Smoky BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

1 cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup honey
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 small shallots, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
¾ cup olive oil
Two-3 ½ lbs chickens

Marinate the chicken : In a bowl, blend together the vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Put the chickens in a 2 gallon resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal and turn to thoroughly coat the chickens. Refrigerate overnight, turning a few times.

Mop

½ cup dry white wine, ½ cup apple juice Combine the wine and apple juice in a spray bottle or small bowl.

Drain the chickens. Set them on a large rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle all over with the rub, inside and out.

Set the chicken breast side up on the grill grate over the drip pan, with their cavities facing the coals. Cover and cook for 2 hours, spraying the chickens with the mop every hour. Check the thermometer to maintain a temperature of 250° to 275° F.

After 2 hours, turn the chickens 90° F, still breast side up, so their sides are facing the heat. Be careful When turning the chickens to keep the juices inside the cavities. Spray the chickens with the mop. Cover and cook for 1 hour, then turn the chickens so that their opposite sides are facing the heat. Spray again, then cover and cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours longer, until a thermometer inserted in the inner thigh reads 170° F.

Transfer the chickens to a rimmed baking sheet.

Pour the cavity juices into a serving bowl. Let the chickens rest for 10 minutes. Cut off the whole legs and transfer them to a platter. Slice the breast meat off the bone and transfer to the platter. Add any accumulated juices to the serving bowl.

Serve the chicken with the juices and your favorite BBQ sauce.