400 degrees Fahrenheit), place all the chicken on the hot side of the grill and cook for 2 minutes, 1 minute on each side. You will want to baste the chicken every time you flip it, so be sure to have your reserved marinade and basting brush at the ready.
After each piece of chicken has been grilled on hot heat for 2 minutes total, move to the cooler side of the grill and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, basting with each turn. Depending on the thickness of your chicken, you may need to cook for an additional minute or two. You can check to see if the chicken is cooked by cutting into the thickest part of the thigh. Once the chicken is almost fully cooked, return to the hot heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove chicken from the grill and dish up alongside your favorite sides.
