Okay, okay I admit I don’t have much to say this morning though I do have a lot on my mind. (Health Care, Organic/sustainable/green living, business, obesity, diabetes…) Yes it is a minefield of trouble up there. I’m sure I’ll rant later in the week.
I did however promise pictures of the BBQ Chicken I made on Sunday so that’s what I’ll do today.
I was, in fact, well pleased with this chicken. I rubbed it lightly with cracked black pepper, kosher salt, and paprika. Then I took a fuji apple and a yellow onion and I quartered both. I stuffed the cavity of the bird with alternating pieces of onion and apple and then sealed the cavity with toothpicks. I probably should have trussed the bird but I did not have any twine so I cooked it spread eagle – or spread chicken I guess.
I then took the bird out to the grill. I had the grill hot but had not put the smoke box into it yet. Usually when I will have soaked my chips early and then place the smoke box into the cold grill. This time I wanted to get the bird cooking before I hit it with smoke just to see what happened. I also didn’t use a full box of wood chips so that I’d have a lighter smoke flavor. The wood of choice this time around was sugar maple. Mmmm, boy!
The bird took an hour or so to cook and when she was done it was a beautiful sight. I removed the apple and onion from the cavity and chopped them up. I sauteed about 5 crimini mushrooms that I cut into quarters with a little spinach and then added the cooked apples and onions. This was my sauce/vegetable for the dish.
The apples and onions gave the meat a fabulous flavor. I cooked the bird popes nose up so the juices of the apple and onion and the fat from the thighs all dripped down into the breasts and they came out super tender a juicy.
I also whipped up a quick batch of fat mashed (2 lbs or so of taters paired with a 1/4 pound of butter, and a bit of heavy cream and parmesan – shhh don’t tell the dietician) and I was in my happy place.
Seriously though this meal wasn’t too bad on the nutrition scale. Had I used less butter and 1% milk in those mashed it would have been fine.
Well then, it’s off to work. Let me know what you think of this meal. Also if you are in the Salt Lake City/Provo-Orem areas of Utah leave me a comment if you’d be interested in attending a Fyresyde Dinner or in hosting one. Basically I’m wanting to bring together 8 – 10 people to cook dinner for (we’ll all split the costs) and then have a local “somebody” join us in conversation. Share your thoughts with me.
