Mike Wolfberg's Recipe for Chinese Barbecued Chicken
This is adapted from a recipe from Martha Goh.
- 12-18 chicken thighs
- I prefer to use thighs and especially those with the bone and
skin. You could use other parts if you prefer.
Skinless pieces will be less tasty.
Stab the chicken pieces with a sharp-tined fork with about
15-20 punctures per side, especially through the skin.
- 1 c. dark soy sauce
- I use Pearl River brand Mushroom Soy Sauce, available in
Chinese markets.
- 1 c. sugar
- I use Domino granulated sugar.
- about 4 oz. fresh ginger root
- peeled and chopped medium fine, yielding about 1/2 c.
- several garlic cloves
- peeled and chopped medium fine to yield about 1/2 c.
For the most flavor, start this cooking in the morning and then
have the cooked chicken marinate all day before finishing the dish.
- Start by putting the soy sauce and sugar into a large
pot which can be covered.
Swish a
little water in the measuring cup used for the soy sauce to get
that last little bit into the pot.
Then as you prepare the ginger and
garlic, throw it into the pot, so you don't lose flavors to the air.
Put on a low flame and stir for a minute or two
to get the sugar dissolved.
- Add all the chicken pieces, trying to get them covered by the liquid.
You may not be able to do this, so stirring every 5 minutes can
help with this.
Increase the heat and cook until the mixture almost starts to
boil. Then lower the heat so it simmers. Cook covered for
20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to get all pieces covered
by the sauce.
- Remove from the flame and let this sit as long as you can.
If you are waiting all to day to finish the dish, you should
probably refrigerate it after it cools a bit. You could finish
the dish and serve right away, but the longer you wait, the
more flavorful it gets. I have not tried having this
marinate overnight.
- When you are ready to finish the dish, either grill or broil
the chicken pieces just short of burning them. Turn them once, so
they cook on both sides.
This will probably take about 10 minutes, according to the heat of
your grill or broiler. Don't overcook, since they could get dry.
- You could then save some of the marinade and serve that as a sauce
for those who want that. However, I find this is not usually
needed. When doing this, I tend to skim the fat off the top of
the liquid using one of those special cups with a spout made
for skimming fat from sauces and gravies.
You can strain and keep the liquid in the fridge. If you have a lot
of fat at the surface, it tends to protect it from spoiling for an
indefinite amount of time. Use that sauce for dishes such as
stir-fried broccoli. To keep this sauce without that fat cover, bring
it to a boil every week or two and it lasts indefinitely.