Tyler's Ultimate BBQ Chicken – Adapted for the Crock Pot

I LOVED Tyler Florence's The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken, but found it a bit of mess and took much more time than I wanted to spend on it. So, I tried it in the Crock Pot and it rocked!

Tyler's Ultimate BBQ Chicken in the Crock Pot

The Brine:

• 2 quarts water 
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife 
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme 
• 6 chicken legs and thighs, still connected, bone in, skin on, about 10 ounces each

The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 slice bacon 
• 1 bunch fresh thyme 
• Extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 onion, chopped 
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped 
• 2 cups ketchup 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup molasses 
• 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if available 
• Freshly ground black pepper

The Recipe:

For the brine, in a 2-gallon freezer zip bag, add the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme, squish the bag until well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (or freezer meal it, and freeze now, then throw in the fridge the day before – tried it this way, loved it).

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove the bacon wrapped thyme and discard. Take about 1-1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used to finish cooking the chicken in the crock pot.

Once the chicken has brined, dump the whole bag (chicken and brine – everything) into the crock pot, cook on HIGH for 1.5 hours. Dump the brine from the crock pot. Add the remaining BBQ sauce, cook on LOW for 1.5-2 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through (at least 165ºF through the thickest part of the meat). Serve with the extra sauce.

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If you want to try the original recipe, which I'm sure would be awesome on the grill, find it here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-barbecued-chicken-recipe.html?oc=linkback

THANKS TYLER FLORENCE! Great recipe.