KICKIN' RECIPES

WITH CHEF BRIAN HENRY

GETTING ALL

FIRED UP!

AUTUMN CHILLING AND GRILLING

As the seasons change so does our attitudes and behaviors. Cooler weather will see many digging out crock pots, Instapots and other kitchen gadgets du jour but that does not mean that our outdoor kitchens are closed.

Autumn is the season of spices, with many going down the pumpkin spice rabbit hole. Aromatic spices are very soothing with their warm rich scents and which are easily added into your fall grilling and barbecuing. Seasonal menus can include grilled pumpkin, sweet potatoes or try using pumpkin beer as a marinade.

The following recipe can be cooked on a gas grill but is best prepared in a wood or charcoal fired barbeque allowing you to cook S’mores over the coals for dessert.

Barbequed Curry Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole chicken

1 cooking onion cut in half

1 lemon cut in half

1 bulb of garlic, top sliced off

1 – 2 tbsp. Curry in a Hurry

¼ cup butter, softened

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

2 cups chicken stock

METHOD: The night before cooking the chicken, remove any giblets and the neck and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a large glass bowl or baking dish before setting it in the fridge overnight, uncovered as it will dry out the chicken skin so that it cooks up extra crispy. Just make sure that the raw chicken is placed so that no other foods will come in contact with it as to avoid cross-contamination.

The bottom shelf of your fridge is best for this.

Get your charcoal or wood lit so that you can get your coals well set and your barbecue up to 450°f and maintain this temperature for cooking. While your fire is sorting itself out, remove the chicken from the fridge and place it, breast side up, in a wire rack lined roast pan. The roasting pan will be pretty black after cooking so use a designated barbecue pan or a recyclable foil pan.

Stuff the carcass with the onion, lemon and garlic.Tie the legs loosely together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the chicken so that they do not burn.

Stir together butter and Curry in a Hurry. Liberally rub the chicken all over with the curry butter. Lightly season the chicken with salt, pepper and a bit of curry powder. Pour chicken stock in the bottom of the roasting pan.

Place the roasting pan in the barbecue and cook the chicken for 1 -1 1/2 hours with the lid closed, checking the bird every 20 minutes. Baste chicken with the juices in the bottom of the pan. Halfway through cook time, rotate the roasting pan and add more stock to the bottom of the pan if needed.

After one hour, check the internal temperature of the chicken in the thigh. It should reach 180 degrees F.

Once the chicken is cooked, let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Use the pan juices as a sauce or thicken them for gravy.

Chef Brian Henry is Owner of Angle Iron Kitchen in Lakefield, and The Spice Co. - Best Damned Chef in The Kawarthas!