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Recipe Detail Page
Fermented Garlic-Honey Barbecue Chicken
Summer 2022
If you’re new to fermentation, garlic-honey is a fun place to start. Just remember to start the process at least one week in advance. It mellows both the sweetness of the honey and the bite of the garlic, creating a sum greater than its parts. Here, it adds depth to an easy yet complex sauce for grilled chicken. Gochujang is a spicy, savoury Korean condiment that can be found at Asian supermarkets.
Serves 4
8 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed
1/2 cup (125 mL) amber honey, such as wildflower or clover
3 tbsp (45 mL) unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) gochujang hot pepper paste
1 tbsp (15 mL) soy sauce
3 1/2-lb (1.59-kg) whole chicken
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) fine sea salt
1. At least 1 week in advance, place garlic and honey in a clean 1-cup (250-mL) glass jar. Stir well to ensure no air is trapped between garlic and honey. Seal and set aside to ferment at room temperature. Once a day, open the lid to release any built-up gasses. Reseal then give the jar a quick rotation to ensure garlic is well-coated. After a few days, bubbles will start to appear at the surface. It’s ready to use when the consistency has thinned to the texture of maple syrup, and it tastes strongly of garlic.
2. For the chicken, combine fermented garlic-honey mixture with vinegar, gochujang and soy sauce in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Strain, discarding garlic.
3. Cut chicken into 8 pieces by removing each breast, leaving the wings still attached. Cut each half breast in half diagonally so the pieces are roughly the same size. Remove the legs, then cut in half where the thigh and drumstick meet. Season with salt. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Prepare grill for indirect cooking—half off and the other half on medium-high heat. Clean and oil grates.
5. Grill chicken over direct heat, turning often, until golden-brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Move chicken to indirect heat and close lid. Cook, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 145°F (63°C), 18 to 20 minutes. Open lid. Baste chicken with sauce, turning as needed, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving platter. Drizzle with remaining sauce.
Serves 4
