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Beer & Food
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Written by Eric Greene
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Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:25 |
While plain ol' roasted chicken may not be the most inspiring thing on anyone's menu, you probably owe it to yourself to try this recipe at least once. It just might change your life. The ingredient list is long, and you need to start about a day in advance, but don't be scared, it's pretty damn easy to do. This recipe is so good there isn't much you can to flub it up. I only have 3 bits of general advice to pass along.
1) At the risk of sounding like a dirty hippy, don't waste your time with any chicken that probably came out of a factory. Find yourself a chicken that grazed out in the open range, stretched it's wings, and (most importantly) didn't get pooped on every hour of its miserable life by the chicken in the cage above it.
2) The recipe calls for 1 medium chicken. If that isn't possible, and your choice is between 2 small birds or one big one, go with the former. Skin makes chicken taste good, and little birds have more of it.*
3) Stick with pale to Amber colored, Malt focused beers for the brine (hefe, pale Ale, Oktoberfest, etc). Dark, roasty malt flavors will have a tendency to dominate the flavor.
* Some say that big chickens have more fat, which makes birds taste good, too. These people should not be trusted. Be vigilant!
The Recipe:
Ingredients
Ol' Chickenlips (1 medium chicken)
The Brine
(Use about 1 quart per pound of chicken, or enough to submerge your bird)
1 pint beer
1 pint water
5 ounces (by weight)* Salt
1/2 cup sugar**
1 sprig fresh rosemary (or about 1 tsp dried)
1 tbls fresh thyme (or about 1 tsp dry)
1 bay leaf
1 tbls whole black peppercorns
3 cloves garlic
* About 1/4 cup fine ground, closer to 1/2 cup coarse. Either way it's 140 grams.
** If you're using a strong beer (highly recommended), with over about 7% abv, use 1/4 cup sugar.
The Rub
1 tbls salt
2 tsp hot or smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbls fresh thyme
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic
In the Cavity
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed real good
1 shallot minced
2 tbls olive oil
a bit of rosemary, if you're feeling crazy
Brining Instructions:
A day or two in advance, mix up your brine, figuring you'll need about a quart of brine per pound of succulence (otherwise known as "chicken"). For best results, put the beer in a saucepan with the spices, salt, and sugar (everything except the water) and simmer a couple of minutes, until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Add 1 pint of cool water, and stick it in the fridge to cool off. The brine needs to be cold in order to properly do its thing, so let it cool over night.*
When the brine is cold, go ahead and give ol' Birdhead a bath, and remove her giblets, then pat her dry with paper towels. Put that sucker in a big bowl, pot or ziploc bag, and completely submerge in brine (you should have plenty). Into the fridge for 6-8 hours...
*If you're in a hurry, just mix everything together in a pot or bowl as best you can, then continue on with the next step.
Cooking Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 250 F.
Remove ol' Featherbottom from the brine and rinse her well (inside and out). Once again, pat her dry with paper towels (don't forget about the cavity). In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the rub, mix well, then --you guessed it-- gently massage it into the soft chicken-flesh, making sure to coat every pasty, clammy surface with savory, delicious rub. Don't lick your fingers when done.
Toss everything required for the cavity together in the same small bowl, then stuff it... well, you can probably guess where it needs to go. Place Mrs.McNugget on a roasting rack and you're finally ready to put this thing in the oven. Only 4-5 more hours to go.
Once the juices start to run clear, and thickest part of the thigh reads 160 F when poked with a meat thermometer, your bride -- I mean bird -- is done. Let her rest 15 minutes before you carve her up and devour her.
Final Notes:
Her drippings will make a tasty gravy if you're so inclined. Just add them to a saucepan with about 1 cup of chicken stock, and 1 cup of beer. Simmer 10 minutes, then add a little cornstarch to thicken it. You can serve this as a main course, with whatever sides strike your fancy. It'll pair well with all sorts of beer, from pilsner to dunkel weiss, though something similar to the beer you used in the brine is an obvious choice. It may sound like a lot of work, but mostly you just sit around and wait... a lot. And it is totally worth it.
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Beer Quotes
" SAM: What do you know there, Norm? NORM: How to sit. How to drink. Want to quiz me? " Cheers
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(We had the pizzas last night.) Everyone loved Christmas dinner. My wife says we've started a new tradition. (Did you say it might change my life? Maybe you're a prophet!) 
I work around 'factory' chicken all the time and you are right. If the bird is allowed to forage for insects and all as it would naturally the poultry is much better tasting. Look for 'Free Range'. It's the closest in the stores to truly free range.
And the 250 F oven is just right for the slow cook to let all those flavors marry up... I'm going to try mine in my charcoal smoker with a little apple wood!