SC - chicken on string

[Donna Kenton]

Marisa Herzog wrote:

>technique please?  this sounds fun and nicely showy.

> (imagining not only a nice chicken dinner, but the jealous looks from
> other
> encampments)
> -brid

Oh, yeah, you get *lots* of jealous looks!  I have an iron tripod thing,
though it would work with sticks if they were secure.  Basically, you
need a way to support the chicken right beside (not over) the fire.  I
have two uprights and one horizontal pole across the top of the other
two.

And you need a firepit.  I haven't had any luck with it in a mongolian
shield because it's hard to keep the bird and fire close enough together
or the fire hot enough (set the bird on fire, the ground on fire...
<grin>).

Clean the chicken and place two skewers in it, one through the thighs
and one through the wings/breast.  (These will be used independently.)
You can add any seasonings you want, or freeze it now.  Obviously, you
want to skewer it *before* you freeze it.

Tie a long string to the horizontal pole.  Take a separate piece of
string, maybe 12-15 inches, and tie a loop in each end.  The finished
piece should be long enough to loop around both ends of one skewer with
a few inches to spare.  Tie the center of the looped string to the
string hanging down from the horizontal pole.

You'll start with the breast half of the chicken upright.  This keeps in
the juices.  Place the string loops over the ends of the skewer that
goes through the wings, and hang in front of a good fire.  You'll need
to adjust the upright string to a proper length.  You want the bird to
the side of the fire and near the top of the flames.

Now, you just give the bird a twist, so that the hanging string winds
up.  As the string twists back, then winds up the other way, it turns
the bird in front of the fire for you.  Looks really great, and you'll
get lots of people ooo-ing and aaah-ing over it.  As the string loses
momentum, give it another turn.

The longer the vertical string, the longer it will take care of itself.
About halfway through cooking, turn the bird upside, using the other
skewer now.

I like to par-boil some root vegetables, and let the juices of the
chicken drip into that pot -- it's just wonderful.

Clear as mud, right?  <grin>

Rosalinde
- --
Donna Kenton * Rosalinde De Witte * donna at dabbler.com *
http://www.dabbler.com/


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