This is something I’ve wanted to try for ages and is also something Mr Brooker swears by. I don’t think he roasts chicken any other way now. It’s quicker, it’s juicier and it’s a lot more fun than a traditional roast chicken (although parts of the process can feel a little barbaric/obscene – we are sticking a can of beer up a chicken after all!
There are many ways you can flavour this guy up, but this version, which includes a good measure of salt and a glug of vinegar, gives you an incredibly crisp and delicious skin.
Don’t use this recipe if you want a relatively immediate gravy, although you could tip some of the beer into the roasting tray with onions and garlic.
You will need:
1 medium to large chicken
1 can lager
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1. Pour yourself a little of the lager and place 2 of the garlic cloves inside the can.
2. Crush the remaining garlic and mix the other ingredients together. Slather it all over the chicken and allow to marinade, out of the fridge, for at least 30 minutes, allowing the meat to come up to room temperature at the same time.
3. Preheat the oven to 170C fan and line a deep roasting pan well with tin foil. Place the can of lager on the centre of the tray and carefully slide the chicken onto it (this is the obscene part!) spreading its legs a little if it’s proving to be snug. Make sure it balances upright before letting go.
4. Put in the oven and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the meat reaches at least 75C when probed. Don’t worry too much if the skin blackens- this is just the sugar catching the heat.
5. When ready, allow to rest for around 20 minutes then carefully remove from the beer can to allow you to carve it on a stable surface – don’t burn yourself on the can or the liquid inside!
Serve with salad, pasta, rice, whatever! I had mine with homemade baked beans and a corn cob and then in wraps for lunch.