Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Any Time

bTyler Florence/bis the bestselling author of two previous cookbooks,iEat This Book/iandiTyler Florence's Real Kitchen/i, and the star of Food Network's Tyler's Ultimate. Tyler lives in New York City.bTHE ULTIMATE BARBECUED CHICKEN/bbrTime: About 1 hour, plus briningbrbrThe simple process of brining takes barbecued chicken from pedestrian to mouthwatering in as little as 15 minutes. And the sauce....bring an extra stack of napkins because you're going to be licking it off your elbows!brbrServes 4 to 6brbrBrine:br2 quarts waterbr2 tablespoons kosher saltbr1/4 cup brown sugarbr2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knifebr4 sprigs fresh thymebr2 chickens (3 1/2 to 4 pounds each), quarteredbrbrThe Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:br1 slice baconbr1 bunch fresh thymebrExtra-virgin olive oilbr1/2 onionbr2 garlic clovesbr2 cups ketchupbr1/4 cup brown sugarbr1/4 cup molassesbr2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegarbr1 tablespoon dry mustardbr1 teaspoon ground cuminbr1 teaspoon smoked paprikabrFreshly ground black pepperbrbrFor the brine, combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme in a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.brbrMeanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat a 2-count of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add your thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors.brbrPreheat an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat.