Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

In 1955, Ernest Morgado, a Honolulu businessman, served a group of farmers grilled chicken that had been marinated in his mother’s teriyaki-style sauce. It was such a hit that he decided to market it with the name “huli huli.” Huli huli means “turn, turn” in Hawaiian and refers to how it’s prepared: whole chickens grilled between two racks over a hot coals and Kiavi wood fire and turned slowly while cooking. This simplified version calls for chicken pieces and a standard grill. The original recipe is a trade secret, but you can find many slightly different variations on the internet, typically including ginger, garlic, soy sauce, something sweet (honey, brown sugar or maple syrup) and something acidic (vinegar, white wine, lime juice or pineapple juice). You may substitute Pineapple Teriyaki sauce which is very dark and also contains sesame seeds. It is available in many supermarkets (read the list of ingredients - look for pineapple, sugars, soy sauce, and ginger as necessary ingredients).

Ingredients

(Yield: 4 to 6 servings)

• ½ cup ketchup

• ½ cup soy sauce

• ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar

• ¼ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

• 1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated

• 3½ to 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken piece

• Grapeseed or canola oil, for brushing the grill grate

• 1 fresh pineapple

• 1 lb white rice

• (Optional… for the authentic Hawaiian Huli Huli chicken aroma) Mesquite wood chips. In Hawaii they use the wood of the Kiavi tree, which is a type of mesquite.

Preparation (marinate)

1. In a large bowl or a gallon size resealable plastic bag, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic, and stir or shake until combined.

2. Reserve and refrigerate ½ cup of the mixture for basting the chicken later.

3. Add the chicken to the remaining mixture, and stir or shake until evenly coated. If using a bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours, turning the chicken at least once.

Cooking

1. Start cooking the rice according to package directions (when done, remove from heat and cover).

2. Core the pineapple and cut into long spears.

3. Oil your grill grates well.

4. Heat the grill to medium (for charcoal, the grill is ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for 5 to 7 seconds).

5. (OPTIONAL) Place mesquite chips in wood chip tray / smoker box. Wait until you see smoke flowing out it is time to begin cooking.

6. Add the chicken to the grill, cover, and cook 25 to 35 minutes, turning every 5 minutes to keep the chicken from burning, and basting it with the reserved marinade after you turn it, until cooked through. (Cook times will vary depending on sizes and cuts of chicken pieces, so be sure to check for doneness: Meat should not be pink and the juices should run clear.)

7. Add the pineapple spears to the grill for the last 5 minutes, turning them to create grill marks.

8. Serve immediately with warm rice.