Hotter Than Hell Buffet Barbeque Chicken

8-12 servings


1/4 cup bacon drippings from maple-syrup glazed bacon; or 1/4 cup
drippings from regular bacon plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup chopped onion
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 (44oz) bottle ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup flat beer
2 tablespoons coarse-grained Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon piquin quebrado (a really hot pepper)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
(at least) 1 tablespoon finely minced pickled jalapeno chiles
2 3-lb chickens, cut into large pieces (drumsticks, thighs, etc)

To make the sauce, melt bacon drippings in a heavy 3-quart sauce pan. Then add onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Add ketchup, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, beer mustard, liquid smoke, piquin, pepper and jalapenos. Stir well and then cover and simmer 30 minutes to combine flavours.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400oF. Place chicken pieces, skin side up, in 2 large, shallow roasting pans. Bake 30-40 minutes or until skin is parched, then turn pieces over and reduce oven temperature to 350oF. Generously baste each piece with sauce, using 3 cups of the sauce; bake 15 minutes longer. Turn; baste skin side with pan drippings and 1 cup more sauce. Bake 20 to 30 minutes longer or until sauce is glazed and tips of chicken pieces are lightly browned.

For the Chinese steamed buns, make about 1/4 recipe, using chicken breasts. Let cool and then tear chicken into threads.

The sauce is also great on most meats.