Chef Dean Fearing has perfected his own technique for the perfect barbecued chicken. The first step is crucial: searing the chicken to render the fat. But ultimately, it's all about the sauce. He applies it generously and continuously once the chicken is smoked, shellacking layer upon layer over very low heat.

"It's not barbecued chicken unless your whole grill is absolutely the worst mess you've ever seen," he says.

The result is a very sticky, but tasty, batch of chicken."You've got to use a bath towel when you eat it," he says.

Chef Fearing cites Sonny Bryan's ribs as the inspiration for his sticky chicken.

"That's what I love about Sonny's ribs - they're all sticky."

Chef Fearing dunks each smoked piece in the sauce for the initial glazing, then mops on subsequent layers as he turns each piece.

"I keep a pot of barbecue sauce on the grill while the chicken is cooking and smoking. It gathers flavor that way," he says.

But he bristles at the thought of applying the sauce before the chicken is smoked and cooked."I've seen people marinate their chicken in barbecue sauce, then throw it on the grill. The barbecue sauce burns faster than you can cook chicken, and you don't cook the skin. It's gross."

The stuff: Chef Fearing prefers the Hasty-Bake grill, because it has an up-and-down, retractable grate height for varying the heat level. A kettle grill with grate sides that flip up for adding charcoal or wood chips will work, too. Make sure old ashes are discarded and grates are brushed clean.

Hardwood charcoal

Hickory wood chips, soaked in water

Preparing the fire: About 5 minutes before grilling, heat hardwood charcoal. Coals are ready when covered with a white ash.

If using a Hasty-Bake or other retractable grate grill, spread coals evenly across bottom of grill. If using a kettle-style grill, set up a two-level fire as described in the Charcoal-Grilled chicken instructions on the cover.

Preparing the chicken: Start with 3 to 4 pounds of chicken, cut into pieces, rinsed and dried.

EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

Brush the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Mix salt, black pepper, dried thyme and red pepper flakes to taste, then rub over the chicken pieces.

Searing the chicken: Place chicken skin-side down on grill over medium-high heat. For kettle grill, place chicken over hotter level of fire.

The goal is to render as much grease as possible from the skin - without burning the skin or causing grease to flare up.

In the event of flare-ups, remove pieces from heat until flame dies down, then return to heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, watching carefully.

Slow cooking and smoking: Flip the chicken over. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Open top and bottom vents to keep the fire alive. Add a handful of wet, soaked hickory chips to the edge of the fire to start the smoking process. Close the lid and smoke.

After 8 to 10 minutes, turn chicken. Blow on the coals if necessary to keep the fire alive. Continue smoking (with grill lid closed) for another 15 minutes.

If the smoke dies down, add another handful of hickory chips.

Applying the sauce: After about 25 minutes of smoking, open grill and brush chicken liberally with barbecue sauce.

Cook over low heat, turning every 2 minutes and basting with additional layers of barbecue sauce, for 6 to 8 minutes total. Keep turning and rotating pieces to prevent burning in one area of the grill. If chicken blackens, you've gone too far.

Tina Danze

Christopher Kimball, editor of Cook's Illustrated, talks about the right way to grill chicken over charcoal briquettes.

Question: What's the most common mistake people make when they grill chicken?

Answer: There are two common mistakes. The first mistake is they slather sauce over the chicken as they cook it. The second big mistake is using just one level of heat and overcooking the chicken. If you're grilling, you need a two-level fire: a high heat for searing and a lower heat for cooking.

Question: Why do you use charcoal briquettes instead of hardwood coals?

Answer: Briquettes are best if you are cooking chicken breasts, which are thicker. They aren't as hot as hardwood coals and they don't burn as fast.

Question: Is brining the chicken optional?

Answer: For me, it's not optional. Brining the chicken holds in the juices and adds flavor. It gives you a bigger window for cooking the chicken too. chicken is done when it registers 165 degrees (for dark meat), but a brined chicken cooked to 180 degrees is still juicy.

Question: Why do you cover the chicken breasts with an aluminum pan? Can't you just close the lid of the grill?

Answer: If the inside of your grill lid is clean or relatively new, go ahead and close it. But if it's dirty, a lot of people can taste that (in the chicken). Covering the breast (with the foil pan) makes a little oven.

5 tablespoons coarse (kosher or sea) salt

3 tablespoons paprika

3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon habanero chile powder (or substitute another hot chile powder)

Combine all ingredients in a jar, twist the cap on airtight and shake to mix. Store away from heat and light for up to 6 months.

Makes about 1 cup, enough for 6 to 8 pounds of meat, poultry or seafood. Rub on meat before grilling.

SOURCE: The Barbecue Bible

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons curry powder

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Rub mixture over brined and dried chicken parts before grilling. Makes about 1/2 cup, enough to coat a single recipe of either dark or white meat parts.

SOURCE: The Best Recipe

4 medium peaches, peeled and pitted, or 2 cups frozen and defrosted peaches

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

5 drops hot pepper sauce

Cut 3 of the peaches (or 1 1/2 cups frozen peaches) into large chunks. In a blender or food processor, purée all ingredients until smooth. Pour mixture into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, finely chop remaining peach (or remaining 1/2 cup frozen peaches). Stir into sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Brush on chicken in the last few minutes of grilling.

SOURCE: Adapted from Weber's Art of the Grill

Christopher Kimball says that bottled barbecue sauce is one of the few things you can buy that's actually worth buying. Among his favorites:

•Gates

•Mad Dog

•Stubbs

•Bull's-Eye

Dean Fearing buys Sonny Bryan's barbecue sauce by the pint at the original Inwood location, and freezes it.

His picks of bottled sauces:

•Clark's Outpost Barbecue Sauce (from the restaurant in Tioga, Texas, or call 1-800-932-5051 to order)

•Cattleman's (from the grocery store)

•Sevy's Grill Bitchin' BBQ Sauce (sold at Sevy's Grill)

And, he says,"You can also doctor up Kraft's Hickory Barbecue Sauce by adding garlic, sage, thyme, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce."

Tina Danze

For gas grills

•Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.

•Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease.

•Always keep propane gas containers upright.

•Never store a spare gas container under or near the grill or indoors.

•Never keep a filled container in a hot car or car trunk.

•If you detect a gas leak, immediately turn off the gas at the tank and don't attempt to light the grill until the leak is fixed.

Charcoal grills

•Never burn charcoal inside homes, vehicles, tents or campers.

•Because charcoal produces carbon monoxide fumes until the charcoal is completely extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.

All grills

•Always have a fire extinguisher handy.

•Use the grill at least 15 feet away from any building. Do not use the grill in a garage, carport or porch or under a surface that can catch fire.

SOURCE: Knight Ridder Newspapers