Any BBQ and marinating experts here?

[Breeze54]

Can I marinate with bottled BBQ sauce? Will it work?

I have a new hibachi (Yeah!) and I'm getting ready to BBQ some chicken legs and chicken breast tenders.

But I didn't want to stand over the grill basting the chicken as it's near 100 degree's F outside with the humidity. Ugh!

Any suggestions? :shrug:

[MrCoffee]

1. you can absolutely marinade with bottled stuff...

if i may be so bold, Stubb's BBQ sauce makes an excellent marinade.

[Breeze54]

2. I'll have to try that but I have this one!

Do I have to poke holes in the chicken and for how long should it marinate?

Would an hour or so be enough time? I haven't BBQ'd in a long time!

Thanks!! ;)

[MrCoffee]

3. dump the chicken and the sauce in a big bowl or freezer bag

don't worry about poking holes in the bird. let it sit on the counter for an hour, then cook.

[Breeze54]

5. Okay!! I'm on my way now!!

Thank You!! I appreciate the help! :D

I can't wait! I'm starving!

I love BBQ'd food! I have some potato salad and some Boston Baked beans too!

Man, it's nasty outside!

[EstimatedProphet]

12. KC Masterpiece is my favorite commercial sauce

It should work well as a marinade. Just toss in the chicken...I'd add a beer to it too, to water it down a bit. An hour should be fine.

[Breeze54]

14. I just love the taste

of KC Masterpiece!!

I've never tried the Hickory Brown Sugar flavored one.

It was on sale for $1.99 at the store yesterday.

We shall see tomorrow! ;)

[Xipe Totec]

4. Keep the meaty part down, and the bony part up

to cook drumsticks evenly.

We just put ours on the grill.

[Breeze54]

6. Great tip! Thanks!

Will do. I'm heading for the kitchen now to put it all in a big freezer bag.

I still have to assemble the hibachi! :P

[Breeze54]

7. Alright! I just remembered I have corn on the cob too!!

Maybe we'll just make a time of it! lol

I may just go pick up some cold beer too! Why not? :shrug:

Hell! It's hot and it's a Saturday! :P

.. :toast:

[AngryAmish]

8. no no no

Hibachi is a high heat method. WHat you are doing is technically know as grilling. BBQ is low heat over a long period (think pulled pork not hamburgers).

Anyway if you put a store bought sauce on chicken legs to marinade then grill them the marinade will burn (especially if there is a high sugar/high fructose corn syrup component to the sauce, which virtually all do). The outside will be charred while the insides are raw. Bad tasting and dangerous if using chicken.

A marinade should be used to both flavor and tenderize the meat. As such, a high acid content (think lemon or lime juice plus other flavors.

The best bet for the items you are cooking is a dry rub. I cheat all the time and get "cajun rub" or "bbq rub" in the spice aisle. Just avoid the sugar in the rub. Put the rub on the food, wait ten minutes while your hibachi warms up. Cook your items all the way through. Then and only then put the sauce on (go ahead and use store bought stuff)to caramelize the sugar a little so it is nice and cooked but not burnt.

[Breeze54]

9. Okay.... Hmmmm.. well, looks like I'll

have time to get or make (?) a dry rub, as my son has to work two shifts today
and he asked me to wait until tomorrow. Poor kid. He looks hot and still tired
from working 8 hours last night and he just left. I forgot he had to work today. :(

Maybe the grocery store sells a dry rub for chicken. I'm sure they do.

Can you recommend one? I'll just put the BBQ sauce on at the last minute then. ;)

On edit:

I just reread your post and saw you already made a dry rub suggestion. :blush:

Thanks!

[AngryAmish]

10. good luck! let us know how it turns out!

[trof]

11. Some kind of Cajun seasoning will work.

There are a lot of brands.
Mainly salt, paprika, garlic powder, etc.
And there are poultry dry rubs.
Even a blackened chicken mix.
A good grocery will have some.
Good advice about not putting a thick, sweet sauce on before.
It'll burn to a crisp and be bitter.

[Breeze54]

13. Good idea's. I think I'll buy one as my spices are old

and not very potent anymore. I'm glad I got stopped as I can't stand the taste of burnt BBQ sauce.
It just ruins it. My son works at a "blue grocery store" and they have very good selections. So,
I'll head over there when the sun gets lower in the west. It's to hot to get in my car right now.

Looks like it's a turkey sandwich for lunch for me now. :(

..... and a beer!!! :P

:rofl:

[Maddy McCall]

19. The best, most versatile grilling spice mix you can buy...

is Montreal Steak Seasoning, which is made by McCormick. Look on your spice aisle at the grocery store...and buy the BIG container...it's much more economical, and you can use it on everything from burgers to roasts.

MMmmmmmmm.

[Breeze54]

21. I usually buy McCormick but

Steak Seasoning on chicken? :shrug: I suppose the flavors are similar.

[Maddy McCall]

23. Actually, we use it on chicken, pork, and beef.

It's really good!

McCormicks also makes a seasoning mix just for poultry, but I've never bought it, because the steak blend works so well.

[Connonym]

35. I tried this today with a little bit of lemon juice and some olive oil on chicken

it tasted fabulous! I also put it on veg with a little bit of oil in foil packets on the grill and it tasted good on that too. Thanks so much for the idea. Everyone loved it!

[Connonym]

26. for spices? you MUST go to Penzeys!

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html My nose has nosegasms when I walk through the door of their shop. They ship everywhere and they have stores in a couple different cities. The difference in quality and freshness is astounding.

[Breeze54]

29. Great! I've bookmarked the link!

:D

[Connonym]

15. I recommend always using a ziplock bag for marinating

you can squeeze out the extra air and the marinade gets better contact than it would in a bowl. Plus you won't be tempted to put the cooked meat back in the same dish. If you do want to serve marinade as a sauce after you've put meat in it, always cook it to a boil before serving to kill off any bacteria from the meat. Happy eating!

[Breeze54]

16. Good thing I bought larger zipper freezer bags too!

Great suggestions and advice! Much appreciated! :D

DU Rocks!! :yourock:

[Maddy McCall]

18. I do this, too.

Seems that the meat marinates faster in the ziplock than in a pan.

:thumbsup:

[Maddy McCall]

17. No! Don't use barbecue sauce BEFORE you grill.

Hibachis get very hot and the bbq sauce will burn on the outside of the meat.

Marinate in something slightly acidic...I use Italian salad dressing made with olive oil and a few shakes of Montreal Steak Seasoning.

When your meat is almost done on the grill, pull it off, dip it into the barbecue sauce, and then put it back on the grill for a few seconds to glaze the meat.

But don't use bbq sauce as a marinade if you're going to be cooking at high heat.

[Breeze54]

20. Okay! Thanks Maddy! So many smart cooks here!!

I'm loving it!! :D

I really didn't want an Hibachi but my son bought it, on sale at his job for $7.00, the other day.

I suppose I could go buy a Webber kettle, a small one with legs or something similar.

They're on sale around here lately. I saw one at the hardware store for around $20.00.

I have a big bag of smoked hickory (?) BBQ chips to burn!! lol :D

[Maddy McCall]

22. If you find a Weber kettle on sale...

grab it! I love my Weber kettle--I use it more than my gas grill.

Hibachi grills are great, too, though--especially if it's got a lid on it!

Good luck grilling. Enjoy yourself today. :hi:


Oh, and on the chips--make sure you soak them in water for five or ten minutes before putting them on the coals...or they will go poof within a couple of minutes. If you soak them in water, they'll steam, and slowly release flavor.

[Breeze54]

24. Another great tip!!

Good thing I can't BBQ until tomorrow!!

It seems I have a lot more to do and learn!! :rofl:

Thanks again! :hi:

[gr8dane_daddy]

25. Texan BBQer here...

I agree with Maddy et.al....dry rub or something like Italian dressing as a marinade. BBQ sauce needs to be one of the last things put on (last 3 to 5 mins on grill). It burns...too many BBQ's ruined due to it. I find lime juice with a little bit of cheap beer marinades well too. If you get the courage, try Beer Can Chicken. Tried it once, came out really tender and juicy.

[Breeze54]

27. But I have chicken legs!! lmao!

:P I've heard of the Beer Can chicken and have always wanted to try that!

Thanks for more great tips!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Connonym]

28. is that the one where you stick the open can inside the cavity?

Do you have a recipe or instructions for that? I've heard it's really good.

[gr8dane_daddy]

30. Basically drink about half the can first...

open the top of it with a can opener or something...doesn't have to be a clean cut.

Squeeze in a lime (I've heard people using oranges which sounds interesting)...chunk in the squeezed carcass rind and all...

Throw in some thyme, bay leaf, general seasoning for chicken....

Tie up the chicken neck so there's no chimney...

On the grill, place the can on the grill first...then, *ahem*, violate the chicken. Prop it up so it doesnt fall over. Close the grill and let it cook for about one six pack...and viola! Beer Can Chicken.

[Breeze54]

31. LMAO! I love this recipe!!

:rofl:

:toast:

I just may go buy a whole chicken now and try this tomorrow! :P

[Maddy McCall]

32. What do you do with the rest of the twelve-pack???

And do you do this before or after you start the chicken? :rofl:

I love your instructions. :D

[gr8dane_daddy]

33. Make sure it's iced down pretty good...

and drink one at a time....

Usually before I start the chicken...here's a general schedule.

Shop at store for chicken and other ingredients...plus beer.

Ice down beer.

Crack open the first one....pour a little out on the ground for lost homies.

Start up the grill, wood or charcoal...not gas! That aint BBQ'ing!

Crack another beer.

Prep the chicken, put it on grill.

Drink another 3 to 5 beers...check chicken...see if it's tender.

Drink appropriate number of beers to complete cooking of chicken.

Make sure the wifey or S.O. has got the sides going...see if she/he needs another beer.

Eat while watching the game...

Finish off rest of the beer...

Go to sleep.

[Breeze54]

34. LOL! You even have a schedule! I like it!

:P

I have the beer now! I may will need to get more tomorrow! :P

I need one whole chicken, the actual grill (scratch the Hibachi) and the herbs & spices!

I'll get all that in the AM. I can't wait!

[u4ic]

36. I make a marinade

with bbq sauce, and it's turned out okay. Olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, Montreal Steak Spice and bbq sauce. It gives a hint of bbq flavour.

But straight from the bottle...no.