Drunk, Spicy and Finger Lickin’ Good
Those of you who know me, know of my obsession with creating the perfect roasted chicken. I’ve marinated, rubbed and even injected some of my subjects with butter (what a mess that was.) I’ve used cast iron pans in the oven, grilled on the Weber using a Le Creuset Cast-Iron Round Dutch (without covering) but most recently have found that using the rotisserie attachment on my outdoor grill works the best. Duh. Live and learn. I’ve realized that no matter the ingredients, marinades, or preps used, the chicken comes out looking gorgeous AND tasting delicious when slowly cooked over an open flame.
The thing I love about the rotisserie is that it seals in the juices while creating a beautifully browned, caramelized, and crisp skin all around. It took me a couple of times to perfect the science of rotisserie, but I think I’ve got that down now. The trick is to perfectly center your chicken, then balance it using the weights provided in your rotisserie kit. You’ll also want to make sure you tie the legs and wings together with cooking twine, so that they are flush with the chicken and not flapping around as the bird turns on grill. The other thing I should mention is you’ll want to start off on a low heat, then eventually turn up to medium flame, and towards the last 15 minutes (after you’ve checked the internal temperature and it reads 165 degrees.)
I’ve found that the cooking process takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours depending on size of chicken. Since I’m usually only cooking for two, the chickens I cook weigh no more than 4 pounds and tend to be on the smaller side. Remember that this is not like using your oven, so keep an eye on your chicken, and gradually turn up the heat as you see fit. I prefer to start on low flame for 45 to 75 minutes and once the chicken has turned from a pale yellow to a golden yellow, I increase to a medium flame for another 20 to 30 minutes.
I then check the temperature by piercing the chicken with a meat thermometer, and if it reads 165 degrees, I then turn up the flame to high, and watch it turn to a beautifully bronzed bird, usually 10 to 15 minutes. Watching is the key – it can quickly burn if left to its own devices.
All this to say… I’m now obsessed with creating recipes and marinades for rotisserie chicken. Obsession can be a good thing… well, that’s what I’m working out with my therapist! T.M.I.
Anyway, here is my latest experiment… beer-brined chicken.
This will require a minimum of overnight brining, but I suggest you brine for two days. I mixed my brine and added the chicken on Friday afternoon and cooked it for Sunday Dinner.
The ingredients are:
3 bottles of beer. I used Corona. 12 ounces each.
½ cup of sugar
½ cup of kosher salt
Juice of 3 limes
Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce (I used 2 tablespoons)
4 cloves of garlic (if you just use sriracha sause)
Bay leaves. I used 3 bay leaves
I mixed sugar, salt, lime juice, sriracha sauce, garlic and and bay leaves, and one bottle of beer in a large bowl until sugar and salt dissolved, then added the rest of the beers. Keep mixing until liquid is flat and beer bubbles are gone. Let sit for 20 minutes or so.
In the meantime, rinse your chicken. Pat Dry.
Find a Ziplock bag, or airtight covered bowl/Tupperware for your chicken to brine in. I used a ziplock bag and placed it in a Pyrex casserole dish. Let chicken brine for two days in your refrigerator.
DAY TWO: Remove chicken from brine and pat dry. Tie up legs with twine, and fold wings under. Wrap some twine around chicken to keep wings and legs in place while bird turns on grill.
Turn on your grill and let heat up. Meanwhile, place the bird on rotisserie skewer, secure tightly and balance bird by rolling skewer in your hands to make sure bird rolls evenly. Place on grill, on low flame, and watch for chicken to turn from pale yellow to golden yellow in approximately 45 to 75 minutes. In my case it was 65 minutes.
Now turn up the grill to medium flame for 20 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye on your bird – the drippings could create higher flames, scorching and blistering the skin. If this happens lower the flame a bit. Your bird should be done soon.
Delicious. I tend to like my food with a kick — so next time I’ll add a bit more sriracha sauce. Now head to the cellar and open up a bottle of Ripasso and we’re in heaven! Enjoy.
