On this week's installment of the TODAY Food Loves Football series, grillmaster Matt Moore is stopping by to share a few of his favorite tailgating recipes from his cookbook, "Serial Griller: Grillmaster Secrets for Flame-Cooked Perfection." He shows us how to make East Nashville-style hot chicken with pickles and smoky spareribs seasoned with fresh Greek flavors.
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Being a long-time resident of East Nashville, I'm hesitant to even include this recipe. I still have not come to terms with Nashville's rapid ascent as a city, or the fact that hot chicken has become our food of export. Most folks incorrectly liken hot chicken to Buffalo-style chicken. Classic hot chicken includes a paste — almost a batter — of molten butter or oil, sugar and spice that's a deep heat that hits you more in the gut than tongue. The classic hot chicken is fried, but this grilled spin is awesome. Serve the usual way, with soft white bread and tart dill pickles.
Alabama is famous for having some of the best 'cue in the barbecue belt. In addition to the state's creamy white sauce for barbecue chicken, Greek immigrants to Alabama are credited with cooking up some of the best ribs around. You can actually trace Greek influence throughout the barbecue belt, from the Carolina's to Kansas City. Cooked over hardwood charcoal or wood fires, the heavily dry-rubbed ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, tangy and divine. The rules for basting the ribs with the vinegar and honey mixture are loose, but if you want my rule, I say to baste when you pop off the top of each fresh cold beer.
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