Back at the Ranch
Coming back from a hiatus with a few things to make your weekend better
Well, to all of my loyal readers, an apology is in order. I dropped the ball over the last month. Between work, travel, and family obligations, I just didn’t take the time to opine on cooking. Mea culpa. I hope you’ll forgive me.
Anyway, heading into the weekend, I’ve kinda got a hankering for chicken. This video from Meat Church had me practically salivating on my computer as I watched it. You could take that approach, and spatchcock your bird, or, so as I like to do when smoking or grilling a chicken, and do it on a beer can.
Use a decent sized, whole bird for this (3-5 lbs). Pat it dry, remove any offal inside, and liberally season with either straight salt and pepper or a rub of your choice. Pre-heat your grill, using an in-direct set up (that means only light half the burners), until it’s about 350 (F).
Drink half to three-quarters of a canned beer. Carefully balance the bird on the beer can (stick it right up in there!) and then place on the grill. Sometimes it’s easier to balance on a sheet pan or skillet, but do whatever works for you. Cook until the internal temp hits about 165 (F) at the breast, about 60 min, or until the juices run clear when you stab it with a fork. I like to periodically baste the bird with a honey/soy/maple glaze, but you could also spritz with orange, apple, or pineapple juice to achieve the same effect.
When done, take off the heat, let rest for 5-10 minutes, carve and enjoy. I like to eat this caveman style, but forks and knives are also appropriate.
So there you go. And, as a bonus, here’s a recipe for my new favorite Friday cocktail — a twist on ranch water.
In a glass, add a few ounces of whiskey or bourbon. Squeeze in half a lemon and fill with ice. Swirl it around in the glass, and then top with seltzer water and enjoy. I like to use Spindrift here, Topo Chico is a classic, but any will do.
Easy peasy. Read some stuff.