Make Bbq Sauce Stick To Chicken: Brushing, Thickness, Sugars

Getting BBQ sauce to stick to chicken can be challenging, but there are several tips and tricks to achieve this. The key is to apply the sauce during the final 5-15 minutes of cooking, allowing it to caramelise and form a sticky coating without burning. Before adding the sauce, ensure the chicken is almost fully cooked and has a brown exterior. Using a thick sauce with a glaze will also help it stick better. If you're feeling adventurous, you can try making your own sauce, adjusting the ingredients to your taste preferences.

Apply sauce during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking

When grilling chicken, the timing and application of your BBQ sauce are crucial. To get that tasty coating, you should add the sauce during the final 10-15 minutes of cooking.

• Use a thick sauce: A thick BBQ sauce will ensure the chicken is fully coated and cooks evenly. A vinegar or juice-based sauce tends to be too runny and won't cover the chicken as well.
• Apply a solid coating: You want to use just enough sauce to cover the chicken without drenching it. Coat one side, cook for 4-5 minutes, then turn the meat over and coat the other side.
• Don't add sauce too early: BBQ sauce tends to have a high sugar content, so adding it too early will cause it to burn and impart a nasty flavour to your meat.
• Don't add sauce too late either: Conversely, if you add the sauce after the chicken is off the grill, it won't have enough time to penetrate the meat and add flavour.
• Consider using butter: Butter and other saturated fats can help bind the sauce to the chicken. You can also use this technique for ribs. Apply a thin coat of sauce, broil until it bubbles, then repeat several times until you have a thick, sticky coat.
• Dry the chicken: Before adding the sauce, pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. This will help the sauce stick better.
• Use a basting brush: When applying the sauce, use a basting brush rather than simply spooning or pouring it on. This will give you more control and ensure an even coating.

By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to achieving that perfect sticky, glossy BBQ sauce coating on your grilled chicken.

Use a thick sauce

Using a thick sauce is one of the most effective ways to ensure your BBQ sauce sticks to the chicken. A thick sauce will coat the chicken evenly and help it cook evenly.

A runny or thin sauce, such as one that is vinegar or juice-based, will not adequately cover the chicken and will result in a burnt skin. A thick sauce, on the other hand, will create a tasty coating.

When coating the chicken, it is important to use a solid coating. This means using just enough sauce to cover the chicken without drenching it. You should aim for a thick, sticky coat of sauce.

One way to achieve a thick sauce is to reduce it by setting your oven to broil and applying a thin coat of sauce to the meat. Place the meat on a rack beneath the broiler and wait until the sauce starts to bubble, which should take no more than a couple of minutes. Then, remove the meat from the oven and repeat the process several times until you have achieved a thick, sticky coat.

Additionally, you can make your sauce thicker by adding butter or other saturated fats such as bacon fat or chicken fat. These ingredients will help to "bind" the sauce to the chicken.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your BBQ sauce sticks to the chicken and creates a delicious and evenly cooked meal.

Dry the chicken before applying sauce

One of the most important steps to ensuring your BBQ sauce sticks to the chicken is to dry the chicken before applying the sauce. This is because dry sauce will stick to wet meat, and wet sauce will stick to dry meat.

To dry the chicken, you can use paper towels to pat the surface of the meat until no liquid remains. You can also leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the meat to dry out. This will form a tacky coating called a pellicle, to which anything will stick.

If you are using a wet sauce, such as a BBQ sauce, it is best to apply it at the end of the cooking process. This will allow the sauce to caramelize and form a sticky coating that adheres to the chicken.

If you are using a dry rub, you can apply this before grilling the chicken. The dry rub will help to absorb any moisture from the chicken and create a flavoursome crust.

Marinate the chicken in the sauce

Marinating your chicken in BBQ sauce is a great way to ensure the sauce sticks to the meat and enhances its flavour. Here is a step-by-step guide to achieving the best results:

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

Start by patting the chicken dry with paper towels. This step is crucial as it helps the sauce adhere better to the meat. You can also apply a dry rub of spices to the chicken before marinating. A basic dry rub can include salt, pepper, and cayenne for a little heat. Alternatively, you can use a powder rub like flour, or a dry spice mix like Magic Dust by Mike Mills. Leave the dry rub to sit on the chicken for at least 8 hours, or even overnight, in the refrigerator. The salt in the dry rub will draw moisture from the meat, forming a tacky coating that the sauce will stick to.

Step 2: Prepare the BBQ Sauce

You can use a store-bought BBQ sauce or make your own. If you want to make your own, a simple recipe includes combining ketchup, white vinegar, brown sugar, paprika, olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne powder in a saucepan and simmering for 5-8 minutes. You can adjust the spices to your taste and make the sauce sweeter or spicier.

Step 3: Marinate the Chicken

Place the chicken in a shallow container and pour the BBQ sauce over it. Ensure that the sauce coats the chicken evenly. You can turn the chicken pieces occasionally to get an even coating. For best results, allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to several hours, or even overnight. The longer the marinating time, the more the chicken will absorb the flavour of the sauce.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken

When you're ready to cook the chicken, preheat your grill or oven to 375°F. Place the chicken in the centre of the grill or oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Step 5: Apply More Sauce

Once the chicken is cooked, brush on more BBQ sauce. You can then return the chicken to the oven or grill for an additional 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to caramelize. This step will give the chicken a delicious sticky coating.

Tips:

• For an even thicker coating, you can apply several layers of sauce, allowing each layer to caramelize before applying the next.
• If you're using a thinner sauce, you can reduce it by simmering it for a longer time to make it thicker and stickier.
• If you want to add a glossy sheen to the sauce, you can add butter or another saturated fat like bacon fat or chicken fat.

By following these steps, you'll end up with juicy, flavourful chicken with a delicious BBQ sauce coating that's sure to impress!

Use butter to bind the sauce to the chicken

Butter is a great way to get BBQ sauce to stick to your chicken. It helps bind the sauce to the meat and, as it is solid at room temperature and remains fairly viscous at moderately higher temperatures, it is particularly effective.

You can coat your chicken in butter before grilling it. This will also help to keep the meat moist and juicy. You can then add the sauce towards the end of the cooking process.

You can also add butter to your BBQ sauce. This will help to thicken the sauce and make it stick to the chicken. Traditional "wing sauce" is a combination of hot sauce and butter, and the butter helps to keep the sauce attached to the meat.

If you want to use this method, simply melt some butter and mix it into your BBQ sauce. You can then apply this butter-based sauce to your chicken. For the best results, apply the sauce during the final few minutes of cooking. This will allow the sauce to heat up and bind to the chicken without burning.

You can also use other saturated fats, such as bacon fat or chicken fat, to bind the sauce to the chicken. However, butter is a great option as it is readily available and has a mild flavour that pairs well with BBQ sauce.

Frequently asked questions