The verdict is in, and Forest Grove fire department had by far the most votes in my search for the best chicken BBQ in south Jersey. I had heard about this BBQ before, it’s a McClennen family favorite, so I was somewhat familiar with it already. The other BBQ that got my attention was the one put on by the Dorothy Fire Hall. Of course, they were both held on the same day last weekend, so I was in for a lot of chicken!
Forest Grove started serving at noon, so Jill and I got there at about quarter after twelve and as expected, we encountered a long line. (We were informed that there would most likely be a line.) The line was occupied by all sort of people; young, old, black and white, all patiently waiting for two things… some tasty chicken and the legendary potato salad.
The line, for as long as it was, shuffled along rather quickly. It was hot out that day, and it was a relief when my section of line moved inside, into the shade. Ahead, I could see the end of the line and into the kitchen area, where a dozen or so people were swiftly and efficiently preparing the plates for the folks in line.
Jill, who had gone off to take pictures while I waited, reappeared from a side door trailing a man in rubber boots. She had a big smile on her beautiful face, and she thanked Tom (the man in the rubber boots) for showing her around. She then snapped a few pictures of the people working in the kitchen and then walked over to me. She began to tell me about the scene that she had witnessed behind the fire hall.
Long cinder block fire pits had been built behind the fire hall for the sole purpose of the annual chicken barbeque. In the pits were the burning embers of charcoal, glowing with pure heat and sending off plumes of bluish smoke. As the smoke wafted skyward, it encountered hundreds of chickens infusing them with a wonderful smoky flavor. The chickens had been halved and placed into flat, palate-sized cages that were blackened from use. A long line of these cages sat over the coals, each one filled with a single layer of chicken. As they cooked, two burly men on each side of the roughly four foot wide pit flipped the chicken cages to ensure that they cooked evenly and on both sides. The men made their way down the pit, flipping one cage after another until they had done them all. After being cooked on both sides, the chickens were then sauced with the homemade barbeque sauce and finished over the hot coals. It was very hot, and the air was thick with smoke, so I commend the guys in the back that were working the fires.
When the chickens were done cooking, they were put onto plates and moved inside, into the kitchen where a small army of folks put lettuce, potato salad, tomatoes and pickles on the plate. A giant Kaiser roll on top finished the platter, and the plates were then placed into brown paper bags.
Some people even brought cardboard boxes to put the platters that they purchased into, although we only got one platter. I gave a woman my ticket, and the older gentleman standing next to her passed me a bag. All in all, it was a very smooth transaction considering all the food that was being produced. In the foyer area, Newfield Library was holding a bake sale in conjunction with the BBQ to raise money for the operations of the library, and the standard bake sale goodies were available.
Before we ate the Forest Grove BBQ though, Jill and I then went to Dorothy to try their chicken. The layout was similar, the fire pits and saucing looked just about the same, but the whole affair had more of a party atmosphere. There were games and a hayride for the kids, and beer and clams for the grown-ups. Many people were eating their chicken and licking their fingers while sitting at one of the dozens of faded red picnic tables. Jill and I sat and ate the Dorothy platter, which came with corn, potato salad, corn and pickles… it was excellent. The chicken had a nice smoky flavor, and we left satisfied.
We then went home to eat the platter from Forest Grove. It was still warm, and it looked really good. I went right for the legendary potato salad, which did not disappoint. Now I’m kind of picky with my potato salad, but this really was worth the hype. A good about of sauce, differing sized chunks of soft potato, and a dressing that balanced salty and creamy perfectly. I was told that around 1800 pounds of potatoes were cooked this year, and it was all prepared from scratch by volunteers who starting making the salad on Friday evening at midnight, and who worked in rotating shifts!
The chicken was great as well, juicy and impregnated with a hint of smoke. The skin was wonderfully salty, and we definitely enjoyed everything. Congratulations to Forest Grove Chicken BBQ! I can’t wait until next year…
