Herbed Rotisserie Chicken with Catalan Allioli Autèntic
Rotisserie-roasted meats are certainly nothing new. Cooks have been roasting on spits over open coals for eons. Spit cooking is probably even older than the word “eon”. Likewise with classic allioli — as long as there have been olive oil and garlic, the two attracted each other like magnets.
In 2000 AD, I was gifted with a Showtime Rotisserie by Vic’s mom, Pranee. That’s right, it was the original “Set it and forget it” machine that you see on TV ads between midnight and dawn.
Being a southern boy who appreciated such retailers as Neiman-Marcus and Tiffany’s, I rolled my eyes at this one—discreetly of course. Hurting Pranee’s feelings is like fooling Mother Nature — it’s just not nice!
Now, many years later and egg cleaned off my face, pride swallowed and humbled for the umpteenth time, I can proudly say “I love my ‘set it and forget it’ Showtime Rotisserie!”
Once you prepare your bird for this rotisserie, it really is set it and forget it. For me the prep involves brining, seasoning and trussing so it will hold its shape. We also have an electric rotisserie attachment for our 22″ Weber charcoal grill which produces great results with the added benefit of that “roasted over coals” flavor. You can easily add smoke flavor as well.
Herbed Rotisserie Chicken
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 ml.) table salt or ½ cup (120 ml.) Kosher salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml.) sugar
- 4 cups (.95 l.) Water
- 1 whole chicken, giblets and neck reserved for something else
- Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute or your favorite seasoning blend
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large sprig of thyme
- 1 whole head garlic, halved at its equator
Method:
- Mix together the salt, sugar and water for the brine.
- Rinse chicken well, dry and trim any excess skin and/or fat.
- Place the chicken in a large sealable plastic bag and pour the brine (salt, sugar and water) in and seal.
- Let brine in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
I have two methods for seasoning the chicken.
Method 1.
- Using a blunt chopstick that won’t puncture the skin, carefully work it between the skin and flesh (see photos of this method here).
- Mix the seasoning blend with enough extra virgin olive oil to make a loose paste.
- Using your fingers, carefully work the oil and seasonings between the skin and flesh, distributing as evenly as possible.
- Place the sprig of thyme and halved head of garlic in the cavity of the chicken.
- Truss the chicken with cotton or linen kitchen twine and rub a generous amount of olive oil over the exterior.
Method 2.
- Place the sprig of thyme and halved head of garlic in the cavity of the chicken.
- Truss the chicken with cotton or linen kitchen twine.
- Using a mister or sprayer that sprays oil, spray the chicken with oil.
- Sprinkle the dry seasoning blend all over the chicken and spray one more time with oil.
- Attach the chicken to the skewers provided for your rotisserie and place in the rotisserie oven.
- Roast until a thermometer registers 160 °F (70 °C)
- Remove from the oven, then from the skewers and tent with aluminum foil to allow the bird to rest and the temperature to rise to 165 °F or 75 °C.
- Carve and serve.
Catalan Allioli Autèntic
Adapted from Catalan Cuisine by Coleman Andrews
This simple and heady sauce is an ancient and pure form of an Allioli. Add egg yolk and you’re on your way to mayonnaise. If you believe in the powers of garlic, the aura about you after enjoying might be as powerful as any saint or religious icon you might wear around your neck.
Ingredients:
- 6 peeled cloves of garlic or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml.) salt
- 1 cup (.25 lt.) extra virgin olive oil
Note: All ingredients should be at room temperature.
- Trim the stem end of the garlic, cut in half lengthwise and remove any green sprouts.
- Mince all the garlic then add to a large mortar along with the salt.
- Mash the garlic with the salt until you have a smooth paste.
- Begin adding the oil slowly while stirring the garlic with the pestle, always going in the same circular direction.
- Continue until an emulsion forms. You may reach this stage before you use all the oil.
- Stop when you have an emulsion, as more oil could “break” the emulsion.
Serve immediately with the roast chicken.
¡Bon profit
— Charles
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About the Author (Author Profile)
Music, food and photography are at the center of Charles’ life. He performed with the Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera and was assistant principal bassoonist with the Fort Worth Symphony for more than 20 years. When Charles and Victor moved to Baltimore, Charles created Lone Star Personal Chef and Catering Service and taught cooking classes at Williams-Sonoma. Now in Salem, Charles is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Mountain West Real Estate, taught cooking classes for children at the A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village, and owns and operates Charles Price Photography. Charles and Vic enjoy entertaining and frequently host dinners as fundraisers for local non-profits and charities
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Sounds heavenly.
Vic,
Pauline and I especially like our rotisserie and cook it over night like you do. She wants to try the recipe you recommend. We will give you a report when we have the roast.