Side Dish: United States – New York (Mid-Atlantic United States) – Cornell Chicken Barbecue Sauce

Serving Size: 8

Approximate Time

Prep 10 min

Cook 10 min

Additional 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 10 min

Ingredients

- 1 large egg, approx. 50 g
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) neutral vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) packed light brown sugar (approx. 25 g)
- 2 tsp (10 ml) poultry seasoning (dried)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
- 1 small clove garlic, minced (approx. 3 g)
- 1/4 tsp (1 ml) hot sauce or cayenne (optional, to taste)

Instructions

Short Description:
A tangy, emulsified vinegar-and-oil barbecue sauce developed at Cornell that is used to marinate and baste grilled chicken; served alongside as a condiment. It combines vinegar, oil, egg, and poultry seasoning for a bright, savory glaze.

Regional Notes:
This New York / Cornell variation is defined by a true emulsion of egg, oil, and vinegar flavored with poultry seasoning and a touch of brown sugar, rather than the tomato-heavy sauces common elsewhere. It is intended both as a marinade and a basting/serving sauce for grilled chicken, giving the region's preparation its distinctive tangy, herb-forward profile.

1. In a medium bowl or the jar of an immersion blender, combine the egg, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, minced garlic, poultry seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk or pulse briefly to blend.
2. If whisking by hand: whisk continuously while very slowly drizzling the oil in a steady stream until an emulsion forms and the mixture thickens (about 1–2 minutes). If using an immersion blender or countertop blender, start blending and add the oil in a slow stream until fully emulsified. The result should be a smooth, mayonnaise-like sauce.
3. After emulsification, add the cold water in a steady stream and whisk or blend to thin the sauce to a basting/marinade consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding hot sauce if desired.
4. Safety note: this recipe uses raw egg. If you plan to serve the sauce uncooked alongside cooked chicken, use pasteurized eggs or gently cook the finished sauce to 160°F (71°C) while stirring, then cool before refrigerating or serving.
5. To marinate chicken: reserve about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of finished sauce for serving (if using pasteurized egg or cooked sauce). Place 3–4 lb (1.4–1.8 kg) bone-in chicken pieces in a nonreactive container or zip-top bag and pour the remaining sauce over the chicken (about 1 1/2 cups / 360 ml). Turn to coat, refrigerate and marinate 2–8 hours (do not reuse marinade that has contacted raw chicken unless boiled).
6. To baste on the grill: preheat grill to medium-high. Grill chicken until nearly cooked through, then begin basting with the reserved sauce during the final 10–15 minutes of cooking, turning and basting frequently, so the sugars caramelize without burning. Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internal temperature.
7. Serve additional sauce on the side as a condiment. Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Discard if left at room temperature more than 2 hours.