A Cornell professor used science to make perfect BBQ chicken. Here’s how to do it

Getting philosophical about whether the chicken or the egg that the egg came first (it’s an egg with hundreds of millions of years) is all well and good, but it won’t help to dinner on the tableFor the best BBQ of your life, you need chicken And an egg, together with some apple cider vinegarsimple poultry spices, oil and a hot grill.

I’m talking about Cornell Chicken, an iconic summer grilling recipe based on food science and developed by inventor and professor of food and poultry science at Cornell University, Dr. Robert C. Baker.

Baker wrote the proverbial book on barbecue chicken after extensive recipe testing in the 1950s. “Cornell chicken,” as it’s now called, is simple but widely regarded as one of the best marinades and barbecue sauces for chicken. You’ll find Cornell chicken in restaurants, especially in upstate New York where the university is located, at family picnics, and at food fairs and festivals across the country.

Backed by science, Cornell chicken combines an unusual element, a beaten egg, to add a creamy coating and protection to keep the skin from burning. There’s also poultry seasoning for a deeper flavor and vinegar to add a tangy tang and help the marinade penetrate the meat. Most recipes succeed when they’re balanced or “bloomed,” and Cornell chicken is a great example of simple elements coming together to create a more perfect union.

If you’re wondering how to make Cornell chicken, it’s easy: It uses just five ingredients and a similar cooking method to traditional barbecue chicken. This chicken marinade is vinegar-based, so it’s more Carolina-style than the sweet Kansas City or St. Louis styles. Baker recommends using a charcoal grill to prevent unruly flames from cooking the skin unevenly.

How to Make the Perfect Cornell Chicken

Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces with bone
• 1/2 cup vegetable cooking oil
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 beaten egg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Step 1: Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
• Step 2: Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least three hours and up to 24 hours.
• Step 3Place the breaded chicken on a medium-high grill (Baker recommends charcoal), reserving any remaining marinade.
• Step 4: Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the chicken and basting the chicken with any remaining sauce every five minutes. The basting should be light at first and become heavier toward the end of cooking.
• Step 5: Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can you make Cornell chicken in an air fryer?

Yes, and that’s what I did. I put half of my batch in the air fryer and the other half over a hot flame as Baker intended. Both methods worked well. The grill gave me a slightly more caramelized char, while the air fryer was faster and required less cleanup.

Can you use any type of chicken for Cornell chicken?

Baker original recipe calls for broilers (small whole chickens), but this recipe can be applied to any bone-in, skinless chicken. You can use boneless, skinless chicken, but you won’t get that coveted crispy skin that Baker’s Cornell Chicken recipe delivers.

If you don’t feel like making your own sauce, these are the best bottled BBQ sauces we’ve tried.