South Carolina Low Country Chicken

I never heard the term South Carolina Low Country before. (Here is a page about the food.) The google map indicates this is the Charleston South Carolina region of the country. Anyway, we had South Carolina Low Country Chicken at lunch today in the National Gallery of Art Garden Café.

The recipes are available as PDF on the gallery's website. I decided to type in the chicken recipe here so I know it will be available when I want to make it. The PDF also includes the Georgia Sweet Potato Casserole that Marcia and Sharon enjoyed plus Maryland Crab Cakes with Remoulade and Mustard Sauces (we didn't try).

The chicken was good and spicy. They only served legs, no thighs or white meat. I include brining in this version of the recipe in hopes that it will not be as dry as what was served in the buffet.

The recipe was created in honor of the exhibition from the Collection of Robert and Jane Meyerhoff by Executive Chef David Rogers, Restaurant Associates, at the National Gallery of Art.

South Carolina Low Country

Serves 6

• 4 pounds chicken drumsticks
• Low Country spice rub

Low Country spice rub

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 T garlic powder
• 2 T salt
• 1 T paprika
• 1 T lemon pepper
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil

1. Brine the chicken for an hour.
2. Rince and dry chicken.
3. Place chicken in a large bowl.
4. Combine sugar and spices in separate bowl and mix the rub.
5. Add spice rub to chicken and mix until thoroughly coated.
6. Cook the chicken at 350° until it reaches an internal temperature of 165° (about 20 minutes).