Wood Fire Thai Style Roasted Chicken

Serves 4-6

OVEN TEMPERATURE

450°F

cook time

50 - 60 minutes

ingredients

1 whole chicken

Brine:
Water, enough to cover a whole chicken
1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar, brown preferred
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised and sliced in 1” long segments
3 scallions, sliced into 1” long segments
A few cilantro leaves and stems (optional)
2” knob of ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4” medallions
1 lime, quartered

Marinade/Seasoning Paste:
15g (1 TB) fish sauce
30g (2 TB) dark soy sauce
2g (1/2 tsp) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 lemongrass stalk, sliced
1 handful cilantro leaves and stems (optional)
2 TB water

Basting liquid:
42g (2 TB) honey mixed with 30ml (2 TB) water

directions

The day before cooking the chicken, prepare the brine. Mix brine ingredients and submerge chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove chicken from brine and pat dry. Mix the marinade/seasoning paste in a food processor or blender and slather all over the chicken. Let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 hours.

When the chicken ready place chicken in a cast iron or ceramic skillet and light your Cru oven. Continue feeding fire until you have a robust fire in the oven. The temperature of the oven will most likely exceed the 450°F and that is fine. Leave the oven doors off of the oven and let the temperature come down to approximately 500°F or 600°F (the oven temperature will gradually reduce as you roast the chicken).

Push the coals to the back of the oven as far as possible to create the most space from the coals and where the chicken will roast. Place the chicken in the oven. If there is still flame in the fire use the half oven door, if there is no flame use the full oven door. Monitor chicken and rotate approximately every 10 minutes. If over browning occurs cover the chicken with aluminum foil. Monitor the oven temperature and add small pieces of wood as needed to maintain oven temperature. If you need to add wood and were using the full oven door be sure to switch to the half oven door to allow for better airflow to the fire. Once internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F the chicken is ready which should take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.