Okay, folks, let’s dive into this McCormick Island Woodfire Grill copycat recipe I tackled this weekend. It wasn’t perfect, but hey, that’s cooking, right?
First, I gathered all my ingredients. I’m a big believer in prepping everything beforehand – makes life so much easier. So, I chopped up some onions, bell peppers (I used red and green, ’cause why not?), and some garlic. I love garlic, so I probably used a bit more than the recipe called for. Don’t judge!
The Marinade Mess
Then came the marinade. This is where things got a little interesting. I found a few different recipes online, and they all had slightly different takes. I ended up kind of winging it, combining elements from a couple of them.
- I used soy sauce, of course – that’s a must.
- Then some Worcestershire sauce, because it adds that nice, deep flavor.
- A little bit of brown sugar for sweetness. I’m not a huge fan of super sweet marinades, so I went easy on this.
- Some olive oil, because, well, you need oil in a marinade!
- And a bunch of spices: smoked paprika (key for that “woodfire” flavor), garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne for a little kick.
I whisked all that together in a big bowl. It smelled pretty good, I gotta say. Then I threw in my chicken – I used boneless, skinless thighs because they’re juicier. I made sure the chicken was nicely coated in the marinade, then covered the bowl and stuck it in the fridge. I let it marinate for about 4 hours. I think longer would be even better, maybe even overnight.
Grilling Time (Almost!)
Okay, so I don’t actually have a woodfire grill. I used my regular gas grill. I preheated it to medium-high heat. While the grill was heating up, I took the chicken out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature a bit. This helps it cook more evenly, apparently.
I grilled the chicken for about 6-7 minutes per side, until it was cooked through. I also threw the onions and peppers on the grill alongside the chicken. They got all nice and charred, which is exactly what I wanted.
The Verdict
So, how did it turn out? Pretty darn good, if I do say so myself! The chicken was juicy and flavorful, and the veggies were perfect. It definitely had that smoky, slightly sweet flavor that I was going for. Was it exactly like McCormick’s? Probably not. But it was close enough, and it was definitely delicious. Next time, I might try adding a little liquid smoke to the marinade to really amp up that woodfire flavor. And maybe I’ll experiment with some different spices. But overall, I’m calling this a win!
