I don’t have access to a lot of exotic meats – venison, elk, quail, pheasant, etc. – where I live. At least to the extent that my lazy butt is willing to go to find out how readily available they are at any local food shop.
So I cook a lot of your common fare: beef, pork, and chicken. The challenge is to find different and interesting ways to cook them.
Not that this is particularly earth-shattering or innovative, but last week, I wanted to make chicken, but put a new twist on it.
I thought that spatchcock would be a good avenue to go down. I’ve done it before, and this time, I happened to find a pre-split chicken at my local grocer. Saved me about 15 minutes or so cutting up the bird myself.
Are You Going to Scarborough Fair?
But how to flavor this bird? I appreciate chicken with herbal profiles, and with a quick Google search, found a recipe that called for placing it on a bed of fresh herbs:
- 2 bunches fresh rosemary
- 2 bunches fresh thyme
- 2 bunches fresh sage
- 2 bunches fresh chives
I found all but the fresh rosemary, so I had to improvise with about half a container of dried leaves I found in the spice cabinet.
I kind of improvised this meal that morning, so I only had a few hours to brine. Ideally, I like to do that overnight, but some brine time is better than no brine time. Just my opinion.
I gave the meat a little help by injecting it with Bird Booster. For the skin, I rubbed the chicken with olive oil, then applied a simple SPG rub. I laid out the herbs on a baking rack, then placed the bird on top.
I prepared the smoker at about 275 degrees using some mesquite wood chunks, then put on the chicken once the temperature was reached.
Once it was ready, I took it off the smoker, let it rest, then carved it up. Chicken is one protein I can make consistently well every time, and this hit the mark, as well. Moist, herby, slightly crispy, and all-around enjoyable.
As Dudley Moore said in Arthur, “I love a chicken… made at home.”
The Wine: 2017 Cantina Termeno – Kellerei Tramin Moriz Pinot Bianco Alto Adige
I don’t indulge in Italian whites very often, but when cooking a chicken with a little bit of a Mediterranean flavor to it, that seems like a pretty perfect occasion.
I pulled out a 2017 Cantina Termeno – Kellerei Tramin Moriz Pinot Bianco Alto Adige. Pinot Bianco is the Italian name for Pinot Blanc. A brief lesson on the grape from Wine-Searcher.com:
Pinot Blanc is a versatile white-wine grape variety used in the production of still, sparkling and sweet dessert wines. Although not the most glamorous member of the Pinot family, the variety has proven its worth in various regions, most notably Alsace in northeast France and the Alto Adige region of Italy.
Pinot Blanc is a white mutation of Pinot Noir, with a smaller concentration of anthocyanins. In the vineyard, it is relatively fruitful variety giving reliable yields each growing season. Bunches of Pinot Blanc are tightly packed clusters creating vulnerability to various mildew diseases.
The Alto Adige region of Italy doesn’t automatically come to mind when thinking of wines originating from that country. So a little bit about this area:
Alto Adige (or Sudtirol to the German-speaking two-thirds of its inhabitants) is a wine-producing province of farthest northern Italy. It constitutes the northern half of the Trentino-Alto Adige wine region (the southern half being Trentino)… The region’s key vineyard zones trace the north-south path of the Adige river, and are planted on the valley floor and the slopes above, many of which are incredibly steep…Most wine made here is produced by co-operatives, which, through the need for efficient harvesting, winemaking and marketing, have become known for consistent quality and reliable quantity.
With the chicken, I think this wine was an ideal partner. On the nose and the tongue, crisp with stone fruits and a good degree of minerality that complimented the earthiness of the chicken. It’s an inexpensive selection that can be pulled out and paired with a variety of chicken and white fish dishes.
This is one I need to buy and enjoy more often, for sure.
Cheers!