Buttermilk Brined Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:
· 2 cups buttermilk
· 2 cups cold water
· ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
· ¼ cup hot sauce
· 2 tablespoons salt
· 1 tablespoon black pepper
· 1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced (recommend Vidalia)
· 1 lemon, thinly sliced
· 3 garlic cloves, halved
· 1 whole chicken, cut up
· ¼ cup olive oil
· Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved; stir in onion then lemon and garlic.
2. Put buttermilk mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal and chill 24 hours. Remove chicken from marinade 30 minutes before grilling; discard marinade and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Brush the chicken pieces with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Heat grill to medium heat (300 – 325 degrees). Put the chicken on the grill, skin side down and cook, covered for 40-50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165 degrees. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.