LIGHTS OUT BRAAI TRICK
What’s cooking today: Spatchcock chicken smoke-braaied under a dome
The lid of a wok makes a useful dome for capturing smoke while cooking something on the braai grid over hot coals to collect the rosemary smoke. I strewed rosemary branches on the hot coals beneath a spatchcock chicken, and placed the wok lid over it. That’s braaing and smoking simultaneously.
It wouldn’t be accurate to call this smoked chicken, but there is an element of the rosemary smoke flavouring the chicken. I first marinated the chicken in Dijon mustard mixed with honey.
The best way to secure a spatchcock chicken (so that you can turn it over on the braai easily) is to use two skewers. Here’s a video showing how to do it:
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, spatchcocked (see video)
4 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp honey
Salt and black pepper to taste
Several large rosemary branches
A dome such as that for a wok
Method
Mix together the honey and mustard and season with salt and pepper. Prepare the chicken according to the video and brush it all over with the marinade. Skewer the chicken crossways using two firm skewers (see video). Leave it to marinate for three or four hours.
Make plenty of coals. Keep more on the side to shovel in.
Place the rosemary branches on hot coals.
Place the spatchcock chicken under-side down on the grid, not too close to the coals, so that it does not cook too quickly or burn.
Place the dome over the chicken.
Turn every 10 minutes or so.
Cook for about half an hour on each side. DM/TGIFood
Tony Jackman is Galliova Food Champion of the Year 2021. His book, foodSTUFF, is now available in the DM Shop. Buy it here.
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