Pollo al Mattone
Author: Food Musings
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Tuscan
- two heavy bricks, terra cotta are best
- aluminum foil
- 1 whole fryer chicken
- fresh herbs like basil, oregano, flat-leafed parsley, to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- salt and pepper
- wash & dry two bricks
- wrap bricks in aluminum foil
- using a butcher's knife or large kitchen shears, cut the chicken along one side of the backbone
- remove the back bone entirely if desired (we left intact)
- open the chicken and lay it flat like a book
- lift the skin away for the flesh or make small cuts on breast & thighs
- push the garlic and fresh herbs under the skin to look like photo above
- liberally salt & pepper chicken
- preheat barbeque to approx. medium
- heat the bricks in a closed barbeque
- place chicken skin side down onto grill
- using hand protection, place hot bricks over chicken covering as much surface as possible
- close lid and let chicken cook 22 -25 minutes without disturbing
- remove bricks
- using hand protection, grab legs and flip the chicken so the skin side is up
- place the bricks on top again
- close lid
- cook again for 12-15 minutes without disturbing until exposed skin is starting to brown
- repeat above action and flip one last time
- cook another 5-10 minutes until skin is starting to crisp and internal thigh temperature is 175 degrees
- transfer chicken to platter and let rest 10 minutes before serving
Recipe by Food Musings at http://foodmusings.ca/recipes/entrees/pollo-al-mattone/
3.2.2802