Guy Fieri's Barbecue Chicken Seasoning Tip
When it comes to bringing the flavor and making it pop, Guy Fieri always has us licking our lips when he cooks up his mouthwatering fare. Per Delish, the host of "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" always dreamed of being the king of barbecue and trained in the trenches of smokers, rubs, and sauces with the hopes of winning the American Royal, which he called the "Super Bowl of barbecue." Fieri kept plugging away at his craft and won the competition with his Motley Que Crew in 2011 (via American Royal). In addition to the bragging rights and ability to make delicious barbecue, Fieri was honored with a place in the Barbecue Hall of Fame.
But what's the secret, according to the celebrity chef? Fieri told Insider, "The real key to great barbecue starts with quality meat that's seasoned correctly." We know, easier said than done. It can be tough to season your chicken just right, and sometimes you end up with a flavorless, dried-out bird. Luckily, Fieri has the perfect tip to ensure that doesn't happen the next time you barbecue chicken.
Bring on the brine for barbecue
Fieri suggests brining your barbecue chicken to really bring out the flavor. Fieri told US Magazine, "You take the chicken and you give it a nice brine. Equal parts of salt and sugar, a little bay leaf, and some peppercorns and chili flakes. Maybe some thyme and some garlic, and you brine that chicken." Yum.
If you are unfamiliar with brining, Food Network explains that it infuses flavor into your meats with sugar and salt, making the meat moist and tender. They also explain that you'll want to refrigerate and soak your chicken in brine for a few hours to get the texture and taste you desire. Brining involves a liquid like water, apple juice, or wine combined with salt and some delicious, fragrant spices. If you follow Fieri's advice and brine your meat before barbecuing, the meat will develop incredible flavors that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
The Kitchn points out that brining doesn't require a recipe, and is more a ratio game, and suggests using one tablespoon of salt for every one cup of liquid in your brine. The actual amount of liquid, salt, sugar, and spices will be dictated by the size of the cut of meat you are barbecuing, but you want to have enough liquid to completely cover it.