Barbecued Chicken with Yellow Mustard Sauce

If you fancy a proper US-style barbecue this weekend try this brilliantly easy recipe from chef Brad McDonald's book Deep South: New Southern Cooking

Brad writes: "You’re going to fall in love with this Carolina- style sauce. I really like its tanginess with the chargrilled chicken skin. It also stands up well to the charred spring onions, which make the perfect garnish for this dish. (Keep any left- over mustard sauce in the fridge – it’s great with sausages.)

Barbecued Chicken with Yellow Mustard Sauce
Serves 4–6

1 free-range chicken, about 1.5kg (3 1⁄4 lb)

100ml (3 1⁄2 fl oz) olive oil

50g (1 3⁄4oz) BBQ rub (see below)

12 spring onions (scallions), trimmed but left whole

a little vegetable oil

sea salt

For the yellow mustard sauce:

250g (9oz) French’s yellow mustard

120ml (4fl oz) cider vinegar

85g (3oz) light soft brown sugar

1⁄4 tsp paprika

1⁄4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper

1⁄4 tsp freshly ground
black pepper

First spatchcock the chicken: put it breast-side down on a board and, using a pair of poultry scissors, cut out the backbone. Turn the bird over and press down gently on the breast bone, then splay the chicken open. Season with salt on both sides. Make a paste with the olive oil and the BBQ rub and coat the bird all over with it. Leave to marinate for 3–4 hours or overnight.

Place the bird skin-side down on a barbecue grill and cook over a medium heat until tender and cooked through. Turn once and move to a lower heat if nec- essary to prevent scorching. If using a thermometer to check the temperature, pull the bird off the heat at 65°C/150°F. Leave to rest for 15–20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Toss the spring onions in enough vegetable oil to coat, then place on the barbecue and cook until lightly charred.

Carve off the chicken legs and thighs, then carve the white meat from the bone. Brush the sauce over the meat. Garnish with the grilled spring onions and serve with the rest of the sauce on the side.

For the rub:

125g (4 1⁄2 oz) paprika

15g (1⁄2 oz) onion powder

15g (1⁄2 oz) garlic powder

15g (1⁄2 oz) chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)

15g (1⁄2 oz) crushed black pepper

7g (1⁄4 oz) dried oregano

Mix everything together, use what you need for the recipe and keep the rest in a sealed jar

What to drink: Personally I'd go for a craft beer like a pale ale or IPA with this but you could go for a fruity red like a merlot, grenache or tempranillo or a not-too-oaky chardonnay if you prefer a white

From Deep South by Brad McDonald (Quadrille £25) Photograph © Andy Sewell

Beef fillet in red wine and soya sauce

In our final extract from Cape Wine Braai Masters we feature a recipe intended for Gemsbok from Michael Bucholz, winemaker for the Obikwa range but as antelope are a bit thin on the ground in the UK I've adapted it for beef fillet.

BEEF FILLET IN RED WINE & SOYA SAUCE

1.5kg beef or any South African antelope fillet

MARINADE
3 cups red wine (preferably Merlot)
cup soya sauce
cup olive oil
1 heaped tablespoon soft brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, grated (add more if you like)
3–4cm fresh ginger, peeled & grated
1 heaped tablespoon coriander seeds, dry-fried & coarsely crushed
2 fresh chillies, deseeded & finely sliced (add more if you like)
1 tablespoon salt for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Spring onions for garnishing

Combine all ingredients for the marinade. Place the meat in a tight-fitting bowl, pour the marinade over it and leave covered in the fridge overnight. Turn the meat from time to time. Strain the marinade off the meat and retain for basting. Place the meat on a braai grid over hot coals (the fire needs to be hot enough to ensure good browning of the meat without charring). Season both sides with salt and pepper. Baste the meat regularly and cook for 20 minutes on each side for a well-browned, slightly caramelised coating and a fillet that is rare to medium-rare. Allow the meat to rest for at least 10–15 minutes, slice, garnish with spring onion cut into slivers lengthwise and serve.

WINE NOTE
Michael suggests a glass of Obikwa Merlot but frankly this wine-friendly dish would go with almost any full-bodied South African red.