Big Bob Gibson’s Chicken in ’Bama White Sauce

At Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, they smoke chickens and dip them in a bucket of white barbecue sauce. It is not like any barbecue sauce you have ever tasted, and it has become a major thang in Alabama.

Makes 3 or 4 servings

Takes 10 minutes to prep, about 45 minutes to cook

• 1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups Alabama White Sauce (page 181)

1. Prep. Cut the chickens into 6 parts: 2 drumstick and thigh combos, 2 breasts, and 2 wings. Sprinkle the pieces liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Let the salt soak into the meat in the fridge for a couple of hours.

2. Fire up. Get your smoker up to 225°F or set up the grill for two-zone cooking and shoot for about 225°F on the indirect side. Get some smoke rolling.

3. Cook. Place the chicken skin side up on the indirect side of the grill. Check the temperature of each piece independently because they will cook at different rates. When all parts hit about 145°F, move the pieces to the hot side of the grill, skin side down. When they reach 160°F, paint them generously on all sides with the sauce. Serve immediately.