There is something beautiful about a perfectly roasted chicken, served at the table. Today we're going to show you the method for the perfect roast chicken. It includes steps such as brining, drying and roasting. It is important to pay attention to the salt-to-water ratio in the brine, as this gives the whole chicken flavor. Bracing the chicken may be new to you, but don't be intimidated, it's very easy and allows the chicken to hold its shape while cooking, allowing the juices to circulate evenly. Follow this recipe for a perfectly roasted chicken.
Servings 4-6
1 whole organic chicken, 1.5 kg clarified butter, salt
For the salty brine:
4 lemons, halved
5 bay leaves
Small handful fresh parsley
Small handful fresh thyme
70 ml runny honey
1 whole bulb of garlic, halved
1 tbsp black peppercorns, white peppercorns
4L water
250g kosher salt
1) Combine all the salt brine ingredients and bring to a boil, turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly. Place in the refrigerator and once completely cooled, submerge the chicken in the brine. Leave the chicken in the brine for 10 hours in the refrigerator.
2) Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Tie the chicken (we recommend looking up this method online as there are plenty of helpful videos on how to tie a chicken). Place the chicken on a rack and put it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
3) Remove from the fridge and let it temper. This takes 1 to 1 ½ hours.
4) Preheat the oven to 250C. Brush the chicken with clarified butter, sprinkle with fine salt and place in a cast iron pan. Roast for 20-25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 200C and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the breast meat registers 67C at the thickest part. If the chicken browns too quickly, add aluminum foil to cover the affected areas.
5) Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.
