Chuck's BBQ Annatto Chicken

Annatto is a plant with red pods of seeds. The first time we saw it was in Belize. We went to a Annatto farm. A women was making the paste and we bought some from her. We bought this batch in Mexico, but it is available at most markets. In Costa Rica it is used in many dishes.

It has an orange-red color used as a condiment, made from the seeds of the achiote tree. It is used to make food a bit reddish orange and to add some flavor and aroma. It has a slight nutty, peppery flavor. Chuck adds some salt, pepper and garlic powder and lemon to the paste and spreads it all over the cut open chicken. He then lays it flat on the BBQ just to the side of the hot charcoals and cooks it for about 1hr. I made beans, and I have good tortillas on hand. Dinner, made at home and so good. Enjoy. Oh, and a little Broxo, mescal, smokey flavor goes great with the BBQ chicken.