Printable page 
The best roast chicken, ever!
From Cookipedia
I'm already completely sold on beercan chicken. It is without doubt, the best way I have found (so far) to roast a chicken. Anyway, following a little research, it seems that brining your bird before roasting, improves moisture retention and flavour. After all that preparation it would be a shame not to use the smoker as well!
This is my attempt at the best roast chicken, ever!
Ingredients
- 6.5 litres (12 pints) of cold water
- 1 cup sea salt
- ½ cup demerara sugar
- 2 bay leaves, crumpled
- 1 small bunch of thyme or 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 bulb of garlic, bruised with the top sliced off
- ½ teaspoon allspice powder
- 4 juniper berries, crushed
- 1 chicken, Parsons nose & giblets removed.
- 1 bulb of garlic, skin on, top sliced off and smashed
- 1 355ml or 440 ml can of beer, lager or cider
- 1 preserved lemon
- 1 big sprig of parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Mise en place
- Mix the brine in a pot or container large enough to hold your bird.
- Stir until the sugar and salt dissolves
- Immerse the bird completely in the brine. Use a bowl or plate to hold it under the surface if it floats.
- Refrigerate in the brine for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, discard the brine, drain and pat the bird dry.
Method
Smoking the bird
- Place the smashed garlic in the nech of the chicken and push to the breast meat so the cloves are between the skin and the meat.
- If you are luck enough to have a smoker, place the bird in the smoker for a few hours.
- Remove from the smoker and then cook immediately as it will have warmed up a fair bit now.
- If you've made beercan chicken before you probably only need the following reminder, if not, follow this step-by-step guide for beer can chicken, (omitting the Tex-Mex rub).
- Pre-heat the oven to 200° C (400° F - Gas 6)
- Wash the beercan and drink a third of it.
- Place the preserved lemon in the cavity with the parsley and sit the chicken on the beer can. A Grillpro Stainless Steel Chicken Roaster makes this job easier.
- Massage the olive oil into the chicken's skin.
- Roast for about 1 to 1.5 hours, checking every 15 minutes at the end.
- Rest for 10 minutes.
