We broke out out the Webber last night because I learned a great technique (courtesy of Jamie Oliver) to grill large cuts of meat. For a whole chicken (back cut out and chicken flattened), you cook it in a 350 degree oven, and then finish it off on the grill. I had heard of this technique in reverse, but this way produces very juicy chicken with lots of flavor and intense caramelization. I made the barbecue sauce from scratch (Jamie’s recipe), and is the tastiest thing I ever put in my mouth. Flavors of fennel seed, balsamic vinegar, and smoked paprika dance in the mouth.

You are not limited to chicken as this method works with ribs, leg of lamb, you name it. I sauteed okra and grilled corn to accompany this, but any summer veggies will pair nicely. And don’t forget the wine...

Below is Jamie’s recipe with some notes and small changes from me...

For the marinade:

1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

5 cloves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bunch fresh thyme or lemon thyme, leaves picked

Bunch fresh rosemary, leaves picked, a few whole sprigs reserved

1 orange, zested and juiced

1 bulb garlic, broken into cloves and peeled [I used way less... your choice]

4 heaped teaspoons sweet smoked paprika

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup organic tomato ketchup

8 tablespoons olive oil

10 bay leaves

1 (3-pound) free-range or organic chicken, spatchcocked or 1 (7-pound) leg of lamb, on the bone, slashed evenly 1/4-inch deep or 4 1/4 pounds pork rib racks

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and light your barbecue about 40 minutes later.

Rub your chosen meat all over with the marinade, really getting it into all the nooks and crannies and, in case of the lamb, the slashes. Place the meat in a snug-fitting roasting pan, top with any leftover marinade and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake the meat in the preheated oven until sweet and tender. This will take 1 1/2 hours for the pork ribs and the lamb (but if you like your lamb pink, it will only need 1 hour), and 1 hour and 20 minutes for the chicken.

Now you're going to finish your meat on a medium hot barbecue. Place it carefully on the bars of the barbecue and sear it well on 1 side, then turn it over. While it's cooking, use your reserved rosemary sprigs to baste the meat [regular brush will do] with the sticky juices from the bottom of the roasting pan [I discarded that juice and used reserve marinade to baste]. Keep turning and brushing the meat until you've built up a lovely sticky, charred crust, then take it off the barbie and rest it on a serving dish for a few minutes. Meanwhile, pop your roasting pan on the barbie or over a gas burner and let the juices reduce a bit [optional].

Cut the pork into individual ribs, carve the leg of lamb into slices or tear the chicken into pieces, and serve with a bowl of the lovely marinade juices from the roasting pan.

Notes:

I highly recommend investing $20 in a coffee grinder to use solely for grinding spices. A dry rub mixed with a little EVOO is a very tasty and healthy way to cook any meat. I particularly like dry rubs on pork tenderloin because I never remember to marinade in advance. Many of my favorite dry rubs include fennel seed, coriander, cumin, dried herbs, garlic and onion powder, paprika and the like. Be creative.

To sauté okra* just chop it up and cook on med high heat with a little EVOO and S&P until golden. Toward the end splash a little red wine vinegar in and reduce it. Serve with hot sauce or more red wine vinegar.

*handy tip: if you don’t like slimy okra, soak it in a bath of water splashed with red wine vinegar for about 30 minutes. Rinse and proceed.

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