Nashville Hot BBQ Chicken Sandwich!

-Take your chicken thighs and pat em dryyyy. 

-Debone them carefully, keeping as much of the skin intact as possible for extra crispiness. 

-Lightly season both sides with SPG and lay them on a sheet tray. 

-Let the chicken rest uncovered in the fridge for a couple of hours to dry out the skin and dry brine.

-Fire up the pit. 300°F. 

-Once hot, spray the chicken with oil or fat and place it on the cooker skin-side down. 

-Close the lid and cook, flipping as needed, and spray occasionally with oil to help “deep fry” the skin. 

-Continue cooking for about 60–90 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 180–190°F and the skin is golden and crisp. Remove from the pit.

-In a bowl, combine the cayenne, granulated garlic, paprika, salt, black pepper, white pepper, and brown sugar. Mix well.

-In a pot, heat the tallow to 350°F. 

-Quickly dip each chicken thigh into the hot tallow for a flash fry. (Optional step) 

-Add the spice mix to the hot tallow, whisk to combine, and let it cook briefly. 

-Dip each piece of chicken into the hot seasoned oil to coat it thoroughly, let sit in there for a minute or so to soak up the seasonings, pull out and set aside.

-To assemble, butter and toast your burger buns. Spread Kewpie mayo on both sides, add a piece of hot chicken, top with homemade pickles, and finish with the top bun. 

-Enjoy!

Burger Buns:
-In a stand mixer, combine milk, yeast, egg yolk, eggs, flour, dough conditioner, sugar, and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then add softened butter. 

-Knead on medium speed for 6–10 minutes until smooth. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.

-Punch down the dough and portion into 90g balls. Tuck the seams and shape into smooth rounds. 

-Place on a lined baking sheet, gently flatten so they don’t rise too tall, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes. 

-Brush with egg wash and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Bread & Butter Pickles:
-Combine sliced cucumbers, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and salt in a large bowl. 

-Massage the salt in and let it sit for a couple of hours to draw out water. 

-Strain and pack the vegetables into mason jars.

-In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and dissolve the sugar completely. 

-Add mustard seeds, celery seeds, cloves, turmeric, and peppercorns. 

-Bring to a boil again, then pour the hot brine into the jars until the vegetables are fully submerged. Cap and shake gently. Let cool.