Sai Woo's Spatch-cocked Roast Chicken

Courtesy of Sai Woo.
Directions for: Sai Woo's Spatch-cocked Roast Chicken

Ingredients

Brine

1 cup (250 mL) water

15 g salt

15 g sugar

1 tsp (5 mL) soy sauce

1 star anise

1-inch cinnamon stick

1 sprig fresh thyme

Chicken

1 whole chicken

Kosher salt, to sprinkle on chicken before roasting

Oil, to baste the chicken

Directions

Brine

1. Boil water, add all the ingredients and let cool for 20 minutes. Strain and keep cool in refrigerator till needed.

Chicken

1. Take chicken out and wash it thoroughly.

2. Dry with paper towel and lay flat on a cutting board with breast side down. The legs pointing towards you.

3. Using shears, cut along the side of each backbone about 1 1/2 apart. Cutting through the rib bones as you go from the front to the back. Remove the bone(you can save for stock or roasting for gravy).

4. (Optional) Pull the bird open wider and make a deep cut at the sternum cartilage in the centre of the breast. Press to flatten and remove the cartilage that pops up.

5. (Optional) Turn chicken over and remove the wish bone connecting the two sides of breast on the front side.

6. Lay chicken, breast side up on the rack in the baking sheet.

7. With the marinade injector, inject the brine into each breast(about 75 mL per breast) and once into the leg (about 50 mL) per leg, from the inside cavity. Retract the skin when injecting, any holes may tear the skin when roasting.

8. Leave chicken on tray in the refrigerator until needed. May be done several days in advance. Up to 4 days.

9. Turn oven on to 200F.

10. If you have an oven with a thermocouple probe, insert the probe into the thickest part to the breast front he inside without puncturing the skin.

11. Cook chicken until it reaches an core temperature of 150F which should take about 1.5 hours.

12. Remove chicken once desired temperature is reached and let it cool down. Discard and clean the bottom baking sheet.(Alternately cool the chicken, in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before you wish to serve it.)

13. Increase oven temperature to the highest possible available temperature, 450-575F.

14. When oven reaches the desired temperature, CAREFULLY return the chicken into the oven. Close the door and roast for 5-7 minutes. NOTE: Oven will smoke heavily make sure you have hood fans on high and windows opened.

15. Chicken is done when it has a crispy, golden skin without burning the skin. And without overcooking the moist succulent flesh.

16. Rest the chicken and let it cool before cutting into it for at least 10-15 minutes.

17. Carve the bird or leave it whole on a platter for your guest to savour.