Honey-Sage Brined Roasted Whole Chicken
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Chicken
Cuisine
American
Author:
Star Mountain Kitchen
Juicy brined roasted chicken, with a hint of sweetness and the earthiness of fresh sage.
Ingredients
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1 Whole Chicken, about 4-6 lbs
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Ghee or Butter for basting
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Butcher’s Twine
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1 Bunch Fresh Sage Leaves
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1 Cup Honey
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1 Head Garlic, halved crosswise
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1 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
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3⁄4 C Sea Salt
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Water
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Prep Knife
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Basting Brush
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Roasting Pan
Brine (plan to prepare 4-24 hours before you want to roast the chicken):
Tools
Directions
For Brining:
- The day BEFORE: bring 1 quart of water to a boil with sage, garlic, salt and peppercorns. As the temperature cools (to less than 150) add the honey. Once dissolved, add 2 quarts of cold water. Submerge the chicken in brine, breast side down, and refrigerate overnight.
For Roasting:
- **Prepare a basting brush and plan to baste the chicken with pan drippings, chicken stock, melted ghee, or butter.
- Pull the chicken out of the refrigerator an hour before you want to start cooking. This helps the chicken come to room temperature before going into the oven, and reduces the overall cooking time and allows the chicken to cook evenly. Move the rack to the center of the oven if you need to, and preheat to 425°F.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and let it drip off. A wet coating is fine, as long as it's not dripping. Tightly truss and tie your chicken with a long piece of butcher’s twine. Place the chicken back-side down in a cast-iron skillet or shallow roasting pan. Slide the pan to the backof the oven with the legs pointing toward the rear left corner.
- Roast the chicken for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 400°F. Peek through the oven door during the first 15 minutes of roasting to make sure chicken is browning and not burning, lower oven temperature from 425°F if necessary. Baste the chicken every 15 minutes by using a spoon and tilting the pan to collect the juices then spooning them atop the chicken.
- After 15 more minutes, check the color of your chicken and rotate the pan so the legs are pointing toward the back right corner of the oven. You're aiming for even, golden, browning over the whole chicken.
Recipe Note
Chicken locally produced by Black Dog Farm - Livingston, MT