Firemen's Field Day Chicken Barbecue is my favorite way to grill chicken! In the original recipe the meat is marinated in a seasoned oil and vinegar solution for at least 24 hours. I changed the cooking method just a tiny bit by parboiling my chicken right in the marinade. Once it's parboiled, I finish it off on the grill!
This Firemen's Field Day Chicken Barbecue recipe takes me back to my youth. The Hermon Fireman's Field Day was a Sunday event that we always wanted to attend. The marinade they use on their barbecue is the absolute best and to smell it on the grill cooking is sublime!
At the field day barbecue, there always was an abundance of food. From baked beans, to potato, macaroni, or tossed salad. The dessert was not to be forgotten and you could always count on the pies to be homemade by locals!
I remember when the firemen would come by our home before the Field Day event. They would drop off foil pie tins for the locals to donate pies in. I remember my Mom and Nanny taking those tins and making pies for the Firemen's Field Day! That always made dessert at the field day special.
Recipe Tip!
Parboiling your chicken in the marinade helps infuse more of that delicious flavor!
I don't like starting from raw on the grill with chicken. For this reason I add another step to the famous Firemen's Field Day Chicken Barbecue. That step would be parboiling to partially cook before grilling. I want to be confident that when you cut into the chicken I barbecued for you, that your not going to find raw meat!
When you parboil the chicken in the marinade, it infuses more of that vinegary yumminess into the chicken. This also helps the skin to crisp up real nice on the grill. I tend to think the egg in the solution helps with that crispy skin part too!
When I make this barbecue for us at home, I serve it with grilled onions and a tossed salad. I also love to put a nice heaping tablespoon of spicy salsa on my tossed salad.
Be sure to pin Firemen's Field Day Chicken Barbecue
for your next cookout!
If you have not tried making Firemen's Field Day Chicken Barbecue, then why not print the recipe right now and give it a try!
📖 Recipe
Firemen's Field Day Barbecue Chicken
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 1 cup oil
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, poultry seasoning and egg.
- Place leg quarters in large dutch oven. Pour marinade over chicken.
- Refrigerate at least 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, remove chicken from refrigerator. Keep in the dutch oven and just place on your stove top. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Turn heat down to medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Let sit for 10 minutes to cool. Meanwhile, pre-heat your grill for the final cook.
- When grill is hot, remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Place chicken on grate. Cook for about 10 minutes on each side until chicken is no longer pink inside.
Lisa O says
What is the best way to prepare this if you're taking it camping and just want to heat it up and serve it? Should I grill it and freeze it? or freeze it after parboiling it and then grill it once it thaws out? Looking for simple things for camping off grid and prep-ahead.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Lisa, I think if I were taking this camping - I would not parboil it at all. I would marinate it for 24 hours before I planned to grill it, then cook it on the grill over indirect heat until cooked through. I wouldn't precook and freeze, I'd be afraid of it drying out. I hope this will help!
Catherine Hunt says
This is the most amazing chicken, the best I have ever had!!!!
Janet says
Can u make this a instant pot recipe
Shelby Law Ruttan says
This is a grilling recipe, and is made this way because it has a unique flavor due to it being cooked on the grill. You may be able to cook the chicken in the instant pot (just use your manual for the time and setting), but I recommend putting it on the grill at the end to give it that charred flavor.
ValGal says
tried ...with thighs ... I was worried (me on the grill) so I did it sort of covertly and brought in my finished "masterpieces" (did the ten minutes per side and temp checked ... well flipped a little less than ten on the first side ... I had some smaller ones that were edging towards burn haha, i mean char). Set them to the cool side of my grill while I also grilled some B/S Chicken breasts ... my other half gobbled the thigh down, then said, let's go show my parents and have them try it ... again, why I did this covertly, I wasn't giving myself a chance. Anyway, she approved as well, which as we ladies knows, when the MIL eats it and says it is okay...we know we did A okay!!! on a side note, the recipe I have from back home uses 3 TBSP of salt, so I was excited to see that cut back, and they also use a pinch of white pepper... that shall go into the next attempt! for comparison ... I didn't want to be THAT person that says they did things differently then ... say how great or awful it was... anyway, spot on, and the boiling part was an awesome addition...the thighs came out crispy on the outside and juicy/moist/tender on the inside! It reminded me of a good piece of fried chicken in that aspect. Thanks for sharing your recipe, I am looking forward to perusing your arsenal for some more gems!
Catherine Voci says
We don't have a grill do you think it could be done under a broiler or air fryer?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Catherine! I would DEFINITELY try it in the air fryer! You could either skip parboiling it and just marinate it for a full day first. Then cook on 350 until it is done. OR you could par boil it, then put it in the air fryer to try to crisp up the skin on 400 (that is the highest setting on my air fryer) (if your using chicken with skin on). I would only try broiling it if you par boiled it, then put it under to crisp the skin up, just watch it closely. Let me know how it works! Thanks for checking 🙂
David @ Spiced says
Laura always takes about a local amusement park and the chicken they would make there. It wasn't a fire house, but it sounds similar to your memories of the firemen's field day! It's hard to beat a good barbecued chicken, and this looks amazing! Putting it on the menu now. 🙂
Carolyn says
This looks delicious!
Jennifer says
This looks so delicious!
Crystal Faulkner says
This recipe is so amazing!!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
There is usually too much rain in Scotland for a BBQ, well very often anyway, but this year we have had nearly 4 months of sunshine which is unheard of so lots of BBQ recipes here too.
Claudia Lamascolo says
I just love that char on this chicken that is my favorite part of any grilled chicken and this barbecue looks fabulous! Now I am wishing for some!
Danielle says
That chicken is making me drool. I love the idea of parboiling in the marinade - I'll have to try it!
Shawn Szalewski says
Do you need the egg in the marinade?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Shawn, the egg is part of what makes this recipe what it is. I highly recommend using it. However, if you don't use eggs, you can eliminate it. When I first was given this recipe I found it odd there was egg, but I went ahead with it anyway and have been very happy with ever since. I think something about the egg and vinegar solution makes the chicken juicier and gives it a coating that grills up extra nice.
Linda Nortje says
This looks so good and easy to make too ! I can see my family will love these chicken quarters !
Kelly Anthony says
This chicken looks so tasty. I mean look at that skin. It looks crispy and delicious. Can't wait to try this recipe