BBQ Chicken

Unlike pork and beef, chicken does not want to cook for 6, 8, or 10 hours in the low, slow smoke of a barbecue pit. While some chicken is indeed pit cooked (but for much less time), the term BBQ chicken more often refers to chicken that is cooked over direct heat, outdoors on a grill, basted with sauce or marinade as it cooks. The most interesting regional take on this technique is found in New York State’s Southern Tier, where it is known as Cornell Chicken (after the Cornell professor who invented it). Its distinguishing feature is its tomato-free marinade, which gives the charcoal-cooked pieces a beautiful gold glaze. Although it is served in a few restaurants, Cornell chicken’s primary role is as picnic food at fund-raisers, political rallies, and church suppers.