If you’re like us, then you have been eagerly anticipating the official kickoff to grilling season. An adventurous subset of you may have been stoking the coals since April, and maybe some of you have even had to refill your gas grill tank already. But as the weather gets downright balmy in Chicago, all of us are looking forward to a Memorial Day weekend with plenty of barbecue.
To celebrate the warm weather and national holiday, we will be giving away a copy of the brand new, beautifully redesigned title 1,001 Best Grilling Recipes, 2nd edition, by Rick Browne.
Author Rick Browne is known as one of the country’s foremost authorities on grilling. The creator and host of the PBS TV series Barbecue America, Browne is also the author of 12 cookbooks. In this volume, he’s created an encyclopedic collection of recipes drawn from cuisines around the world, with a particular focus on North American and Asian traditions.
To enter our contest, comment on or share our posts on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll be selecting a winner this week and sending you a free copy! If you just can’t wait that long, see a bonus recipe below from 1,001 Best Grilling Recipes.
Thai Beer-Can Chicken Satay
Yield: 4–6 servings
This is beer-butt chicken using Thai spices and marinades and a satay (peanut) dip- ping sauce. If you can’t find Thai beer, substitute any American brand. The chicken won’t know the difference.
Chicken
1 (4–5 pound [1.8–2.3 g]) chicken
2 (14-ounce [392-g]) cans unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup (118 mL) loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
3½ tablespoons (52.5 mL) turbinado sugar
3 tablespoons (45 mL) yellow curry paste (or 1 tablespoon [15 mL] curry powder)
3 tablespoons (45 mL) Thai fish sauce
8 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1½ teaspoons (7.5 mL) ground white pepper
1 (12-ounce [354-mL]) can Singha (or other Thai beer), to taste
Dipping Sauce
3 tablespoons (45 mL) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons (30 mL) red curry paste
½ cup (118 mL) finely diced shallots
2 teaspoons (10 mL) chili powder
½ cup (118 mL) finely ground roasted peanuts
¼ cup (60 mL) smooth peanut butter
¼ cup (60 mL) packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 mL) tamarind juice
1½ teaspoons (7.5 mL) salt (or to taste)
4 cups (0.95 L) unsweetened coconut milk
1. With a sharp barbecue fork, poke the chicken multiple times in the breasts and thighs to help with the marinade process. Place the chicken in a 1- to 2-gallon (3.8- to 7.6-L) resealable plastic bag and set aside.
2. In a food processor combine the 2 cans coconut milk, cilantro, turbinado sugar, yellow curry paste, fish sauce, garlic, and white pepper and process until smooth. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
3. Preheat the barbecue to medium high (350°F [180°C] to 400°F [200°C]) for indirect heating, putting a water pan under the unheated side of the grill.
4. Drain the chicken well and discard the marinade. Open the beer can and pour off half of the beer. Slide the chicken tail-side down over the can, using the legs to form a stabilizing tripod.
5. Place the vertical chicken on the unheated side of your grill and cook for 1½ to 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F (71°C)°. Carefully remove the chicken from the beer can and place it on a cutting board. Cut it into quarters or serving pieces.
6. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat until a drop of water sizzles when dropped into the pan. Add the shallots, red curry paste, and chili powder and heat until fragrant, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the peanuts, peanut butter, brown sugar, tamarind juice, salt, and the 4 cups (0.95 L) coconut milk. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the oil rises to the surface. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon the satay sauce into small serving bowls, one per person. Keep warm.
7. Arrange the chicken on a heated platter and serve with the dipping sauce.
Reprinted with permission from 1,001 Best Grilling Recipes, 2nd ed., by Rick Browne, Agate Surrey, 2016.