BBQ Better with Ben O'Donoghue

Ingredients

• 1 x 1.8kg chicken (organic if possible)
• 1 spring onion
• 1 star anise
• 1 clove garlic
• Steamed bok choy to serve

Glaze for Chicken

• 250ml water
• 60ml light soy
• 40ml dark soy
• 2 star anise
• 1 cassia/cinnamon sticks
• 6 thin slices of ginger, about 2cm knob
• 1/2 tsp sichuan pepper
• 25ml shaox shing Chinese cooking wine
• 50gms maltose or glucose

Baked Sweet Potato

• 4 Purple sweet potatoes
• 200gm bio natural yoghurt
• 3 shallot/spring onions
• 1 -2 green chilli’s (not hot)
• 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
• ½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
• Mint/coriander
• Salt
• Pepper

BBQ equipment

(Product available at Barbeques Galore stores)

• 1 x Charcoal BBQ
• 1 x Bar-B-Chef Beer Can Chicken Roaster
• 1 x Bar-B-Chef Enamel Drip Tray or aluminium disposable tray

Method

1. For the glaze, combine all ingredients together in a pot and simmer for about 10 minutes remove the spices and reserve to stuff into the chicken cavity.
2. Holding chicken by the neck use a ladel to pour the hot glaze over the bird above a bowl. Then put the chicken on a rack and allow to dry for 15 minutes, repeat this with the chicken 3 times. Ensure the chicken skin is evenly coloured; it will tighten and take on a well tanned appearance.
3. Leave the chicken to dry out in the fridge on the rack for about 3 hrs before cooking. Place the spices into the cavity of the chicken. (You can freeze the glaze and use again next time)
4. Heat the BBQ for indirect cooking (using like an oven) or just preheat your oven to around 200 degrees.
5. Chop your spring onions in half along with the garlic, then push them into an opened can of beer along with the star anise. Place the can of beer into the Bar-B-Chef Beer Can Chicken Roaster and then place the chicken over the can of beer. Place the chicken on a tray and place in between the heat source and pull down the lid.
6. Cook at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes and then allow the bbq to cool to about 160-180 degrees. This can be achieved quickly by opening the lid. With the Big Green Egg bbq you can close off the airflow to lower the temperature.
7. Cook for about 1½ hours. Remove and allow to rest covered with foil for 30 minutes. Keep the juices, mix with a little more of the glaze mixture and sesame oil for a gravy.

Method Baked sweet Potato

1. Place the sweet potatoes directly onto the grill rack of the BBQ at the same time the chicken is being cooked.
2. Finely slice the spring onion both the green and the white and mix into the yoghurt along with the chopped chilli, garlic and ginger.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reserve until the potato is cooked.
4. Once the sweet potato is lovely and soft remove to a serving plate and allow to cool slightly. Split down the middle with a sharp knife and squeeze to open the top. Dress liberally with the dressing and serve.