How often do you find yourself looking for new sauces, marinades, or dry rubs? Well, if you’re looking to get your hands on something different, I’m going to steer your palate to the region of Western New York.
Over the years, I have traveled to Western New York — Buffalo to be more specific — many times. I enjoy hunting down steak houses, barbecue spots, and Mom-and Pop eateries. Sure, Anchor Bar has their tourist trap wings; but I prefer the more “local’s” spot, Duff’s. The region’s famous “Beef on Weck” from the Anchor Bar is second to none. Dinosaur BBQ sure is a great pit stop to make in Syracuse on the drive up but ultimately, you want to find a Wegman’s, and pick yourself up a bottle of Chiavetta’s marinade. Don’t worry. We live in the 21st century, so you can order this marinade online.
Chiavetta’s is one of the best marinades I have ever used. I make my own sauces, marinades and rubs, but this one comes in as my most recommended item that is not made by yours truly. The city of Buffalo has a special place in my heart, but I promise, this review is truly unbiased.
Whether you have a heavy hand, or prefer just a mild flavor, there is no wrong way in how to utilize what I like to consider “the nectar of the heavens.” I encourage you to drown chicken thighs, bone-in, or skinless and boneless, in Chiavetta’s in a Zip-lock bag for a minimum of two hours prior to grilling. With this marinade – as with practically any marinade — grilling is the style of cooking you’ll want to roll with. If you enjoy wings or legs, more power to you. However, chicken thighs possess a higher fat content and will absorb this particular marinade perfectly. You can let them rest in the marinade overnight if you want an even more powerful flavor, but I recommend just a couple of hours.
As many of us know, chicken is done when the temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear. If you’re using a thermometer, make sure it’s properly calibrated; stick it in the fattest point, and away from the bone. Obviously you’ll want to check temperatures with the meat off of the cooking surface. One of my favorite sides to serve with chicken is zucchini. A simple half rotation on the grill provides esthetically pleasing grill marks.
Summer may be coming to an end, but with me, the grilling season is all year round. Please follow me on Instagram @whatjimmycooks and if you’d like to get my opinion on anything food related, have questions or comments, or just want to have some table talk, feel free to email me at [email protected]
