One of the few competitors who cooked on-site, Wasi showed off his pitmaster skills, using a public park grill (the frustrating kind) in windy situations. His wife Muna’s recipe (see below) combined with his grilling expertise resulted in tender and juicy chicken with “perfect Asian flavor” per the judges.


As part of our ongoing series interviewing the competitors, below are Wasi’s answers and his award-winning recipe.
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What type of grill/smoker do you have? I have the Weber Charcoal Grill and a Gas Grill.

What grills/smokers have you had in the past? I have mostly had Charcoal Grills in the past, nothing fancy.
What do you enjoy the most about grilling/smoking? It’s an awesome reason to have people come over (that actually want to come). Think about it, which would you be more excited to go to: A desi dawat (aka South Asian party/feast) – where the food is most likely catered – or a BBQ in someone’s backyard? I love having friends and family over, and I want to make sure they go home full and more than satisfied!!
Recipe for Muna’s Korean ThunderBird
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 heaping tablespoon Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 whole chicken, cut into parts with skin.
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Korean Chilli Paste
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 heaping tablespoon Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped


- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
The Lightning Sauce!
5. Grill the chicken skin down for 3 mins and then skin side up for 3 mins, don’t worry if you have a nice deep char on the skin – it’ll taste great. Keep cooking for about 17 mins or until done. Constantly be moving the chicken around to get different temps if using charcoal. Towards the end is where I poke holes with a toothpick close to the bone.

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