Smoky Gochujang Barbecue Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Make the marinade. Smash the garlic with a little salt using a pestle and mortar. Add the lemon zest and juice, the spice mix, chilli, oil and a good grinding of black pepper. Mix to a paste. This can be done in a mini food processor.
• Toss the chicken in the marinade and set aside while you light the barbecue. When the barbecue's hot, lay the bunches of herbs on the grid and put the chicken, skin side up, on top. Close the lid, if your barbecue has one, and cook the chicken on the smouldering herbs for about 10 minutes until the meat starts to colour. Turn the chicken and continue to cook for a further 20-30 minutes, turning as necessary, until it is slightly charred from the burnt herbs and cooked through to the bone.

Steps:

• Whisk ⅔ cup gochujang, ½ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup brown rice vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar, ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ cup fish sauce, ¼ cup gochugaru, ¼ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 2 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 2 Tbsp. ground coriander, and 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl to combine. Reserve and refrigerate ½ cup buldak sauce for basting.
• Place 12 large chicken drumsticks (about 3 lb.) in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in remaining buldak sauce. Seal bag and chill at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• Prepare a grill for high indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave 1 or 2 burners off; for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side); oil grate. Remove drumsticks from sauce, letting excess drip back into bag, and arrange over indirect heat; transfer sauce to a clean small bowl. Cover grill and grill drumsticks (this is a low-and-slow heat situation), brushing with reserved sauce and turning every 5 minutes or so, until sticky, well-coated, and cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken and avoiding bone should register 165°), 30-40 minutes.
• Transfer drumsticks to a platter and serve with copious amounts of steamed white rice. Do ahead: Buldak sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Steps:

• Put the chicken on a board breast-side down with the legs facing you. Using kitchen scissors or poultry shears, cut along either side of the backbone and remove it (freeze it to use for stock). Open the chicken out, turn it over and push down the breastbone to flatten. Cut a few slashes in the legs and thighs.
• Whisk the marinade ingredients together. Reserve 2 tbsp and rub the rest all over the chicken, working it under the skin. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr or overnight.
• Light the barbecue, stacking the coals on one side. When the flames have died down and the coals are ashen, lay a flameproof foil tray or old roasting tin over the empty side and pour in the ginger beer or 100ml water. Set the grill on top. Place the chicken skin-side up on the grill, cover with the lid and cook for 45 mins. Baste with the reserved marinade, then re-cover and cook for 5 mins more. Move the chicken to the hotter side of the barbecue for 5 mins to char the skin a little, being careful not to burn it. The chicken is ready when the legs pull away easily and a digital probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh and breast reads 70C. Lift onto a board, rest for 10 mins then scatter over the spring onions and coriander. Drizzle with sesame oil.