THE PUBLICAN GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN

THE PUBLICAN GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN image

Categories Chicken

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

3 lb Roasting chicken
2 tsp Kosher salt for the chicken
5 T Freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 C Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 T Espelette or Aleppo Pepper
2 T Dried oregano
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Salt, for the marinade
1/2 tsp Fresh-ground black pepper

Steps:

STEP 1: Debone the roasting chicken, leaving the skin intact. (Note: a good butcher should be able to do this for you.) To do so, first stand the chicken up on its neck and cut out the backbone by cutting through on each side. Next, trim some of the loose fat. Pop out the breastplate by making a slit and pulling it out in one piece. Remove the rib cage, and then the thigh bones, and leg bones, removing any cartilage as well. Finally, remove the wishbone, and tuck the wings under the chicken. Salt the chicken with 2 tsp. Kosher salt and let rest, refrigerated for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. STEP 2: Combine the remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl, and mix well. Rub the chicken with 1/4 cup of the marinade. Reserve the remaining marinade for future use. (It stores well in the fridge or freezer, and can be used for more than just chicken.) Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. STEP 3: Heat one side of your grill to medium-high, the other to medium-low. If using a charcoal grill, use a chimney stuffed with paper in the bottom, and the charcoal on top, and let the coals heat for about 20 minutes in the grill before pouring the coals out into one side of the bottom of the grill. Let the grill grate heat up for several minutes. Char the chicken, skin-side down, over direct heat on the medium-high side for several minutes, until the chicken is golden and lightly charred. Move the chicken to the indirect heat side of the grill. Be sure to point the breast away from the heat, as the leg and thighs take longer to cook. STEP 4: Once golden and lightly charred (check every 3 to 4 minutes; it will take about 7 to 8 minutes total), flip the chicken and move to the medium-low side to finish over indirect heat, about 7 or 8 minutes. The chicken is done when it is golden brown and slightly charred, and registers 165 degrees. STEP 5: Remove the chicken from the grill. Rest the chicken 10 min. Squeeze with lemon juice and serve.