Buttermilk is a very popular marinade for fried chicken, but
for whatever reason, it isn’t often used with other chicken cooking methods.
Which is kind of surprising, especially when you taste just how effective it is
for something like this beautiful barbecued chicken.
Adding to the mystery is the fact that yogurt, a very
similar product, is quite popular in grilled chicken marinades. So, what do
people have against buttermilk? I remember my mother-in-law, Peggy, mentioning
one time that she hesitates to make recipes that call for it, since she never
knows what to do with the leftovers.
I guess people are used to having yogurt around, but
apparently they find the thought of a half carton of buttermilk in the fridge a
little disconcerting. I have two words for those people…buttermilk biscuits. Also,
buttermilk pie. Of course, you could just make a double recipe, and use it all,
but the point is, don’t be afraid.
Regardless of whether you’re going to have some leftover, or
how you’re going to use it, if you’re looking for an easy, and delicious
change-of-pace to the typical barbecue chicken recipes, then I really do hope you
give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 portions:
1 whole chicken (about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs.), cut in half as
shown
For the marinade:
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons kosher salt
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