Maple Meets Misty Knoll

Who knew that BBQ sauce could be wholesome, right? Andy couldn’t quite believe his eyes when he saw the maple BBQ chicken planned for dinner. (Let's just say that BBQ isn't a big theme in our household.)

I felt good serving it because, other than the ketchup as a little shortcut, this sauce was made from scratch and I knew every ingredient going in to it (the color comes from ground paprika). The maple syrup gives it a sweet, caramelized taste.

To make roasted chicken with maple BBQ sauce, roast Misty Knoll chicken thighs at 400 degrees for about 1 hour, or until golden brown and bubbly. Make the sauce below, and in the final five minutes glaze the chicken with this sauce. This batch makes enough to have leftovers another day if you use just one package of chicken.

Maple BBQ Sauce
½ cup medium-bodied ale (I used Wolaver’s brown ale)
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup cider vinegar
½ cup ketchup
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. coarse kosher salt
 
Whisk together ingredients and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Broil, grill, or roast chicken, pork, beef, or salmon and brush the sauce on for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
 
From Cooking with Shelburne Farms
 
Maple