San Antonio Style BBQ (Pollo al Carbón del Norte)
November 4th, 2024
This Recipe creates 6 servings
Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: 01 hour 30 minutes
The meat of choice for the new San Antonio style BBQ is Chicken. This culinary delight, also called Pollo de Norteña, originates from Monteray, Mexico (located in northern Mexico). Preperation of San Antonio BBQ Chicken involves both a rub (Achiote Paste) AND a citrus-based marinade. The rub is a traditional paste that is available at many grocery stores or Latino grocery stores. If you cannot find a commercially available Achiote Paste, a "from scratch" rub recipe is also provided below. Cover the meat with the rub and refrigerate for about 24 hours. Then add the marinade and refrigerate for another 4 to 6 hours. Traditionally, this BBQ would be cooked over a wood-fired grill, but a standard oven can be used as a suitable replacement with the addition of a vertical spit. Serve with Corn Tortillas and lots of Verde Sauce.
Ingredients:
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1 Whole Chicken (3-4 lbs), or 3 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
2 Tablespoons Achiote (Annatto) Paste (store bought or homemade)
1 Yellow Onion (optional)
2 Jalapeño Peppers (optional)
Marinade
1/2 Cup Bitter Orange (Naranja Agria) Juice or Orange Juice
2 Limes, juiced (1/4 Cup or 2 fluid ounces)
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
6 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
1 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke (optional)
3 Bay Leaves
Verde Sauce
Directions:
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Spatchcock the Whole Chicken or clean and skin (if desired) the Chicken Thighs
Chicken Rub
Add about 2 tablespoons of Achiote Paste (either store bought or homemade) into a large bowl.
Add the Chicken to the bowl and ensure that the surface is fully covered with Achiote Paste. If you are keeping the skin on the Chicken, make sure that the Paste is also applied to the Meat, underneath the skin.
Place the Chicken in a large freezer bag. Remove the air from the bag and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Marinade
Mix all ingredients and add to the Chicken Bag.
Remove the air from the bag and refrigerate for another 4 to 6 hours. Do not over marinade.
Wood or Charcoal Grill Method
Light the fire and burn until you have large hot coals.
Remove the Chicken from the Marinade. Discard the Marinade.
Grill the Chicken, turning the Meat every 5 or 10 minutes.
Grill the Chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
Remove the Chicken from the heat and rest for 10 minutes.
Or
Conventional Oven Method
Move the top oven rack to the center of the oven, ensuring that the vertical spit will fit.
Preheat the oven temperature to 350° F.
Cover a large sheetpan with aluminum foil.
Remove the Chicken from the Marinade. Discard the Marinade.
For best results, stack the Chicken Thighs on a vertical spit and set the spit on the sheet pan, or lay the spatch-cocked Chicken on the sheet pan.
Bake the Chicken until the internal temperature reaches 160° F(about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the Chicken Stack).
Broil on high for an additional 3 minutes.
Remove the Chicken from the heat and rest for 10 minutes.
Separate the Spatch-cocked Chicken into individual cuts or slice the Thighs into thin slices.
Serve with Corn Tortillas and Verde Sauce.
