Carolina Chicken Bog

Preparation

For the stock:
Place the chicken, peppercorns, celery, carrots, thyme, crushed pepper, and fat in a large stock pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl or container. Don’t skim or otherwise remove the fat from the stock though—it will help flavor the bog.

Let the chicken cool and then pick the meat, setting it aside for the bog recipe that follows. The broth will store for up to a week in the fridge, but as you’re using the meat for the bog, I’d recommend making the bog within 1 to 2 days.

For the Chicken Bog:
Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the chicken you set aside when making the stock, rice, sausage, and black pepper. Bring back to a boil and taste for seasoning. You might want to add a bit of salt at this point.

Reduce to a simmer, cover with the lid, and cook on low for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice in the first 5 minutes and then leaving the lid on. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, add the peas, and stir up everything.

Serve immediately. I like garnishing with Texas Pete hot sauce.

Reprinted with permission from Buxton Hall Barbecue’s Book of Smoke: Wood-Smoked Meats, Sides, and More by Elliott Moss, copyright © 2016. Recipe, text, and photos reprinted with the permission of publisher.