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Delmarva BBQ chicken recipe carnivore grilled over charcoal with tangy vinegar mustard sauce

Delmarva BBQ Chicken Carnivore

A carnivore-style grilled chicken basted in the tangy vinegar-mustard BBQ sauce signature to the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia). Bone-in chicken halves are brined overnight, then slow-cooked over indirect heat and glazed during the final 20 minutes for smoky, juicy meat with crisped skin and a bright, slightly sweet vinegar finish. Internal temperature must reach 165°F before serving.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

The Chicken
  • 1 whole chicken split into halves, or 4–6 bone-in skin-on pieces
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil for the skin
The Brine
  • 1 gallon cold water
  • 0.5 cup kosher salt
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Delmarva BBQ Sauce
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 cup yellow mustard
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1.5 tablespoons hot sauce to taste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt

Method
 

  1. Stir the brine ingredients in a large container until the salt and sugar dissolve. Submerge the chicken and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
  2. Whisk all the BBQ sauce ingredients together in a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Remove chicken from brine, pat completely dry, and rub the skin lightly with oil.
  4. Set up grill for indirect heat at 325–350°F (165–175°C). Place chicken skin-side up over indirect heat, cover, and cook for 35–40 minutes.
  5. Begin basting with the Delmarva BBQ sauce every 5 minutes for the final 20 minutes of cooking.
  6. Check that the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Move to direct heat briefly to crisp the skin if desired.
  7. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before cutting and serving with extra sauce on the side.

Notes

Brine the chicken for at least 4 hours — overnight is best for maximum moisture and flavor. Pat the chicken completely dry before grilling so the skin crisps rather than steams. Baste every 5 minutes during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before serving. The sauce can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored refrigerated.