Preparation:
Combine all the rub ingredients in a food processor, or blender, and blend them into a paste, making sure that all the ingredients are fully integrated. The paste should be approximately the consistency of a thick tomato sauce. If it is too thick, thin it out with a little more white vinegar. Cover the paste and let it sit n the refrigerator for at least 2 hours for the flavors to blend together. Overnight is the ideal amount of time to give them to get acquainted.
(**NOTE** If you want to avoid making a fresh batch every time you make this dish, you can multiply the amount of paste easily. Don't worry about it going bad, since it keeps almost indefinitely.)
Rub the chicken leg quarters with paste and place them on the grill over very low heat. If you have a covered cooker, put the coals to one side and the chicken on the other, and cover.
Cook about 1 hour without a cover or 1/2 hour if covered. The key here is to use a very low heat. You need to be patient and give yourself plenty of time.
The chicken is technically done when the meat is opaque and the juices run clear. However, the ideal is about 10-15 minutes past that point, when the meat pulls away from the bone easily. It is very hard to overcook this. In fact you can only screw it up if you burn the paste by having the heat too high. The longer the chicken stays on the grill, the more superior the smoky flavor.
After cooking, separate the leg from the thigh by cutting at the natural joint between them.
Serve one leg or thigh per person accompanied by a few spoonfuls of Banana-guava ketchup.
Serves 4 as an entree or 6 as a light meal |
