People pay listen when Jordi Roca, the pastry master at El Celler de Can Roca (and the youngest of the Roca brothers) reveals a cooking tip. Although he is well-known for his desserts, he sometimes shows his creative side in the kitchen.
This time, he gave advice on how to make roast chicken, which many people find challenging, come out crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of flavor. As he says, “It is important to keep the humidity inside while a crusty and tasty skin forms.”
The dry marinade that makes a difference
Jordi starts the video, mixing spices to make a dry marinade in order to make the ideal roast chicken: this keeps the meat from drying out and helps create a golden, flavorful crust. Then, he mixes paprika, mustard powder, dried thyme, coarse salt, brown sugar, and a roasted chicken spice blend in a bowl.
Jordi prepares the mixture and then completely coats the chicken with extra virgin olive oil. He then spreads out the spices. “Don’t rush this step. The more even the spice layer is, the crispier and tastier the skin will be.” he explains.
This mixture adheres to the skin and caramelizes in the oven.
The brown sugar is essential because it helps in the chicken’s browning and provides a little sweetness that balances the paprika’s heat.
The famous “sitting chicken” technique
The sitting chicken technique, which went viral, is the next step. Before roasting the chicken, Jordi showed how he inserts an open beer can inside of it. In fact, the chicken “sits” on the can. The beer slowly evaporates when the oven heats up, releasing steam that keeps the meat moist from the inside out.
This keeps the chicken from drying out even after baking it for over an hour. Although the method is popular in the US, Jordi cautions that it’s not the most secure choice. Cans may release harmful substances because the materials and inks used on them are not made to withstand high temperatures.
Therefore, he suggests pouring the beer into an ovenproof container, like a metal holder designed especially for this use or a tiny borosilicate glass. It has the same effect but is way safer.
How to roast it perfectly
The ideal temperature, according to Jordi, is about 180 °C. Depending on the size of the chicken, the cooking time should be one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes. He insists that you should avoid opening the oven door too often because each time you do so, heat escapes and the browning process slows down.
He suggests also setting a tray underneath the chicken. In the final minutes, the juices that gather there, mixed with spices and evaporated beer, are ideal for spooning over the chicken. To keep the chicken juicy when you cut it, let it rest for at least ten minutes after cooking.
Extra tips from Jordi Roca
Lastly, Jordi Roca shares a few more pointers that capture the flavor and simplicity of Spanish cuisine and Catalan cooking:
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Before seasoning, completely dry the chicken because moisture prevents the skin from crisping.
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To make the breast skin even softer, apply a small amount of butter underneath it.
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For large chickens, use a kitchen thermometer; the internal temperature should be around 75 °C.
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To guarantee that the juices stay inside the meat, let the chicken rest upside down after roasting.
Jordi Roca transforms a basic roast chicken into something exceptional with a clever dry marinade, a safe variation of the sitting chicken method, and meticulous roasting.
Even writing about it, makes me want to give it a try.