With summer in full swing, we offer an homage to the beloved recipe by Robert Baker 43plus a tofu version for vegetarians! And as NPR recalls, they had one thing in mind: enjoying some of Robert Baker's barbecued chicken. One year later, his barbecue chicken recipe and cooking method were published in a bulletin by the Cornell Cooperative Extension (via Edible Finger Lakes). Say goodbye forever to charred skin, burnt sauce and undercooked meat. The late Dr. Robert C. Baker graduated from Cornell University in 1943 with a bachelor's degree in pomology, and in 1949, he joined the Department of Poultry Science as an assistant professor (via The Cornell Daily Sun). The action you just performed triggered the security solution. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Learn how to cook perfect steak every time! Connect with your Cornell family and enjoy books from a range of genres. Turn the chicken every 5 to 10 minutes and baste it with the sauce after each turn a little at first, then more and more as you get later in the process. Get FREE ACCESS to every recipe and rating from this season of our TV show. Quite a nice memory with very nice people . This was the sauce they used. When writing about it in 2019, theNew York Department of Agriculture and Markets referred to it as a regional dish. According to the Lansing Star Online Newspaper: Each year the Bakers set up shop in a big red building with covered seating on either side where customers line up for chicken dinners, wings, salt potatoes, salads and a whole menu of delicious choices. Cornell Chicken and chicken nuggets alone might have been enough to get Baker into the Hall of Fame, but it's not an exaggeration to say the man was a poultry savant. Do not close the lid on the barbecue. Place the chicken legs in a zip top bag. But even if this article is your first time seeing the dish's name, you may be familiar with the concept. 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary cup olive oil View Nutritional Information i I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. Makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce. I read of on Dr. Robert C. Baker and found this recipe. I first learned how to barbecue chicken at fundraisers for the Ithaca High School Marching Band in the 1960s and 1970s (2100 halves every summer and always a sellout). With family members, Baker ran one of the most legendary eateries at the annual New York State Fair: Bakers Chicken Coop. A complete resource guide on purchasing, cooking methods, types of beef steaks and favorite steak recipes. (Among the many dignitaries that stopped by over the years: President Bill Clinton, along with wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea.). And interestingly, despite the food stand's popularity and his status as a minor food celebrity, Robert Baker was never interested in the spotlight. Discard any barbecue sauce that was used to baste the chicken. broilers) a day for two weeks in late summer. President Clinton eventually got his chicken, with Baker's Chicken Coop serving the family eight Cornell Chicken breasts with unsweetened iced tea to wash it down. The simple combination of chicken and barbecue sauce cooked on the grill is something few summer cookouts can go without. Apple & Celery Harvest Salad. Remove from grill, transfer onto a serving plate and enjoy! Flip the chicken skin side up and baste 1/3 cup of the sauce. Grill the chicken until well browned, about 10 minutes. The Original Cornell Barbecued Chicken Recipe - Barbecuebible.com Cook another 10-15 minutes until the bottom side is browned and the thigh registers 120F with an instant-read thermometer. Assemble the cooker but leave the water pan out of the cooker. Set up the grill for 2-zone cooking. What's Cooking America Cooking Articles Backyard Barbecue Grilled & Smoked Chicken Grilled Chicken Breasts, Legs, Wings & Thighs Cornell Chicken Barbecue Sauce History and Recipe. Its an elegant-but-potent combination of just a few ingredients: apple cider vinegar, oil, poultry seasoning, pepper, and egg, which acts as an emulsifier and helps the sauce adhere to the bird. The southerns love it they call it doing a chicken picking instead of their pig pickin. If that name sounds familiar, its probably because he was also the creator of the chicken nugget as we know it today. And, of course, as part of the dedication, a drive-through chicken barbecue was held to raise money for The Savage Club of Ithaca. Brining the chicken makes it moist and salty. This is the famous Cornell Chicken Recipe, as written by its creator, Dr. Robert C. Baker, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Animal Sciences at the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. Using an oiled grill pan over medium heat, grill tofu steaks for several minutes on each side, basting with sauce at each turn; repeat so each side is grilled twice. When flames are licking at the briquettes at the top of the chimney and you see signs of gray ash forming, dump all the hot coals into the charcoal chamber and spread them out evenly. Parboiling Chicken: This is totally optional but it will cut down on cooking time. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Yield: Enough for 5 pounds of chicken. So, why is it not called Penn State Chicken? Cornell Chickena staple at backyard and community barbecues in New York and beyondwas the brainchild of Baker, a member of the American Poultry Hall of Fame who served as a professor of food science at Cornell from 1957 to 1989. The draw of Cornell Chicken is so powerful in the region that it has spread to politics Ithaca Journal once wrote about the Trumansburg Rotary tradition of holding a Cornell Chicken barbecue every year on Election Day. Snack Bar Dr. Baker's famous Cornell chicken By Linda Copman May 21, 2021 Robert C. Baker was a Cornell poultry science and food science professor who helped develop chicken nuggets, turkey ham, and poultry hot dogs. Place all marinade ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Anywhere to get it in Ithaca before then? Reserve about 1/2 cup for basting. I only endorse a few products, on my web site, that I like and use regularly. In 1949, the same year Baker was first hired by Cornell University, he and his wife Jacoba ran a food stand at the New York State Fair called "Baker's Chicken Coop" (via Syracuse.com). Sprinkle the rub and black pepper on all sides of the meat. Recipe Tips Our thanks to the sponsors of Project Fire Season 2: Originally designed for professional use, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. The chicken is served so often at firehouse fundraisers that many people know it as "Fireman's Chicken," rather than the official name. Brush it on the broiler halves every few minutes during cooking.. It should take about an hour until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the skin is golden brown. A professor of food and poultry science on the Hill for three decades, Bakerwho passed away in 2006 at the age of 84created and popularized the sauce and cooking method, which involves regular turning and basting. Add other ingredients and stir. That's because he did more than just explain how the chicken should be cooked. This tradition was continued by his son, grandson, and now his great grandsons (we have a few CALS alumni in the family too). What makes Cornell Chicken such a crowd-pleaser, though, is its tangy sauce. Learn real cooking skills from your favorite food experts, The iconic magazine that investigates how and why recipes work, American classics, everyday favorites, and the stories behind them, Experts teach 320+ online courses for home cooks at every skill level, Kid tested, kid approved: Welcome to America's Test Kitchen for the next generation, Kid tested, kid approved: Welcome to Americas Test Kitchen for the next generation. Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Cover barbecue with lid, open any vents, and cook approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until ameat thermometerregisters aninternal temperatureof 165 degrees F. (juices will run clear when cut with the tip of a knife); turning several times during barbecuing. It stays more fully emulsified and sticks even better to whatever is being grilled. By Joe Wilensky Robert C. Baker was a Cornell poultry science and food science professor who helped develop chicken nuggets, turkey ham, and poultry hot dogs. A family. Dr. Baker's famous Cornell chicken - Cornell University Light one chimney full of charcoal. Combine the basting sauce ingredients in a blender and mix until emulsified. Transfer chicken to a large resealable bag and pour in all but 1 cup of sauce. So what makes a Cornell Chicken? 45 minutes. And although it is ostensibly a regional dish, Atlas Obscura notes that publications such as Saveur and the Texas BBQ Posse have also given it rave reviews. The grilled-chicken recipe so brilliant it's got an Ivy League name I use less salt than called for in the recipe. McDonald's officially denies that they used Baker's process and claims to have come up with chicken nuggets themselves. A few key ingredients The following ingredients should not be substituted in order to get the best flavor out of the Cornell Brooks BBQ Chicken. The story of how Cornell Chicken came to be is even more fascinating than the food itself. In the mid-1900s, though, that particular poultry badly needed a glow-up: after being deprived of other meats due to wartime rationing, Americans had tired of chicken and the few preparation methods for it then in popular use. The recipe was also used by the Preble Fire Department for their annual chicken barbecue. Cornell Chicken Recipe - New York Chicken from Platter Talk He worked with Doctor Baker. Oil the grate. Cornell Chicken is made by grilling two deeply seasoned split chickens over gentle heat. We had a reception in our backyard following our marriage in 1981 and the department BBQed about 100 chickens for our guests. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Once your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Baker's students furthered the spread of the new-fangled chicken to their home states and countries, and it was eventually bestowed with the Cornell moniker. Things like j erked beef on the grill, easy smoked brisket, and our course, this fireman chicken from New York state where I grew up and learned to make this.