Sunday Roast Chicken
- Serves: 4 – 6
- Preparation Time: 1 day (for the marinade)
- Total Cooking time: 1 – 1 1/2 hours
If you have the time to prepare this dish, the results are very much worth the expense of your time in preparation. Brining the chicken surprisingly does not result in an overly salty dish, but rather produces a very moist, succulent bird that is flavored all of the way to the bone. While the chicken comes out amazingly delicious in an ordinary roasting pan, if you have happen to have a simple terra cotta clay roasting pot , then this is where I feel the dish truly shines as an true culinary masterpiece. As there is nothing in my opinion that can top the way a clay roaster infuses a whole chicken with quite the flavor or nostalgic presentation as a simple red clay pot.
| Amount | Measure | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 | lbs | whole chicken, giblets removed |
| 1 | gallon | hot water |
| 1/2 | cup | kosher salt |
| 1/2 | cup | dark brown sugar |
| 1/4 | cup | molasses |
| 1 | tsp | garlic powder |
| 1/2 | cup | concentrated apple juice |
| 2 | sprigs | rosemary, chopped |
| 1/2 | tbsp | black pepper coarsely ground |
| 2 | cloves | garlic (crushed) |
| 1-2 | whole | bay leaves |
| 3-4 | whole | allspice berries |
| 1 | lemon cut into 1/8ths | |
| 2 | large | yellow onions, peeled and quartered |
| 1 1/2 | lbs | baby carrots |
| 2 | lbs | small red creamer potatoes or new potatoes |
To prepare:
Using a large, deep pot or bowl, combine the hot water with the kosher salt and stir until the salt is dissolved. Next, mix in the brown sugar, molasses, and apple juice with the salt water. Now, stir in the garlic, herbs and spices then squeeze the lemons into the brine and toss in the peels. Allow to cool completely then place the chicken, into the brine, cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 12, but no more than 24 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and place in a roasting pan or clay pot surrounded by the small red potatoes, baby carrots and the quartered yellow onions. Cover and roast at 350 degrees 16 minutes to the lb until juices run clear when pierced at the thigh or thickest section of the breast or a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees, making sure to remove the cover from the roaster at least 30 minutes prior to finishing to ensure a nice deep golden brown color on the chicken. Remove from the roaster and let the bird sit at least 15 minutes before carving.
