“True Kiwi” Manuka & Malt BBQ Chicken

Name: “True Kiwi” Manuka & Malt BBQ Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Chelsea Brown Sugar; 1 tbsp Marlborough Sea Salt; 1 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper; 1 tsp Smoked Paprika; 1 tsp Dried Horopito (optional: if you want a native herbal spice kick); 1 tbsp NZ Avocado Oil (or Rapeseed oil) to bind the rub.; The Manuka Glaze (The Sticky Part); ½ cup Tomato Sauce (Wattie's or similar NZ style; it’s sweeter and less vinegary than ketchup); ⅓ cup Manuka Honey (doesn't need to be high UMF, a blend is fine for cooking); 2 tbsp Malt Vinegar (the fish & chip shop kind); 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce; 3 cloves Fresh NZ Garlic, crushed; 1 tbsp Butter (Westgold or Anchor), melted.

February 12, 2026

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This is a recipe designed specifically for a classic Kiwi BBQ setup. We are swapping out the American ketchup and molasses for iconic New Zealand staples: Manuka Honey, Tomato Sauce (the Wattie’s style profile), and Malt Vinegar.

This recipe uses the “indirect heat” method, which turns your BBQ into an oven to cook the chicken through, before searing it at the end to get that sticky char.

The Flavor Profile: This glaze is distinctively New Zealand—sweet from the Manuka honey, tangy from the malt vinegar, and savory from the tomato sauce base.

“True Kiwi” Manuka & Malt BBQ Chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 to 50mins

Servings 5

Course Main

Cuisine BBQ

Ingredients

2 tbsp Chelsea Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Marlborough Sea Salt
1 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Dried Horopito (optional: if you want a native herbal spice kick)
1 tbsp NZ Avocado Oil (or Rapeseed oil) to bind the rub.
The Manuka Glaze (The Sticky Part)
½ cup Tomato Sauce (Wattie's or similar NZ style; it’s sweeter and less vinegary than ketchup)
⅓ cup Manuka Honey (doesn't need to be high UMF, a blend is fine for cooking)
2 tbsp Malt Vinegar (the fish & chip shop kind)
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 cloves Fresh NZ Garlic, crushed
1 tbsp Butter (Westgold or Anchor), melted.

Instructions

Rub: Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl or zip-lock bag. Drizzle with the Avocado oil, then sprinkle in the Dry Rub ingredients. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
Rest: Leave it on the bench while your BBQ heats up (about 15 mins) to let the salt penetrate the meat.
In a small metal bowl or saucepan (safe for the BBQ side burner or hot plate), mix the Tomato Sauce, Manuka Honey, Malt Vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, crushed garlic, and melted butter.
Stir until smooth. If your honey is stiff, warm the mixture slightly on the BBQ side burner until it's runny.
The Cook (Indirect Method) Crucial Step: You don't want to burn the honey over direct flames immediately. Setup: Preheat your BBQ to medium-high (about 200°C). If using a 3-4 burner Gas BBQ: Turn the two outside burners on high, and leave the middle burners OFF. If using a Weber/Charcoal: Bank your coals to one side, leaving an empty space on the other.
Roast: Place the chicken on the grill grate over the OFF section (indirect heat). Close the BBQ hood.
Cook: Let it roast with the hood down for 30–35 minutes. The chicken should look cooked through and the skin should be starting to crisp.
The Sear & Glaze Move: Open the hood and move the chicken pieces over the direct heat (the flames).
Glaze: Brush the chicken generously with the Manuka Glaze.
Sizzle: Grill for 2–3 minutes, flipping and brushing with more glaze every minute. You want the sugars in the honey and tomato sauce to bubble and create dark, sticky char marks (careful not to let it turn to black carbon!).
Check: Chicken is done when the juices run clear or the internal temp hits 74°C.
Serve Take the chicken off the grill and let it rest on a platter for 5-10 minutes. Pour any remaining clean glaze (that hasn't touched raw chicken) over the top.