Roast Chicken

[johnnyshaka]

I've just pulled a chicken from the freezer and plan to have it for supper tomorrow night. Anybody have any favorite recipes for roast chicken?

[CraigSca]

do you have a grill?

[flere-imsaho]

Beer Can Chicken on the grill rocks the world. :) Google "Beer Can Chicken Raichlen" for details.

Or, if the beer can thing is a little daunting, then just do the chicken indirect on the grill. Rub a spice rub on the bird then get your coals going. Once the coals are going, rake them to either side of the grill and put a drip pan (i.e. one of those tin foil lasagne pans) in the center, under the bird. Let it cook for an hour and then take the temp with an instant-read thermometer. You should be aiming for about 170 or so. If it's not there, throw some more coals on the sides and check in another 30 mins.

[CraigSca]

I was going to suggest brining the chicken for an hour or two (I've used rock salt and coke or rock salt and tea - it sounds weird, but it's great), then split the puppy in half. Put a dry rub on it - usually something a little spicy. Cook for about 20-25 minutes on the grill with a heavy brick on it, skin side first (to get it all crispy). Cook until about 165 in the thigh. Take it off the grill and let it rest with some aluminum foil on top (tented, not tight) for about 10 mins. Carve it up and eat. You'll wish you had cooked two instead of one :)

[johnnyshaka]

Thanks, guys, for the ideas.

This chicken was 7 lbs. so I don't know if this beast would've been able to stand up on a beer can on my grill but I have heard of beer can chicken before and will definitely try it, but on a smaller bird.

I've done the indirect heat thing with pork roasts and beef roasts and I LOVE IT but I didn't even think of it for chicken...duh!!! Sounds like a great idea for next time. Say, when using this method, do you stuff the cavity with anything?

And, as for brining, that was one of the techniques I had read about on the internet but I didn't have everything I would need to get it done so I passed on it. It might be an option the next time.

What I ended up doing was something a little more traditional. I covered it in butter, salt, and pepper. Then, juiced a few lemons over it and stuffed the lemons into the cavity along with a quartered onion and a few crushed cloves of garlic. We don't have a rack for inside the roasting pan so I just made my own out of big carrots and a couple stalks of celery and popped the bird on top of them and into the oven. Started it out at 400 degrees for 20 mins and then dropped it down to 350 for about 2 hours a 15 mins for a total of about 2.5 hours (remember, it's a huge chicken!!) and it was done to perfection. Some of the carrots and celery cooked down nicely and really added to the flavour and texture of the gravy, not to mention the hint of lemon. Needless to say, I can't wait to have leftovers tonight!!!

[MizzouRah]

Beer Can Chicken on the grill rocks the world. :) Google "Beer Can Chicken Raichlen" for details.

Or, if the beer can thing is a little daunting, then just do the chicken indirect on the grill. Rub a spice rub on the bird then get your coals going. Once the coals are going, rake them to either side of the grill and put a drip pan (i.e. one of those tin foil lasagne pans) in the center, under the bird. Let it cook for an hour and then take the temp with an instant-read thermometer. You should be aiming for about 170 or so. If it's not there, throw some more coals on the sides and check in another 30 mins.

I LOVE beer can chicken!

[flere-imsaho]

This chicken was 7 lbs. so I don't know if this beast would've been able to stand up on a beer can on my grill but I have heard of beer can chicken before and will definitely try it, but on a smaller bird.

Get a bigger beer can! :) One of those Foster's oil cans usually works well.

I've done the indirect heat thing with pork roasts and beef roasts and I LOVE IT but I didn't even think of it for chicken...duh!!! Sounds like a great idea for next time. Say, when using this method, do you stuff the cavity with anything?

Nope. There's not much reason, really, unless it's especially aromatic, because it's not going to get much of a chance to flavor the rest of the meat. If you're looking to introduce flavor (past the rub), go ahead and put some soaked wood chips on the coals so you can smoke the bird.

In the end, though, what you did sounds yummy! :D