Grilled chicken legs with barbecue sauce

Ingredients:

BBQ sauce with bacon

• 1 slice of bacon
• 1 bunch of thyme
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp. ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Brine

• 6 chicken legs, with skin, approximately 300g each.
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a large knife
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 2 liters of water

Preparation:

1. To prepare the brine, combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme in a bowl. Pour the mixture into a 2-gallon (7.6-liter) resealable bag. Place the chicken legs in the bag, seal, and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow the salt and seasonings to infuse the meat.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around a bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen string. Heat about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook gently for 3-4 minutes to render the bacon fat and impart a pleasant smoky flavor to the sauce. Stir in the onion and garlic. Cook gently for 5 minutes.
3. Add the remaining ingredients along with the ketchup, stir the sauce, and reduce the heat to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is ready, set aside about 1.5 cups to serve with the chicken. The rest will be used for marinating the drumsticks.
4. Preheat oven to 190°C.
5. Preheat a charcoal grill to medium heat. Take several paper towels and fold them to form a multi-layered square. Lightly coat the square with vegetable oil, then gently and quickly wipe the hot grill grates to create a non-stick surface. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the chicken on the preheated grill and cook. Turn once halfway through the cooking time, which should take about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer the chicken legs to a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove them and generously brush with barbecue sauce using a pastry brush, covering every inch. Then return to the oven for 25-30 minutes. Brush the chicken with sauce a second time halfway through cooking. Serve with the reserved sauce.
   
   
   This dish goes well with roasted malt beer.
   
   Recipe Smoked ribs for a festive barbecue.