The meat of choice for this 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 Mexican Recado or spice paste, flavored with Achiote, AND a citrus-based marinade. Recado is a traditional paste that should be available at many grocery stores or Latino grocery stores. If you cannot find a commercially available Recado or Achiote Paste, a link to a "from scratch" rub recipe is provided. Similarly, a citrus marinade called Mojo Criollo should be available at many grocery stores or Latino grocery stores. If you cannot find a commercially available Mojo Criollo marinade, a link to a "from scratch" Mojo Criollo recipe is provided. Cover the meat with the rub and refrigerate for 24 hours, up to 3 days. 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.
Directions: ========= 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 or sous vide bag. Remove the air from the bag and refrigerate for 24 hours or up to 3 days.
Marinade
Add the Mojo Criollo Marinade (store bought or homemade) 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, until the internal temperature reaches 155° F.
Remove the Chicken from the heat and rest for 10 minutes. The internal meat temperature should continue to rise until it reaches 160° F.
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, rotating each Chicken Thigh, so that the stack is more loosely packed.
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 150° F (about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the Chicken Stack). Broil on high for an additional 3 minutes, in order to add a little char for texture.
Remove the Chicken from the heat and rest for 10 minutes. The internal meat temperature should continue to rise until it reaches 160° F.
Separate the Spatch-cocked Chicken into individual cuts or slice the Thighs into thin slices.
Serve with Corn Tortillas and use the Verde Sauce as a finishing sauce.
Pollo al Carbón del Norte (San Antonio Style BBQ)
November 4th, 2024
