Mop for chickens, old school

[giggler]

I'm having difficulty with a "style" off BBQ from Central Tx.

here in Texas small towns there are bbq's usually after church or for the volunteer fire dept. to raise funds...

the style is a "pit" usually of "cinder block" with a metal lid..

a "bond" fire is started the night before, probably oak, with maybe some pecan and/ or mesquite, burned down to coals then shoveled in...

then whole chickens (maybe 20?) are put over the coals on a grate, then the lid is closed, then I think, Mopped about every 30 min. or so with a rather clear baste...

after many games of dominoes, the chickens come off and are 1/4 'd and sold..

There really is no sauce. the chicken is sort of Golden Brown and very moist..

I think this is a closely guarded secret of " The Knights of Columbus" and the VFD..

I think the "Mop" is like chicken broth , melted butter, and some spices? But they won't let anyone near the pit!

Thanks, Eric, Austin Tx.

 

[buckytom]

you make the chickens play dominoes over the hot coals?

that's so cool.

i've gotta get to texas someday.

 

[quicksilver]

Who cares? Let's eat!!!

No, just kidding. Sounds delicious.
I'm curious too.

​

 

[pacanis]

You're making my mouth water
Seems like the butter would cause a lot of flareups, but I wouldn't rule it out. OJ as a base maybe? That seems to be a popular choice around here in various mops, but we aren't exactly the BBQ capital of the world

 

[Uncle Bob]

Oil, vinegar, spices......

 

[redgriller]

A mop I use for Q is 1 part apple cider vinegar to 1 part oil. Kind of like a vinaigrette. I put it in a spray bottle and mist the meat. I used to use butter, but butter can congeal and clog the spray nozzle, but as a mop you keep in a pan and warm on the smoker, butter is a great way to go.

 

[college_cook]

Oil, vinegar, spices......

That was my guess. If you're just brushing a liquid onto this bird, think the vinegar would probably pack more flavor than many other methods.

I seem to recall something like this, maybe from south carolina, referred to as white BBQ? I don't think it was unlike the ingredients Bob listed, but I'm a little fuzzy on it.

 

[Uncle Bob]

seem to recall something like this, maybe from south carolina, referred to as white BBQ? I don't think it was unlike the ingredients Bob listed, but I'm a little fuzzy on it.

My guess would be you are thinking of Big Bob Gibson's(Decatur Ala.) white BBQ sauce...which is a mayonnaise based sauce, or maybe more correctly stated it contains a lot mayonnaise. His sauce has a large following in mostly Northern Ala....I think. he has restaurants in Ala, and one in.... North Carolina?....I think

 

[letscook]

Here in New york state - this is what we used for all our church and fire dept BBq's
always a big hit.

It is great and especially if you can marniate it ahead of time.
Just remenber you can't save the marnate that the chicken has soaked in.
I make a huge batch and store it all summer and take out for each use.
I somtimes will go 1/2 vinegar 1/2 lemon juice
also sometimes i add chopped garlic to the marinate.
you also can find it on the interent under cornell barbque sauce. i think they have a site.

CORNELL BARBECUE SAUCE
(enough for 10 halves)
1 cup cooking oil
1 pint cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons salt ( yes it seems like alot but it isn't when done)
1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
Beat the egg, then add the oil and beat again. Add other ingredients and stir.
Brush sauce on the broiler halves every few minutes during cooking.
Leftover sauce can be stored in a glass jar
in the refrigerator for several weeks.

 

[Jeekinz]

Cool. Thanks for posting, Letscook!

 

[giggler]

Chickens playing Dominoes! Thats a million dollar idea! I'll have to "noodle" that for a bit...

But i can add this...

2 blocks up the street from my house is a really old "bar" called Jenny's Little Longhorn..

Really nice folks.. they play Chicken Bingo every Fri. nite..

The Matron ( Jenny?) goes out back and grabs her pet Rooster..

He's a Bandy little guy and they have this big cage in the bar, the floor is a "grid" of numbers and letters, everyone gets a free Bingo card at the door..

Then after a few minutes to let the Rooster calm down they throw in a handful of bird seed... the Rooster starts pecking around and the Matron watches him and after he "pecks" on B then 12, she yells out B12!

there's much Hootin' and Hollerin', and I think if you win, the prize is a Round of drinks for the bar!...

Gosh this is embarasing... but I'd bet even money that Micheal of FW. has been there... I think it is a "course" requirement to graduate from the Univ. of Texas..

Ha Ha, Eric, Austin Tx.

 

[giggler]

more to the point..

I don't think there is any vinegar in the "mop"..

I've tried many recipes for North Carolina sauces...

and Texas stuff is just way different..

I mean lets face it , when NC. sauces start with 2cps vinegar and 2 tbs. catsup..

and Tx. sauces start with 2cps catsup and 2 tbs. vinegar, there's really no way to reconcile that...

Eric, Austin Tx.

 

[Uncle Bob]

So the mop you are looking for is it Red....or mostly clear ?????

 

[giggler]

Mostly clear, but Yellow!

I'm thinking like Chicken broth, maybe a bit of vinegar, then "some" red spices...

Central Tx. is heavily German/ Czech. American so probably a little Paprika, but also a bit of Mexican flavor like Cumin.. or Chili powder...

Then probably thined quite a bit with Beer!

Eric, Austin Tx.

ps. the chickens come out so yellow, I'm wondering if maybe they put in egg yolks...

 

[Grillncook]

In Texas, I'm thinking there might be a little adobo seasoning in there also, that's probably where the Mexican taste comes from. I might also try a little lemon or lime juice, probably lemon, in it instead of the vinegar. It would still give you your acid base but not quite as heavy as vinegar. If there is any heat to the sauce, then I'd start thinking chipotle, or cayenne, or even some Tabasco Sauce . Unless there is a distinct chili taste, I'd probably rule out chili powder. Where is the place in Austin ? I'll try to grab a taste next time I'm up that way. I can usually put something together if I can taste the original.

There's a VFD in Goodwood, Delaware that cooks 5000 chicken halves a weekend, that uses a sauce similar to what you are asking about. It's on the main road, Rt. 13, up and down the Eastern Shore of VA, MD, and DE and it's a must stop place. If you are ever in the area, and see the sign that says "Chickens Done", it's worth stopping. I asked the Captain for the recipe but was told that it's a closely held secret.

 

[Jeekinz]

Clarified butter with some herbs and spices maybe?

 

[kitchenelf]

I doubt there is any egg yolk - - - you say there is not much of a vinegar flavor...mmmmmmmmm........when I do my chickens like this I don't even baste them (I have thought about it but I hate to loose the heat and the smoke every 30 minutes). Sounds like butter for sure, could be chicken broth...I've made a bbq sauce with butter, vinegar, and crushed red pepper before but it doesn't sound like that's what this mop is.

Will definitely have to give this some thought.

 

[Jeekinz]

I recently made a mop for pork chops that was a melted butter base with crushed garlic and dried herbs. Tasted fantastic.

 

[MJK]

Having survived many a chicken BBQ at the local fire department(s) that I belonged to at one time or another here is the basic recipe for white sauce

1 quart white vinegar
1 pound melted butter (do not substitute)
1/2 cup salt

Mix well and use liberally. Keep warm by setting the pan or sprayer near the fire to keep the butter melted. Have a water spray handy (fire hose, garden hose, wildfire backpack pump) to quell flareups. You can use a clean spray bottle that has neve had any chemmicals in it for home.

An old Texan who led the cookin in one of my companies would add spices to the mix that might have included oregano, garlic powder and who knows what else. He never told us peons. He also swore by using "nutwood" for the fire and charcoal was for sissies. He used to start the fire at 4 am for a a noon bbq. The chickens would go on about 6 as I recall.

 

[hambone1955]

mop

Sounds like the bbq's at the Catholic War Veterans Post. I use to see my dad and his compadres cook for big crowds. The veterans post has a Outdoor cinderblock cook house the pits have large metal covers and the hot coals and shoveled in from the outside doors the smoke is vented through metal pipes through the roof they probaly cook over fifty bird at a time along with brisqet and sausage. If I can remember the sop ingredients included cooking oil, salt ,pepper,worschester ,onions, lemons, and maybe garlic powder, . Those old guy's could could cook some mouth watering BBQ no to mention the beans/boracho. My dad and most of the old ww2 members have passed on to the big BBq pit in Heaven....