Kamado Roast Chicken

What’s so special about kamado roast chicken? Well you're just about to find out what all the fuss is about when it comes to cooking on a ceramic barbecue because you are going to get the most succulent roast chicken that you’ve ever tasted.

Kamado roast chicken is all about the ceramic grill and how it keeps the moisture in the cooking because of the unique air circulation that goes on inside the grill - completely different to your fan assisted oven for example.

When the lid is closed on your kamado the air flow is minimal, just enough going in the bottom and exiting the top to maintain the high roasting temperature. It's the super insulated ceramic wall of the kamado that keeps the temperature stable inside the cooking chamber no matter what the ambient temperature is and it is this feature that makes for such juicy results.

That said, the actual cooking process (preparation, timing and temperature) is pretty much the same as your standard oven roast chicken it's just that lack of evaporation during cooking that elevates this recipe to greater heights.

I have 2 Monolith kamados and a Big Green Egg, but whether it’s one of these brands, a Primo or even a Kamado Joe, the recipe is still the same, the set up is for indirect cooking and you too can achieve the same results.

Note: Using a vertical chicken roaster with liquid in the centre will have a similar moisturising effect to what I'm doing here but the objective of this recipe is to keep it as simple as possible and demonstrate difference that a kamado makes.

That said, I do have a couple of tips for you that will knock it out of the park.

TIP - let the bird settle for 30 minutes after cooking to let the juices set. I tucked into mine a little too early and the juices ran everywhere – but I caught most in the gravy pot!

Preparation Time:- 10 minutes
Cooking Time:- 90 minutes for an average sized chicken
Resting Time:- 30 minutes

Total Time:- 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients:-

1 Free Range Chicken
1 onion (quartered but not peeled)
1 lemon (quartered)
Olive Oil
Salt

Method:-

Rub the chicken with olive oil and then sprinkle liberally with the salt (this will help crisp up the skin). Stuff the chicken with the quarters of onion and lemon - this will add flavor and steam the inside of the bird while it is roasting.

Place the chicken in your kamado on the indirect setting (heat deflector stones in situ) and roast at 180°C or 350°F for the normal cooking time (20 minutes per pound + 20 minutes).

If your kamado cooking temperature starts to die, don’t worry it’ll still cook through provided the drop in temp is not too dramatic (mine dropped to 140°C), just make sure you check your chicken is cooked.

The traditional way is to pricking the thigh with a skewer and check that the juices run clear but I prefer to use an instant read bbq thermometer because then there's no argument. The chicken breast should be up to 75°C (165°F) and look for 82°C (180°F) in the thigh (close to the bone).

My advice is first time around don't over complicate things with smoke, just take this basic kamado roast chicken recipe with minimal seasoning and take a moment to reflect on a humble chicken, simply seasoned and cooked well.

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