Black Pepper Molasses Pulled Chicken Sliders | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Black Pepper Molasses Pulled Chicken Sliders** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Back in the day (like 7 years ago) Mike and I took a roadtrip from Boston, MA to Dallas, TX and decided that we’d make it a BBQ Tour since our route took us through the Carolinas, Memphis, and then of course, on to Texas. Since then we’ve both developed some strong opinions on what constitutes “good” barbecue. Don’t get me wrong, I love some Lockhart smoked brisket, but I also can’t get enough of Kansas City-style sauce.

This recipe started from one I spotted in an issue of Cooking Light and after making it over and over again I eventually developed my own version that combines the sweet, spicy, layered flavors that I love so much. The chicken cooks in a thick, molasses and ketchup based sauce that has a little tang of vinegary umami from the Worcestershire sauce add in the smoky depth of cumin and this pulled chicken is so, so good.

And, since you might be in the market for some Game Day ideas this is one I’d recommend since it’s really easy to make ahead and reheat before serving (an extra splash of chicken stock will help if it seems a little dry.) I put these together with a few different toppings – fresh arugula, pickled red onion, dill chips – but a spoonful of coleslaw, or some sweet pickle relish along with an extra smother of sauce would be great.

Keep this baby in your back pocket for a summer cook out too – it works in all seasons!

Black Pepper Molasses Pulled Chicken Sliders (yield: 12 sliders)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard (I like Gulden’s)
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dark or light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 dozen mini hamburger buns
1 cup dill pickle chips
1 1/2 cups pickled red onion
Barbecue sauce, for serving (I like this one from W-S)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot or French oven, whisk together the ketchup, mustard, molasses, cider vinegar, chicken broth, brown sugar, and spices. Warm over medium-low heat until the sauce comes to a simmer. This is a good time to taste the sauce if you want to make adjustments.

Meanwhile, trim the chicken breasts and dice into large pieces, about 1 inch square. Add the chicken pieces to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Cover the pot and place in the oven to braise the chicken for 50-60 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Allow the chicken to cool slightly and shred into pieces with two forks while still warm. It will appear at first that there is too much sauce, but as the chicken is shredded it will absorb the excess.

Serve on toasted mini hamburger buns with dill chips, pickled red onion (recipe below), coleslaw or fresh arugula.

Recipe adapted and rewritten from Cooking Light.

Quick Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients:
5 ounces (1 medium) red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Boiling Water

Instructions:
Boil 2 - 3 cups of water in a kettle. Peel and thinly slice the onion into approximately 1/4" slices or half-moons.

In the container you plan to store the onions, add the sugar, salt, vinegar and flavorings. Stir to dissolve.

Place the peeled and sliced onions in a sieve and place the sieve in the sink. Slowly pour the boiling water over the onions and let them drain. Add the onions to the jar and stir gently to evenly distribute the flavorings. Seal the jar and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

The onions will be ready in about 30 minutes, but are better after a few hours. Store in the refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks but are best in the first week.

Recipe rewritten from The Kitchn.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, indeed! For the pulled chicken I used my trusty 5.5 quart French oven, a large cutting board, serrated utility knife, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, a rubber spatula, and two dinner forks.

The quick pickled red onions need a teakettle or pot (for boiling the water), medium jam jar or other glass container, small cutting board, chef’s knife, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons.

Guacamole Salad | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Guacamole Salad** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Girls That Grill”

The Set-up: Ina and some lady friends are showing the guys how it’s done with their own cookout. Laura’s hosting, Valerie is setting the table and providing granddaughters.

The Menu: East Hampton Clam Chowder, Blue Cheese Burgers, Guacamole Salad, Chocolate and Vanilla Sundaes

0:39 – As Ina describes the premise of the episode I realize that she’s doing all the cooking, while the others just bring table settings. The least they could do is bring beer!

1:10 – First up, and frankly most important: the Blue Cheese Burgers. Pro Tip #1: use a combination of ground chuck (moisture, aka fat content) and ground sirloin (flavor.)

2:51 – Ina forks together the ground beef with breadcrumbs, steak sauce and eggs before forming the patties. How do we feel about this meatloaf-esque mix? I'm not so sure….

3:36 – While the burgers chill before the party, we get an interlude with Laura (the hostess) at her oceanfront home. I take it back, all she needs to do is keep paying the mortgage; I’ll bring the beer.

4:44 – We’re back with Ina to make the Chocolate Sauce sundaes. In her catering days she’d make sundaes for the children at family barbecues and fancy desserts for the adults, but guess who wanted sundaes too? Sundaes = crowd-pleaser.

5:12 – Pro Tip #2: add a little brewed coffee to bring out the chocolate flavor. This is a classic Ina recommendation, but worth repeating.

8:49 – Road trip! Ina’s taking us to The Seafood Shop to buy the clams for East Hampton Clam Chowder.

9:18 – We get a brief lesson on clams (steamers = best for linguini with clam sauce, little necks = small & expensive) as she searches for the right clams for chowder. Colin, our Seafood Shop rep, comes to the rescue with chowder clams that fortunately have already been shucked. How convenient….

10:37 – Back in the kitchen to start the chowder the best way: onions sautéed in butter. Always a good decision.

11:14 – Over to Valerie for a table setting discussion. Ah-ha! Valerie seems to own a home décor shop and now I understand why she’s in charge of the table. I’m betting there won’t be a paper plate in sight!

12:59 – Onward with the clam chowder! Ina makes a case for fresh clam juice, and while I’d like to tease her about this the idea of bottled clam juice gives me the chills

13:06 – Next, the roux (melted butter + flour + whisking) and Ina give us a super helpful Pro Tip #3: to prevent flour-y lumps whisk a ladle of the hot clam stock into the roux before adding it to the larger pot.

14:23 – Now I see why the clam juice is so important. The diced clams, which only need to cook for 2 minutes, are added at the very end and don’t really have time to flavor the chowder.

15:02 – This chowder looks so, so good. I’d love to be near the ocean with a cup and some oyster crackers right now….

19:17 – Time for the Guacamole Salad, which is essentially the vegetables you’d find in guac but diced larger and tossed in a lime vinaigrette.

20:29 – Ina mentions that she doesn’t like really hot dishes, so I’m surprised that she’s adding jalapeños to the salad. Honestly, I usually skip them when I make guacamole.

22:34 – A little last minute prep montage – charcoal chimneys being filled, tomatoes being sliced, paper napkins being put into Mini Coopers – all set to the Barefoot Contessa “things-are-afoot” music.

23:15 – Two things: one, that is a GIANT cooler; and two, Ina is super Prepared (capital P) with storage containers.

27:36 – I can’t tell what time of year this is, but if I had to guess I’d say September. Valerie’s granddaughters are rocking their cable knit sweaters (grey & lemon yellow if you’re wondering.)

28:03 – Laura is put in charge of the grill, but I saw her and Ina both pressing down on the Blue Cheese Burgers with a spatula, which is a no-no. Ladies, I know it’s tempting, but you know better than that! Think of the juices!

28:52 – The granddaughters decline the blue cheese, but earn their keep by helping with the Guacamole Salad.

29:41 – Last but not least: a toast to girls grilling (and ruling!) with the Chocolate and Vanilla Sundaes. That’s my kind of toast…yum.

Final Thoughts:

These are all really approachable recipes that I could honestly imagine at a back yard cook-out.

I love New England Clam Chowder and if I could get Colin to shuck the clams for me I think I could actually manage it.

I wonder who drew the short straw and had to clean up after dinner? I’m guessing Valerie’s daughter…

Lessons Learned:

I love, love, love guacamole so I was really interested to try the Guacamole Salad which seems to be a slightly healthier twist on a classic. This recipe consists almost entirely of chopping produce, so if you can dice bell peppers and rinse black beans you’ll be in good shape.

I’m kind of fussy when it comes to prepping vegetables and in this case I focused on keeping the major components (i.e. the tomatoes, peppers, avocado) medium-diced and what I consider the ‘flavoring’ ingredients (red onion, garlic, jalapeño) minced quite small. Biting into a giant chunk of any of those ingredients is not my favorite.

I was looking for a moderate spice, not a blast of hot jalapeño, so I also de-seeded. Depending on your preferences I’d adjust the size/seeds/amount accordingly. I'd also suggest adding some chopped fresh cilantro if you’re sure everyone likes it (I do.)

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, definitely. I used a medium bowl to mix together the vegetables, a medium sieve for draining and rinsing the black beans, a medium cutting board, a chef’s knife, a small paring knife, and a large spoon for tossing the ingredients together.

For the dressing you’ll need a liquid measuring cup, microplane grater, and measuring spoons.

The Verdict:

I made Guacamole Salad to bring as a side dish to a cookout we were attending in Connecticut. I wanted something fresh, a little unusual, and portable since we were taking the train out to the suburbs – this absolutely fits the bill for all three.

One note of caution: this salad isn’t the best choice if it’s going to sit on a buffet table for very long. Definitely wait until the last possible second before serving to add the diced avocado, otherwise it begins to turn brown and slightly disintegrate in the dressing (not very appealing.) I brought whole avocados with me and borrowed a knife to prepare them before we ate.

However, the flavors are bright with a nice balance of acidity from the lime juice, and spice from the jalapeño and cayenne. I’d definitely make this again as an accompaniment to burgers or serve as a dip with tortilla chips.