6poundschicken thighs and / or legs (bone in, skin on), about 12 - 14 pieces
Instructions
First, make the sauce. In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine the frozen cranberries with all other ingredients (except the chicken).
Next, bring the cranberry mixture to a low boil, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar.
When the cranberries start to burst, reduce heat to low.
Using a handheld blender, blend the sauce until mostly smooth. Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir frequently and add more water if desired until the sauce is desired thickness.
While the sauce is cooking, heat your smoker to 230 degrees Fahrenheit.
Trim the chicken thighs and legs, removing any excess skin. Salt and pepper both sides lightly.
Remove the sauce from heat. Pour 2 cups of the cranberry-cayenne bbq sauce into a bowl or shallow dish. Reserve the rest for basting and serving.
When the smoker has reached temperature, using a pair of tongs, dip each piece of chicken into the sauce mixture and place skin side up on the smoker grates.
Close the smoker and cook for 4 to 5 hours until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit when taken in the thickest part of the chicken.
Baste the chicken once an hour with more of the sauce.
Remove the chicken from the smoker, cover loosely with foil until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutritional Information provided includes ALL of the sauce. However, you will only use about half of the sauce during the cooking and basting process. The rest can be reserved for serving and storing for later use. The leftover sauce can be sealed and refrigerated and kept for up to 3 weeks.