GOOD MORNING 11W FAM!!!! I figured I'd go ahead and start the tailgate fare series off for the 2020 season. 

For today’s tailgate fare, I’m going to share my smoked chicken and ‘Bama White Sauce recipe. I use a 22" Weber Smokey Mountain with Kingsford Original and a combination of Cherry and Apple Wood. 

First off: The Brine. Brining is the process of submerging a cut of meat in a brine solution, which is simply salt dissolved in water. The meat absorbs extra liquid and salt, resulting in a juicier and more flavorful final dish. This technique is particularly great for lean cuts of meat that tend to dry out during cooking! (from https://www.thekitchn.com/use-a-quick-brine-to-make-any-cut-more-tender-47879)

For this brine, I used a molasses-based one, mainly because I was out of regular sugar. I let it sit overnight, then I drain the brine, rinse and pat down the chicken, cover with mustard, and finally dry-rub with Rufus Teague's green bottle for the breasts, and Kosmos Q’s Dirty Bird for the legs.

Brown Sugar Brine

¾ cup kosher salt 
¾ cup light brown sugar 
Two tablespoons minced garlic 
1 ½ teaspoons ground cayenne pepper 
1-gallon warm water 
¼ cup molasses 
¼ cup soy sauce

***Let the mixture cool down before putting the chicken in it, to avoid bacteria growth.

Once the chicken is coated, I light up my chimney starter and prep my smoker for the minion method. Now, with chicken that has skin on it (legs in this case), in order to get the skin crispy, you have a few options. I prefer to run my smoker hotter, but you can go low and slow and either add corn starch to your rub or throw it on a hot grill for a few minutes once the meat is up to temperature.

Running around 250 degrees, you should be done in around 3 hours. I keep probes in to monitor the temps. and take it to 165. 

Now for the White sauce; I used the recipe from Susie Bulloch (heygrillhey.com). It has been a hit, so far, with the family.

Bama White Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon brown mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

I usually make this the night before, in order to let the ingredients marinate together.

Then, I serve the chicken and sauce with a side of Mac and Cheese, smoked, of course!