Rotisserie chicken with sweetcorn & slaw

Our friends at Woodsmith Wood show you how to make the ultimate roast chicken (BBQ-style). Cooking a whole bird over the fire creates tender and juicy meat that’s full of flavour, a feast that’s fit for summer. The dry rub here creates about three times as much as you need for this recipe, but we recommend making the whole amount and saving the rest for later.

2 hours

6-7

Hard

• 2.25kg Field & Flower Whole Chicken
• 6 sweetcorn

For the dry rub:
• 10g fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 100g salt
• 15g smoked paprika
• 30g paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cayenne

For the slaw:
• 1 medium white cabbage
• 1 white onion
• 2 large carrots
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 bunch of dill
• 50g dijon mustard
• 50ml cider vinegar
• 50g caster sugar
• 50ml mayonnaise
• 50ml yoghurt
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Remove your chicken from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.

2. Start your fire. If you are using charcoal then stack your pile of coal and light your natural firelighter. You will need to continue to add lit coals to maintain the temperature of the fire. You can also use wood chunks with charcoal to add a burst of smoky flavour. If you are cooking with wood, you will need to build a fire and allow this to burn down, adding more logs as required.

3. To make the dry rub toast the fennel, cummin, coriander seeds and peppercorns in a dry pan for a few minutes until they release a spicy aroma. Put into a bowl and allow to cool. Blitz the now cooled spices with the other dry rub ingredients.

4. You now want to sprinkle the chicken thoroughly with a third of the dry rub (and save the rest for another time). We use an old large spice shaker for this, but whatever your chosen method is, make sure the bird gets an even coating.

5. Attach your chicken to the rotisserie, sit back and watch it slowly brown. Your job now is maintaining the fire and ensuring a good amount of heat is reaching the chicken. You are looking for a medium heat here. As a guide if you can hold your hand at the same level as the chicken above the fire for 5-7 seconds you have a medium heat. It is tempting to create a big fire to cook the chicken quicker, but all that will happen is the skin will burn and the meat will remain uncooked. Think of this as an alternative to a roast chicken in the oven.

6. To help the chicken stay moist whilst cooking we like to baste it. You can use any number of things, we’ve even been known to use beer from time to time! But whatever you use try and avoid anything high in sugar as that will tend to burn.

7. Whilst the chicken is cooking you can make your slaw. Shred up your veg in whichever way you prefer - by hand with a sharp knife, using a grater or the special attachment that comes with some food processors. In a bowl mix together the mustard, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise and yoghurt. Season to taste. Mix this with the shredded veg and chopped dill just before serving.

8. We would always recommend using a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your food. 74c is the magic number for chicken. You can also insert something sharp into the thickest part of the chicken. If the juices run clear that is another good indicator.

9. Whilst the chicken is resting, you can cook your sweetcorn. If the corn is still in the husks then soak them in water for 30 mins and cook them straight over the hot coals. Letting the husks turn black as the corn inside steams. Alternatively cooked the corn over a medium heat for 10-15 mins until they have taken on a golden colour.

10. Finally carve the chicken, mix together and serve the slaw alongside the sweetcorn with some salted butter.