Bourbon-brined Chicken

Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup coarse salt
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 4 slices lemons (1/4 inch thick)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and gently crushed
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 4 (6 -8 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• barbecue sauce (use your favorite)
• 2 cups wood chips, soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained (preferably hickory or oak)

Recipe

• 1 to make the brine: in a large nonreactive bowl combine the bourbon, salt, brown sugar, lemon slices, garlic, peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and 4 cups water; whisk until salt and brown sugar dissolve.
• 2 trim any sinews or excess fat off the breasts; rinse breasts under cold running water, then drain.
• 3 place the chicken breasts in a large zip-lock plastic bag; add in the brine.
• 4 let breasts brine in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, turning breasts twice so they brine evenly.
• 5 set up grill for direct grilling and preheat to high—if using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run grill on high until you see smoke; if using a charcoal grill, preheat it to high, then toss all of the wood chips on the coals.
• 6 when ready to grill, drain the brine off the chicken and blot the breasts dry with paper towels; discard brine.
• 7 lightly brush both sides of the breasts with the melted butter; brush and oil the grill grate, then arrange chicken breasts on the hot grate, placing them on a diagonal to the bars.
• 8 grill the breasts for 2 minutes, then rotate them a quarter turn to create an attractive crosshatch of grill marks.
• 9 continue grilling the breasts on that side for 2 minutes longer.
• 10 turn breasts over and grill until cooked through, 4-6 minutes longer, again rotating them after 2 minutes to create grill marks.
• 11 **the total cooking time will be 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts.
• 12 test for doneness—poke a breast in the thickest part with your finger; it should feel firm to the touch; or to be safe, you can insert a thermometer in one end—170° is done.
• 13 transfer grilled breasts to a platter and serve at once with your favorite barbecue sauce.