Type what you have

Ingredients

• ✓ applewood
• strawberry
• white sugar
• balsamic vinegar
• thyme
• kosher salt
• lavender
• salt
• black pepper
• chicken thigh

Instructions

1. 1 Prepare the strawberry gastrique: Puree strawberries in a blender on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
2. 2 Cook sugar in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted, amber in color, and nutty in aroma, about 5 minutes. Carefully add vinegar (mixture will crystallize immediately and begin to boil) and reduce heat to low. Cook sugar mixture, stirring frequently, until crystallized sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add strawberry puree and thyme and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt. Cover to keep warm until ready to use.
3. 3 Prepare chicken: Open the bottom vent of a grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with briquettes. When briquettes are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate of grill, and then push to 1 side of grill. Place 3 to 4 applewood chunks on top of hot coals. Coat top grate with oil. Cover grill and insert an instant-read thermometer into a vent in the lid.
4. 4 Stir together lavender, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle chicken thighs evenly and liberally with lavender mixture.
5. 5 Place chicken thighs on the preheated grill, skin-side up, over the side without coals. Cover and smoke, maintaining temperature inside smoker between 225 and 250 degrees F (107 to 120 degrees C), for 1 1/2 hours. Brush with 1/4 cup gastrique, cover again, and smoke until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 170 degrees F (76 degrees C), 15 to 30 more minutes.
6. 6 Transfer chicken thighs to a large plate or platter and brush lightly with another 1/4 cup gastrique. Let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with remaining gastrique, if desired.

By John Somerall

Ingredients

• ✓ applewood
• water
• brown sugar
• salt
• black peppercorn
• garlic
• bay leaf
• rosemary
• lemon
• chicken thigh
• black pepper
• salt

Instructions

1. 1 Whisk together water, brown sugar, 1 cup kosher salt, black peppercorns, garlic cloves, and bay leaves in a large saucepan until sugar and salt dissolve. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
2. 2 Carefully pour brine mixture into a large heat-proof container and stir in rosemary sprigs and lemon slices. Place in the refrigerator until completely chilled, about 2 hours.
3. 3 Add chicken thighs to the chilled brine. Place a small plate on top of chicken thighs to ensure they stay submerged, then cover container with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate chicken thighs in brine for at least 6 hours, or up to 24 hours.
4. 4 Open the bottom vent of a grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with briquettes. When briquettes are covered with gray ash, pour them onto bottom grate of the grill, and then push to 1 side of the grill. Place 3 to 4 applewood chunks on top of hot coals. Coat top grate with oil; place on grill. Cover and insert an instant-read thermometer into a vent in the lid; maintain a temperature between 225 and 250 degrees F (107 and 120 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. 5 Remove chicken thighs from brine and pat dry with paper towels, removing as much moisture on the surface of the thighs as possible. Sprinkle evenly with black pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
6. 6 Place chicken thighs on the preheated grill, skin-side up, over the side without coals. Cover and smoke until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
7. 7 Transfer chicken thighs to a large plate or platter and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

By John Somerall