Books: The Perdue Chicken Cookbook
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Mitzi Perdue >> The Perdue Chicken Cookbook
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BETSY'S BEST-"GETTI" Serves 6-8
You can make this even simpler by using canned spaghetti.
Also, if you top the casserole with thin slices of
mozzarella and heat it until the mozzarella melts, you'll
get a gloppy, stretchy, chewing-gum-like topping that kids
will adore if they're into being messy. Mine love it.
8 chicken franks
1 pound spaghetti
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 can (8-ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (16-ounces) whole tomatoes, chopped with liquid
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese
Slice franks into thin rounds. In large kettle, over high
heat, bring 3-1/2 quarts salted water to boil. Add
spaghetti, stir and cook until tender. Drain and place in
large bowl.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add
garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add tomatoes and liquid, sauce and herbs. Stir and add
franks. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and
simmer 5 minutes.
Pour sauce over spaghetti, toss to combine. Serve with
Parmesan cheese.
BIG TOP CORN DOGSServes 8
Because this involves deep fat frying, it's probably best
cooked by adults or mature teenagers only, but the end
result will impress your kids.
8 chicken franks
1/4 cup flour
1 package (8-ounces) corn muffin mix
2 eggs
1 cup milk
vegetable oil for deep frying
8 wooden lollipop or caramel-apple sticks
Pierce each frank in several places with a fork. Roll in
flour and set aside.
In a mixing bowl combine corn muffin mix, eggs and milk;
mix thoroughly. In large fryer or deep, heavy skillet,
heat 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil to 375oF or until bread
cube sizzles in it.
Dip each frank in batter, coating evenly. Place gently
into oil; cook 3-4 at one time, turning until golden brown
all over. Drain on paper towels.
Place corn dogs on lightly-oiled shallow baking sheet and
bake at 375oF for 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Insert stick at least 2-inches into corn dog. Serve with
mustard and ketchup.
CHICKEN DIVANServes 4-6
This is an easy recipe for a kid when he or she is in
charge of making dinner for the family.
1 package (10-ounces) frozen broccoli, uncooked
2 packages fully cooked chicken breast tenders
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 can (10-1/2-ounces) cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400oF. Place broccoli across bottom of
baking dish; sprinkle with salt. Arrange chicken tenders
in a layer on top of broccoli. Pour soup over chicken.
Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered for 20-30 minutes or
until broccoli is just tender.
CHICKEN PIZZAS Serves 3
If you want something unusual for the teenagers, this is
it. It's tasty and not much trouble.
6 chicken drumsticks
1 can (10-1/2-ounces) pizza sauce
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1 package (10-ounces) refrigerated Parkerhouse rolls
(unbaked)
Preheat oven to 350oF. Pour pizza sauce in small bowl.
Dip chicken in sauce; place on baking sheet. Bake,
uncovered, for 45 minutes. Separate rolls and roll out one
at a time to 5-inch circle. Dip chicken in pizza sauce
again and roll in cheese. Place on round of dough; pull
dough around chicken and pinch together. (Leave bony end
of drumstick uncovered for finger eating.) Bake,
uncovered, approximately 30 minutes longer or until dough
is brown.
COZY KITTEN WHISKERSServes 16
A short cut for this is to use bread dough that comes in
tubes in the refrigerator section of your supermarket.
16 chicken franks
1 package (13-3/4-ounces) hot roll mix
butter or margarine
Pierce each frank in several places with a fork. To make
"whisker" on both ends of franks, lay frank on cutting
board and make 4-lengthwise cuts 1-1/2-inches from each
end. Cut carefully, rotating frank, so that 8 "whiskers"
result. Repeat with all franks.
Prepare hot roll mix according to package directions. Or
use the prepared bread dough that comes in tubes at the
supermarket. Divide into 16 equal portions and roll each on
lightly floured surface to 3 by 3-inch square. Starting at
a corner, roll dough around middle of each frank, leaving
ends of franks exposed.
Place on buttered baking sheet, tucking dough tip under
frank. Arrange "whiskers" fanned out. Brush with melted
butter. Bake in preheated 375oF oven for 12 to 15 minutes
until golden brown. Serve with mustard and ketchup in
squeeze containers so children can "draw" faces.
CRISPY PEANUT BUTTER CHICKENServes 4
I once heard a professor at the University of California at
Davis argue that wine was the greatest cultural achievement
of mankind. He's wrong, of course. It's really peanut
butter. Or at least a lot of my young friends seem to
think so. By the way, did you know that there are 540
peanuts in a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter?
The first time I made this recipe, I skipped the 1/4 cup
oil, just to see if I could save some calories. Having
tried it, I don't recommend skipping any of the oil. It
was too dry and crusty without it.
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1/4 cup oil
Preheat oven to 350oF. In a mixing bowl beat egg and
peanut butter together; add salt and pepper. Add milk
gradually, stirring well to blend. Place bread crumbs on a
sheet of wax paper. Dip chicken in peanut butter mixture
and roll in crumbs. Place chicken, skin side up, in single
layer in shallow baking pan. Pour oil over chicken. Bake,
uncovered, at 350oF for 1 hour, or until cooked through.
CROISSANT DOGSServes 6-8
I don't think I can count the number of times my son Carlos
made this
as a teenager. He's also served it to Frank. Carlos and
I laugh over the idea of serving Frank's Franks to Frank.
8 chicken franks
1 package (8-ounces) crescent roll dough
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 slices Swiss cheese, 7x4-inches
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds (optional)
Preheat oven to 375oF. Pierce franks all over with tines
of fork. Divide crescent rolls and place on lightly
floured surface. Working with one piece of dough at a
time, fold tips of long side of triangle in to meet at
center. Then stretch triangle lightly up toward point.
Cut cheese slices in half, then diagonally to form four
triangular pieces. Brush dough with thin layer of mustard,
top with cheese, brush with mustard again. Roll franks in
the dough, starting at the bottom and rolling toward the
point. Place on ungreased baking sheet so they are not
touching. Brush lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with
poppy seeds. Place in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20
minutes or until dough is golden brown.
CRUNCHY MINI DRUMSTICKSServes 4
Young children love miniature versions of adult food, but
if you're serving this recipe to them, I recommend leaving
out the Worcestershire sauce.
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups whole wheat or seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons unsweetened wheat germ (optional)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
9 chicken wings
paprika
Preheat oven to 400oF. Place flour on wax paper. In
shallow bowl, beat eggs with Worcestershire sauce, salt and
pepper. On another sheet of wax paper, combine bread
crumbs and wheat germ, if desired.
Pour oil into a shallow roasting pan or large shallow
baking dish and place in oven. With sharp knife, divide
wings into 3 pieces, reserve bony wing tips to prepare
chicken broth. Roll remaining "mini drumstick" pieces
first in flour, then in egg mixture, and finally in bread
crumbs. Sprinkle with paprika and arrange in preheated
baking dish.
Bake 10 minutes, then turn with tongs and bake 10 minutes
longer. Reduce heat to 350oF; cook 10 to 15 minutes longer
until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels and
serve warm or at room temperature.
DELI DOGSServes 6-8
Some teenagers love sauerkraut; some most definitely don't.
This is a great dish for those who do.
8 chicken franks
1 can (16-ounces) sauerkraut
3 cups Bisquick
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons prepared mustard (optional)
Flour
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Preheat oven to 375oF. Pierce franks all over with tines
of fork. Drain sauerkraut thoroughly by pressing between
two stacked dinner plates, then chop coarsely. In a large
mixing bowl, combine Bisquick, sauerkraut and 2 teaspoons
of the caraway seeds. Gradually add water and mix
vigorously until soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Divide
dough in half. Roll each half on a well-floured surface
into a 7x16-inch rectangle approximately 1/4-inch thick.
Cut each rectangle into four 7x4-inch pieces. Brush center
of each piece of dough with a thin layer of mustard, if
desired, then brush the outer 1/2-inch of the rectangle
with egg wash. Roll each frank loosely a piece of dough.
Tuck outer ends under and place seam-side down on lightly
greased baking sheet so they are not touching. Brush
lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining caraway
seeds. Bake in middle of oven for 30 minutes or until
crust is golden brown. Serve with more mustard and relish
if desired.
JALAPENO BURGERSServes 4-6
This is good for older teenagers. Young kids ones may find
the flavors too harsh.
1 package fresh ground chicken (about 1 pound)
2/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
8 taco shells
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 cup salsa
Combine chicken and remaining seasonings. Form into 8
burgers. Grill or broil on lightly oiled surface 5 to 6-
inches from heat source 4 to 5 minutes per side until
burgers are cooked through. Serve in heated taco shells
with slices of tomato and avocado. Top with salsa.
MAPLE CRUNCH CHICKENServes 4
Maple syrup with chicken may seem a little unusual to
you$but it's really good. Frank liked it so much that I've
served it to him several times, once substituting boneless
skinless chicken breasts. If you want to make that
substitution, shorten the cooking time to about twenty
minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 170-175
degrees. Also, use instant oatmeal and toast it for a
couple of minutes in the oven first, to compensate for the
shorter time in the oven.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1 egg
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/3 cup oil
Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow bowl beat egg with
maple syrup. Place oatmeal, salt and pepper on a sheet of
wax paper. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then oatmeal
mixture. Pour oil in shallow baking pan. Place chicken,
skin side down, in oil in baking pan; turn chicken pieces
to coat with oil; leave skin side up. Bake, uncovered, for
approximately 1 hour, or until cooked through.
NACHO NIBBLESServes 6
I've made this recipe scattering the cheese and franks and
other ingredients over the tortilla chips haphazardly, and
I've also made it so that each individual tortilla chip has
its own slice of frank, its own chili and its own pepper
and cheese. The second way looks more impressive. The first
way is a lot easier. My son Jose likes to serve this at
parties with his college friends.
8 chicken franks
1 package (16 ounces) tortilla chips
2 cups chili
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced green pepper, or mild to hot green chili
peppers
12 ounces grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350oF. Cut franks into thin slices. Place
tortilla chips on large shallow baking pan and top with
frank slices. Dab chili on top, then sprinkle with
scallions, peppers and cheese.
Bake nachos for 15 minutes or until cheese bubbles.
PHOTO: Tucking chicken nuggets into pita pockets and
arranging vegetables are easy steps in teaching children...
- 5
NUGGETS IN A POCKETServes 4
This is an easy sandwich for teenagers to make.
1 package fully-cooked chicken breast nuggets
4 mini pita pockets
prepared Thousand Island dressing or Magic Mixture Sauce
(recipe follows)
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
Bake nuggets following package directions. Slit top of
pita pockets. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons sauce into each
pocket and fill with nuggets, lettuce, tomato and
additional sauce if desired. Serve with Rick Rack Carrot
Sticks and Broccoli Trees (raw cut-up pieces of carrot and
broccoli).
Magic Mixture Sauce:
In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup ketchup,
1 tablespoon prepared French dressing, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon
curry powder (optional), and 1-2 drops Tabasco (optional).
NUTTY BUDDY CHICKENServes 4
According to the Texas Peanut Producers' Board, we
Americans eat 4 million pounds of peanuts each day. Tell
your kids that, as they help you chop the salted peanuts
for this recipe.
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/3 cup bran buds
3/4 cup finely chopped salted peanuts
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow bowl beat egg with
milk. Place flour, salt, pepper, bran buds and peanuts on a
sheet of wax paper and mix together. Dip chicken pieces in
egg mixture; then flour mixture. Place chicken in single
layer, skin side up, in shallow baking pan. Pour melted
butter or margarine over chicken. Bake, uncovered, for
about 1 hour or until cooked through.
PICNIC PACKET CHICKENMakes 4 packets
The whole picnic meal is ready to serve when these come out
of the oven -- and there are no portioning and serving
problems. Children love this idea. You can also cook this
on an outdoor grill.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
4 small raw carrots, cut in sticks
4 raw potatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 teaspoons butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 350oF. Tear off 4 pieces heavy duty
aluminum foil, approximately 18-inches square. Place 1 or
2 pieces of chicken on each piece of foil. Put one carrot
and one potato on each piece of foil. Sprinkle salt, pepper
and oregano over all. Add teaspoon of butter or margarine
to each. Wrap tightly. Bake for approximately 1 hour or
until chicken is cooked through.
POTATO CHIP DRUMSTICKSServes 4-6
These are wonderful for school lunch boxes. Since they're
stored in the freezer, you can take them out a meal at a
time and they'll defrost in the child's lunch box in time
to eat later in the day.
6 chicken drumsticks
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 container (8-ounces) plain yogurt (1 cup)
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
1 package (7-ounces) no-salt potato chips, crushed
Preheat oven to 375oF. Grease a baking sheet. Remove skin
from drumsticks. In small bowl, combine yogurt, salt,
pepper and curry. On wax paper, place crushed potato
chips. Roll drumsticks first in yogurt mixture and then in
potato chips, pressing crumbs gently onto drumsticks to
coat thoroughly.
Arrange drumsticks on baking sheet and place in oven.
Reduce heat to 350oF and bake 45 to 50 minutes until crisp
and golden brown. Chill drumsticks, uncovered, on baking
sheet. Then wrap individually in foil and freeze. If
desired, allow extra foil at ends of package and twist to
form a chicken.
To pack for lunch: Freeze individual containers of juice
overnight. Place frozen juice in lunch bag with well-
chilled or frozen foil-wrapped drumsticks and fresh peas
and cherry tomatoes in plastic bag. Frozen juice will keep
other foods chilled and by lunchtime will be a "fruit
slush" dessert.
Variation: Instead of potato chips, use crushed salt-free
tortilla chips and substitute chili powder for curry.
PUNK PIZZA ROLLSServes 8
Tell your kids as they're eating this, "If you grew as fast
as a chicken, you would have weighed 349 pounds by the time
you were 2 months old!"
8 chicken franks
1 cup tomato sauce or pizza sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350oF. Pierce each frank in several places
with a fork. In a small bowl combine tomato sauce, onion,
and oregano; spread equal amounts over each tortilla.
Place one frank in center of each tortilla and roll up.
Place rolls about one-inch apart in shallow baking dish and
sprinkle each with equal amount of cheese. Bake for about
20 minutes or until cheese melts and bubbles.
RAMAKI WRAPSMakes 64, Serves 16-18
This is a good appetizer for a teenage party. I've served
it to kids who would never go for the chicken livers in the
original ramaki recipe. They've loved this version, made
with cut up franks.
8 chicken franks
1 can (8-ounces) water chestnuts, drained
32 strips bacon
Preheat oven to 400oF. Cut each frank into 8 slices.
Slice water chestnuts thinly. Halve bacon slices
crosswise.
For each ramaki, wrap frank slice and water chestnut slice
with bacon; secure with toothpick. Place ramakis on a rack
over large baking pan and bake for 15 minutes or until
bacon is crisp.
RED EYE EGGROLLSMakes 16, Serves 8
These take some work, but they've been a great success with
both kids and adults. I've served them at parties where
both have been present and the "egg rolls" vanished just
about as fast as I could make them.
8 chicken franks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can (16-ounces) bean sprouts, drained
2 cups shredded Chinese cabbage or iceberg lettuce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
16 square eggroll wrappers (You might be able to find them
in the produce section of your supermarket and they are
available in Oriental food shops.)
1 egg, beaten
vegetable oil for deep frying
Halve franks crosswise, set aside. In large skillet, over
medium-high heat, heat oil; add vegetables, toss and cook 2
minutes. Add soy sauce and broth. Reduce heat to medium-
low and simmer, covered, 5 minutes; drain well in colander.
Place eggroll wrapper on work surface with a corner
pointing toward you; brush each corner with egg. Place two
rounded tablespoons of vegetable mixture in center, then
top with frank piece horizontally. Fold bottom corner over
frank and filling, then fold right and left corners over
and roll up to complete.
In a wok, fryer or heavy skillet, heat 2-inches oil to
370oF or until a small cube of bread sizzles when placed in
oil. Fry 3-4 eggrolls at a time until crisp all over.
Drain well on paper towels.
Before serving , re-heat on shallow baking pan in preheated
350oF oven for 10 to 12 minutes. (I don't recommend
reheating them in the microwave. They'll come out soggy
instead of crisp.)
SPICED CREAMED CONE CHICKENServes 4
This is my first choice for when our twelve grandchildren
are coming. The ice cream cone flavor is so subtle that no
one has yet been able to identify it without being told.
Still, the flavor is delicious.
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
8 ice cream cones, crushed (I use the sugar cones)
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
2 tablespoons shortening
Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow bowl combine sour
cream, salt, pepper, onion and allspice. Place cone crumbs
on a sheet of wax paper. Dip chicken in sour cream mixture;
then in cone crumbs. Melt shortening in shallow baking
pan; place chicken in single layer, skin side up, in pan.
Bake, uncovered, for about
1 hour or until cooked through.
SPICY SOUTHWESTERN CASSEROLEServes 6-8
Is there a teenage cook in the family? He or she could
make this for the family dinner one night this week.
8 chicken franks
2 cans (15-ounces) chili
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 eggs
2/3 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup sour cream
1 can (16 ounces) niblets-style corn, drained
1/4 pound grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
1 can (4 ounces) chopped, mild green chilies, drained
Preheat oven to 375oF. Cut franks in half lengthwise.
Place chili in bottom of a buttered 7x14x2-inch baking
dish. Arrange franks, cut side down, on top of chili. In
medium size mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add eggs,
butter, and sour cream and blend thoroughly. Fold in corn.
Sprinkle half of the cheese and green chilies over the
layer of franks. Top with half of the corn mixture.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese and chilies and finish with
a layer of corn mixture. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the middle of oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until
top is lightly browned and toothpick inserted in corn
layers comes out clean.
PHOTO: School's open, and crunchy Tater-Chip Drumsticks,
fresh vegetables and frozen-juice "slush" earn high lunch
bag... - 5
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKENServes 4
This is one of the National Chicken Cooking Contest
winners, and it's easy enough for the beginning cook. The
original recipe called for adding a teaspoon of salt to the
sweet and sour mixture, but I found that the salt in the
salad dressing and the onion soup mix was enough. If your
kids like foods salty, they may want to sprinkle more on at
the end.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1 bottle (8-ounces) Russian salad dressing
1 envelope (1-3/8-ounces) dry onion soup mix
1 jar (10-ounces) apricot preserves
Preheat oven to 350oF. Place chicken, skin side up, in
single layer in large shallow baking dish. In a large
measuring cup combine remaining ingredients and pour over
chicken. Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until
cooked through.
TACO DOGSServes 6-8
Our neighbors South of the Border might be surprised at
this version of their tacos, but it's quick and good.
8 chicken franks
8 taco shells
1 can (15-ounces) chili with beans
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar erey Jack or
cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 cup diced tomato
Preheat oven to 350F. Split franks in half lengthwise and
grill or fry briefly. Place franks in taco shells and top
each with 2 tablespoons chili and 1 tablespoon cheese.
Place tacos on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or
until chili is hot and cheese is melted. Top with taco
sauce, lettuce, tomato and remaining cheese. Serve
immediately.
TATER FRANKSServes 6-8
This is inexpensive and easy to like.
8 chicken franks
3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, divided
1-1/2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
ground pepper to taste
3 cups cooked riced potatoes or very firm prepared instant
mashed potatoes
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
2-1/2 cups cornflake crumbs
Preheat oven to 375oF. Pierce franks all over with a fork.
Pour half of butter into a mixing bowl. Add milk, salt and
pepper, then add riced potatoes and beaten egg yolks. (If
using instant mashed potatoes, omit milk.) Beat thoroughly
with wooden spoon until well blended; chill until firm
enough to handle. Divide potato mixture into eight parts.
Using your hands, form an even layer of potato (about 1/2-
inch thick) around each frank. If mixture is sticky, flour
hands lightly. Roll first in cornflake crumbs, then in egg
white and water mixture, and again in crumbs. Place tater
franks on buttered baking sheet so they are not touching,
and drizzle with remaining melted butter. Bake in the
middle of the oven for 30 minutes or until crisp and golden
brown. Serve immediately.
TEAM SPIRIT HEROSServes 8
Your teenagers can make this one. If they don't like
peppers or onions, it's fine to skip them.
8 chicken franks
8 hero rolls
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 green peppers, cut into thin strips
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon fresh, minced basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
12 slices Provolone cheese, cut into half-inch strips
Pierce each frank in several places with a fork. Cut rolls
lengthwise, leaving the two halves attached. In a large
skillet over medium-low heat, heat oil. Add onions and
peppers and cook for 10 minutes stirring often. Add sauce
and herbs; stir and simmer 5 minutes. Preheat oven to
350oF. Place one frank in each roll, spoon equal amounts
of sauce mixture over franks. Close roll and wrap securely
in foil.
Heat for 20 minutes, turning packages after 10 minutes.
CHAPTER FIVE: CHICKEN FOR BARBECUING:
America's Love Affair with an
Old Flame is Heating Up!
PHOTO: We have four good barbecue photos that might go with
this chapter. They're paperclipped in section labeled page
223.
Are you about to barbecue something? Then you're part
of an ancient tradition. Barbecuing is actually man's
oldest form of cooking; the outdoors was man's first
kitchen and an open fire his first stove. The earliest
cooking method was to lay food on smoldering embers or
impale it on sticks held over a fire or dying coals.
It wasn't until the 1950s, however, that backyard
barbecuing as we know it began to catch on. It may surprise
you, but auto mogul Henry Ford played a major role in
this$and it had nothing to do with his automobiles. Ford's
contribution to backyard barbecuing was the invention of
the charcoal briquet. In the late 1920s, it was Ford who
had the better idea of grinding charcoal, combining it with
a starch, and re-forming it into uniform pillow shaped
briquets. These charcoal briquets burned more consistently
and more evenly than randomly sized and shaped lumps of
charcoal.
People immediately began using charcoal briquets for
industrial purposes, but backyard grills weren't readily
available yet. In the 1950s, when
backyard grills became widely available, and outdoor
cooking really began to take off. The combination of
outdoor grills and the charcoal briquets made barbecuing so
easy and reliable, that today, according to a Barbecue
Industry Association survey, seven out of ten American
households own a barbecue grill, and we use them about 1.5
billion times a year total.
Frank and I also barbecue, but it took some learning
on my part. In spite of being someone who loves to cook,
before marrying Frank, I'd never barbecued. I'd never even
thought to buy an outdoor grill.
What I'd been missing! Frank does own a barbecue, a
nice handsome one that can manage chickenburgers for our
combined eighteen children and grandchildren all at once.
I love it, because we can all be outdoors, playing volley
ball or watching the young ones, with their arsenal of
squirt guns, as they gang up on Frank$and the beauty of it
all is that no one has to miss a moment of the fun by
having to go into the kitchen to fuss with dinner.
If you've been barbecuing for years, skip ahead to the
recipes. But if you're like me and still new at it, here
are some tips that can help you get uniformly good results.
The tips come from the Perdue food scientists and home
economists, from Cooperative Extension and from the
Barbecue Industry Association.
_Start with a clean grill. Removing old ashes
assures good air circulation, and cleaning away any cooked-
on bits of food results in better flavor and quality.
_Be sure to wash everything after handling raw meat.
Don't use the same plate for the cooked meat that you used
for the uncooked meat unless you've washed it in between.
_Coat grate with vegetable cooking spray, or brush
with cooking oil to prevent food from sticking.
_If the basting sauce contains oil, however, do not
grease the grill; too much oil causes flare-ups.
_Prepare the fire a half hour or more before grilling.
For quick lighting, use a chimney starter with crumpled
newspaper in the bottom and briquets or charcoal above. Or
stack the charcoal in a pyramid shape and light with a
liquid or electric starter, following the manufacturer's
directions. Charcoal is ready for cooking when it's 80%
ashy grey in daylight, glowing red at night. This usually
takes about 25 to 30 minutes.
_Toss a handful of aromatic wood chips such as
mesquite, hickory, alder, or fruitwood chips over the
coals. They'll create a whole new dimension of flavor
without adding any extra calories.
_Check the temperature of the fire before cooking food
to prevent over- or under-cooking. For most of the recipes
in this chapter, the fire should be medium-hot with a
single, even layer of coals lightly covered with grey ash.
It's relatively simple to judge the temperature of a
charcoal fire. To do this, hold your hand, palm side down,
at cooking height:
HOT - You can hold your hand over the coals for only 2
seconds.
MEDIUM-HOT - You can hold your hand over the coals 3
to 4 seconds.
MEDIUM - You can hold your hand over the coals 4 to 5
seconds.
_Be patient. If the fire hasn't cooled down
adequately, do not be tempted to put your chicken on to
cook - unless you like "blackened bird" a lot more than I
do.
_If you're dieting and want to remove the chicken's
skin, do so after cooking, not before. Without some kind
of covering, the chicken will dry out and toughen before it
finishes cooking.
_Turn chicken frequently, about every 5 minutes to
insure even doneness and to prevent blistering.
_If flare-ups occur, remove the food for a few moments
and sprinkle water lightly over the flames, or smother them
by covering the grill. A friend of mine who works for a
volunteer fire department keeps a laundry squirt bottle
handy for flare-ups.
_To increase the heat, you can push coals together,
add more coals or lower the grilling surface, or fan the
fire and tap the ashes from the coals.
_To decrease heat, raise the cooking grid or sprinkle
coals with a little water.
_Cook white-meat poultry until juices run clear and
the meat reaches an internal temperature of 170o to 175oF
and dark meat to 180o to 185oF on a meat thermometer.
_Grill smaller poultry parts and Cornish game hens
directly over a single layer of coals on an open grill or
hibachi.
_Grill whole birds and larger parts using the indirect
method in a covered grill. Place a drip pan beneath the
bird; the pan should be slightly larger than the bird. Fill
the pan halfway with water, and surround it with a double
layer of coals to provide longer, slower, oven-like
cooking. Add extra coals to the outer edge of the fire as
needed to extend grilling.
_To reduce the chance of overbrowning, apply tomato-
based sauces or those containing sugar or other sweeteners
only during last 20 to 30 minutes of grilling.
_To make breast quarters grill more quickly and
evenly, cut through the wing joint to break it and bring
the wing closer to the grill.
_Chicken should be well-done. If you don't want to
take the usual time it takes, cook your chicken partially
in the microwave and then finish it on the grill.
_The basic guidelines for timing chicken on the grill
are:
Parts$Cook dark meat 30 minutes, white meat 15
minutes, basting and turning every five or so minutes.
Halves$First, grill skin side down for 5 minutes,
then cook covered, skin side up, 35-40 minutes.
Wings$10 minutes per side.
Whole$(about 3 and 1/2 pounds...About 1 and 1/4
to 1 and 1/2 hours in a covered grill, 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours
on rotisserie.
_Use tongs rather than a fork to turn food gently
without losing juices.
_If you plan to use marinade as a sauce to be served
with chicken during the meal, be sure to cook it before
using. You want to avoid the cross-contamination that can
come from contact with the uncooked chicken. Temperatures
over 140 degrees will destroy any microbes.
BEER-BE-CUED CHICKEN Serves 2-4
This is one of the National Chicken Cooking Contest
winners. It's been adapted slightly, and this version has
the reputation of being particularly popular with men.
1 can (12-ounces) beer
1 tablespoon dark molasses
1 tablespoon onion juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 chicken, cut in half lengthwise
In a shallow dish combine beer, molasses, onion juice,
lemon juice, ketchup and salt. Add chicken, cover, and
marinate 3 hours or longer, refrigerated. Grill chicken 5
to 6 inches above medium-hot coals for 35 to 45 minutes or
until cooked through. Turn and baste with marinade every 10
to 15 minutes.
BONELESS BREASTS TANDOORIServes 4 to 6
In many eastern countries, yogurt is a favorite ingredient
for marinades used to flavor and tenderize meats. One of
the most famous of these recipes is India's Tandoori
Chicken, which takes its name from the clay stove called a
tandor in which it is cooked.
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
salt and ground pepper to taste
lemon wedges for garnish
1/2 cup melted butter
In large bowl combine yogurt, butter, lemon juice and
spices. Place chicken breasts in mixture and turn to coat
well. Cover and marinate for 3 hours or longer,
refrigerated. Remove chicken from marinade and grill 5 to
6 inches above medium-hot coals for 10 minutes Turn and
baste 2 to 3 times with marinade. Serve with lemon wedges.
BRANDY-ORANGE BARBECUED CORNISHServes 2-4
When choosing the brandy for this, I'd recommend a
California brandy in preference to an imported one. The
California ones tend to be lighter and more fruity, which
makes them appropriate for this recipe.
2 fresh Cornish hens
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, divided
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon brandy
With kitchen string, tie drumsticks together. Rub hens
with oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; sprinkle with 1/4
teaspoon ginger, salt and pepper.
In small bowl, combine marmalade, brandy, remaining lemon
juice and ginger; set aside. Place hens on grill breast
side up. Grill, covered 5 to 6-inches above medium-hot
coals 50 to 60 minutes. After 40 minutes, brush hens with
brandy-orange sauce. Cook, basting 3 to 4 times, until
juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is
pierced.
CHICK KEBABSServes 6
These chick kebabs go wonderfully with rice. As someone
who grows rice commercially, it hurts me to say this, but
for this recipe, I recommend a kind of rice I don't grow,
the long grain kind that cooks up fluffy with each grain
separate. (I grow short or medium grain rice which is
always sticky, no matter how you cook it.) 6 boneless,
skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 pound small, fresh mushrooms
1 can (7-1/2-ounces) whole white onions
1 green pepper, cut in one-inch squares
Marinade:
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 can (8-ounces) crushed pineapple
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
2 teaspoons ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Alternate chicken
on skewers with mushrooms, onions and green pepper, then
lay flat in shallow baking dish. Combine marinade
ingredients except flour and water. Pour marinade over
skewers. Cover and store in refrigerator 3 to 4 hours or
overnight. Baste kebabs with marinade and grill 4 to 5
inches above medium-hot coals for 6 to 8 minutes until
chicken is lightly browned and cooked through. In a small
bowl dissolve cornstarch in water. Place remaining
marinade in a small saucepan. Stir in cornstarch and
heat, stirring until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve
sauce over kebabs and rice.
CHICKEN ALMONDINEServes 6-8
You can save money buying the sesame seeds for this recipe
in bulk, either from your supermarket or health food store.
The one drawback to buying them in bulk is that they have a
limited shelf life and at room temperature, they can
develop an off-taste due to rancidity. Keep bulk sesame
seeds refrigerated or frozen if you won't be using them in
a week or so.
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1-1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons sesame seeds
8 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
8 tablespoons sliced almonds
8 tablespoons dry vermouth
aluminum foil
Season chicken with salt and paprika; then roll in sesame
seeds. Place each chicken piece in center of piece of foil;
fold sides up to vertical position to hold liquids. Place
1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon almonds and 1 tablespoon
vermouth on each chicken piece. Close foil over chicken
and seal well. Place packets on grill 5 to 6 inches above
hot coals. Cook about 20 minutes, turning 2 to 3 times
until chicken is cooked through.
CHICKEN TARRAGONServes 4
To make breast quarters grill more quickly and evenly,
remember to cut through the wing joint to break it and
bring the wing closer to the grill.
1 chicken, quartered
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh tarragon or 2 tablespoons dried
salt and ground pepper to taste
Working from the cut side of breast and thigh quarters,
carefully use fingers to separate skin from flesh and form
a "pocket." In large bowl, combine lime juice and
remaining ingredients. Place chicken in marinade and spoon
some marinade between skin and flesh. Cover and
refrigerate 1 hour or longer.
Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Grill chicken,
uncovered, 5 to 6-inches above medium-hot coals 35-45
minutes or until cooked through, turning and basting
frequently with marinade.
CHUTNEY BURGERSServes 4-6
Try this "Yogurt Sauce" along with the Chutney Burgers. In
a small bowl combine 1/2 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons chopped
scallions, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4
teaspoon salt and a dash of Cayenne pepper.
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