Chicken thighs are well suited to smoking because they retain moisture and take on seasoning readily. For this recipe, non-alcoholic lager forms the base of a lemon, garlic and mustard marinade. The beer is there for gentle malt flavour rather than to tenderise the meat dramatically.
Serves / makes: 4 portions
Preparation: 15 minutes, plus 2–4 hours marinating
Cooking: 60–90 minutes
Recommended NA beer: NA lager or wheat beer
Ingredients
- 1.2kg bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 250ml non-alcoholic lager
- 30ml fresh lemon juice
- 30ml olive oil
- 15g Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 10g fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Whisk together lager, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, garlic, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in a covered container or sealable bag, add the marinade and refrigerate for 2–4 hours.
- Prepare a smoker for indirect cooking at approximately 160°C.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the liquid and pat the skin dry with kitchen paper.
- Arrange the thighs in the smoker with space between each piece.
- Smoke for approximately 60–90 minutes, checking that the thickest part reaches at least 75°C for 30 seconds without touching the bone.
- For crisper skin, finish briefly over a hotter grill while keeping a close eye on it.
- Rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Why Use This NA Beer?
Lager adds background malt flavour to the sharpness of lemon and mustard. A non-alcoholic wheat beer may introduce subtle bready or fruity notes.
Tips and Variations
Always marinate chicken in the fridge, never on the worktop. Do not reuse a marinade that has touched raw chicken as a ready-to-eat sauce unless it has been thoroughly boiled.
