Recipe: BBQ Chicken with Homemade Sauce & Steakfries

This is one of our regular weeknight meals that I make often, however, this is the first time I've made-it-from scratch.  In Micheal Pollen's Food Rules: An Eater's Manual he says it's okay to have french fries and such, but just to make it yourself instead of driving through a fast food joint to get it.  This makes sense as we're less tempted to eat these all the time if we have to go through the effort of making them.  These steak fries though, are worth it ;o)

I wanted to reduce the amount of sugar in our barbeque sauce so I made it myself.  Our favourite way to serve it is baked in the oven on chicken drumsticks.  Here's a great recipe for it and how to make this tastey chicken dish.  If you have a homemade barbeque sauce recipe, please share it in the comments as I'd like to try to make some different varieties.

HOMEMADE BARBEQUE SAUCE
from Barbeque-Smoker-Recipes.com

1 400g can of chopped tomatoes or 1 cup of ketchup (I used 28oz. can crushed organic tomatoes)
6 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons vinegar
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry English mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed (I used minced garlic)
A pinch of salt and pepper
Red Chillies / Chili Sauce to your taste (I used Louisianna Hot Sauce, a shake or two)

Just throw everything into the saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 45 mins or so until you have a nice thick sauce.  Remember, you can always vary chilies and garlic to suit.

BBQ CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS FROM THE OVEN
adapted from Kraft Canada Recipe
8 chicken drumsticks
2-4 cups barbeque sauce
2 dashes hot sauce

Preheat oven to 400.  Place chicken drumsticks on foil-lined cookie sheet, sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake 20 minutes, then remove chicken drumsticks from cookie sheet and place in large bowl of barbeque sauce to coat.  Return to sheet and bake 30 more minutes.

STEAK FRIES
from e-how.com

4 to 5 medium russet potatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Dried herbs, salt and pepper
 
Preheat the oven to high, or 450 degrees. Toaster ovens work well for this recipe and save energy.
Start with 4 or 5 medium-sized russet potatoes and cut into thin, about 1/2 to 1 inch, wedges.

Spread the potato wedges out on a cookie sheet. Coat the potatoes with extra-virgin olive oil using a basting brush. Sprinkle with dried herbs and steak seasoning or salt and pepper. If you don't have any dried herbs, Mrs. Dash will work (I used Montreal Chicken Spice).

Cook potatoes in the oven for 25 minutes. Turn potatoes once with a spatula, about half way into the cooking time. Steak fries are done when they turn slightly brown on the cut sides. Serve fries hot from the oven with lots of ketchup and napkins.

Printable Recipe

Enjoy!

from the book "Bruin Furryball in the Toy-House"

Trnka-Menzel

Andrew Dakers, London