Orange & Rosemary Dry-Brined Chicken
Author: 
Serves: 4 to 6
 
Ingredients
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt per pound of chicken
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary + more for grilling
  • Zest from 1 orange
  • 1 whole chicken, trimmed of excess fat
  • Olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Day One: Add the amount of salt per the weight of your chicken a small bowl. Add the cumin, garlic powder, rosemary and range zest. Work it with your fingers so that the orange zest is completely incorporated with the salt and other seasoning - the consistency will be a little like wet sand.
  2. Pat the chicken dry, inside and out with paper towels. Take a large pinch of the salt and season inside the cavity. Use another large pinch on the back. Sprinkle the remainder over the top of the breast, thighs and drumsticks using more where the meat is thicker. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator on a tray or in a shallow bowl for at least 12 hours.
  3. Day Two: Remove the chicken from refrigerator, unwrap and thoroughly rinse with cold water to remove any excess salt and drizzle with olive oil. Season with freshly ground black pepper and more rosemary, if desired.
  4. Prepare the grill for indirect or rotisserie cooking by lighting the outer burners to medium. The inside temperature of the grill should be 325°F to 350°F. Place a drip pan below where the chicken will spin or sit.
  5. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator use a piece of butchers twine to tie the legs together and then tuck the wings under the back. Skewer and center the bird onto the rotisserie spit and secure tightly with the tines. Place the loaded spit onto the motor over the drip pan. Start the rotisserie and cover the grill. Depending on your grill (and the outside temperature), the chicken will take somewhere between 75 to 90 minutes.
  6. After 60 minutes or so, stop the rotisserie motor and check the internal temperature to gauge how fast it is cooking.It should have some great color on it and getting close to done.
  7. Once the internal temperature of the breast hits 160°F and the thigh registers 170°F, turn off rotisserie motor and transfer the spit and chicken to a cutting board. Leave the bird on the spit. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before removing the spit. Cut away the string used for trussing and cut the chicken into serving pieces.
Recipe by Grilling Outdoor Recipes powered by Bull Outdoor Products at http://www.grillingoutdoorrecipes.com/orange-rosemary-dry-brined-chicken/