Big Bob Gibson's Bama Birds with White Barbecue Sauce

"Well, Meathead, it's all there. You've got the right ingredients. Some of the proportions are a bit different, but they're close. In fact, I might have to try your version." Chris Lilly, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que, in upstate Decatur, Alabama, has been a popular local hangout since 1925. In the past decade the place has achieved national fame on the coattails of the acclaim slathered on Chef Chris Lilly and his Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que competition team. That's him in the red shirt, with his father-in-law, Don McLemore, owner of Big Bob Gibson's and the son-in-law of Big Bob himself.

Their team has won practically every major competition on the circuit. Lilly can be seen doing TV commercials for Kingsford charcoal, and he has been featured on the Today Show, USA Today, in the Wall Street Journal, Martha Stewart Living and numerous other publications. You can even sit at the foot of the master and learn how to make championship barbecue by watching his DVD series.

Big Bob's red sauce has been named "Best on the Planet" at the American Royal Open in Kansas City, but their signature white barbecue sauce for chicken is their most famous because it is unique, although it now has several imitators. Below is my interpretation of the secret recipe, reverse engineered from the original and from the bottled version they sell.

A few years after I wrote this recipe, Lilly published a damn fine cookbook, and there is a white sauce recipe in it. But he is coy. He says "There is now a large number of 'authentic' versions of Big Bob's original secret recipe and cooking method - all different from one another. This is one of my favorites."

We you can bet I immediately made the recipe in his book, and then tested it on a chicken cut in half. Haf got my recipe half got his unofficial recipe, and damned if his wasn't better. So I went back to the drawing board and blended the two together. I did another tasting, and damned if the new version wasn't better than both the parents. So I revised my recipe. The new one is below.

Just a note of caution: This is not what everyone thinks of when they think of barbecue sauce. It is white, first of all. And it is not sweet. Not everyone likes it. But it's a classic and worth a try if you love barbecue. If you don't like it on chicken, it's just fine on coleslaw.

Recipe

Makes. 1.5 cups of sauce, enough for 1 large chicken or 2 Cornish game hens, which serves 2 people
Preparation time. 10 minutes for the sauce, about 45 minutes to cook the meat

Ingredients
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon powdered garlic
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish from a jar (either in vinegar or creamy)
1 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon finely ground cayenne pepper

Happy Hour In Bama A redneck is driving a back road in Alabama when he sees a pickup parked alongside the road with a grill next to it. A sign says "Chicken Breasts and Beer." "Lord Almighty!" He exclaims. "My three favorite things!"

Method
1) Whisk together all the ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate in a jar for at least 2 hours, if possible, to allow the flavors to meld.

2) Lilly butterflies his chickens, which makes sense in a high production environment, but I prefer to quarter them so I can make sure no part is overcooked since breasts and thighs cook at a different rate. I recommend you cut the bird into quarters: Two drumstick and thigh combos, two breasts, and remove the wings from the breasts. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on both sides

3) Crank up your smoker or prepare the grill for 2-Zone or Indirect cooking. Place the chicken skin side up on the indirect side of the grill. Put a handful of wood chips, chunks, or pellets on the heat source. Use a foil packet with wood on a gas grill and on a charcoal grill put the wood right on the coals (no need to soak the wood). Just a handful of wood. Don't overdo the wood. Nothing will ruin chicken faster than too much smoke.

4) Check the temp of each piece independently because they will cook at different rates. Place your probe in the thickest part of each chunk but don't touch the bones. The wings will finish much faster than the other parts so put them on late and be prepared to remove them early. When all parts hit about 155F, flip the bird and put the skin face down on the hot side. When they reach 165°F, paint them generously on all sides with the sauce. Serve.

This page was revised on 11/21/2011