The superb spicy sauce that tops this chicken can do wonders for most any meat-and it’s party perfect, since its flavor only improves with age. You can just keep reheating the chicken if your guests don’t all come to the table at once, as often happens at a swim party, after tennis, and so forth.
¼ cup bacon drippings from reg. Bacon plus 1 Tbl. maple syrup
1 cup chopped onion
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 (44-oz.) bottle ketchup
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup dark molasses
¼ cup Worchestshire sauce
½ cup beer
2 Tbl. coarse-grained Dijon-style mustard
1 Tbl. Liquid smoke
1 tsp. Pequin Quebrado or crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbl. finely minced pickled jalapeno chiles
2 (3-lb.) broiler chicken, cut for frying or buffalo wings
To make BBQ sauce, melt bacon drippings in a heavy 3-quart or larger pot. Then add onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Add ktchup, vinegar, molasses, Worchestshire sauce, beer, mustard, liquid smaoke, pequin and jalapenos. Stir well, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes to combine flavors. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F. Place chicken, skin side up, in 2 large, shallow roasting pans. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until skin is parched, then turn pieces over and reduce oven temperature to 350F. Generously baste each piece with sauce, using 3 cups of the sauce; bake 15 minutes longer. Turn; baste skin side with pan dripping and 1 cup more sauce. Bake 20 to 30 minutes longer or until sauce is glazed and tips of chicken pieces are lightly browned. Makes 8 to 12 serving, depending on the rest of the menu.
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