Why This Recipe Works

In Peru, maestros polleros, or poultry masters, make the wildly popular chickens known as pollo a la brasa by grill-roasting chickens on rotisseries that spin lazily over crackling wood fires to produce meat that's encased in tawny, paper-thin skin and dripping with juices. Our version calls for marinating the bird in a beer-based marinade that also includes ingredients commonly used in pollerías today: soy sauce for salinity; lime juice and mustard for brightness; and garlic, dried thyme, black pepper, and cumin for earthy, savory depth. Instead of a rotisserie to rotate the bird horizontally, we used the half-empty beer can to prop it up vertically and then positioned the propped-up bird in the center of a kettle grill outfitted with a split fire. The key was to rotate the chicken a quarter turn every 15 minutes. While not the constant movement of a rotisserie, about five turns produced remarkably succulent, smoky meat packaged in well-rendered, uniformly mahogany skin.

Want more? Read the whole story

Before You Begin

Our gas grill instructions are for a three-burner grill. If using a two-burner grill, turn both burners to high and place the wood chips on the primary burner while the grill heats. When the grill is hot, turn the primary burner to medium and turn the secondary burner off; stand the chicken on the cooler side of the grill, about 4 inches from the primary burner, and proceed with the recipe, adjusting the primary burner as needed to maintain 350 to 375 degrees. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of grating the garlic. Inexpensive beer is fine; avoid those with strong hoppy or bitter flavors. Do not use a 16-ounce can because its height will make the chicken less stable. Serve with french fries and salad and Ají Verde (Peruvian Green Chile Sauce) and/or Ají Amarillo (Peruvian Yellow Chile Sauce).

Instructions

Whisk ½ cup beer, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, salt, mustard, pepper, thyme, and cumin together in liquid measuring cup. Refrigerate remaining beer, still in can, until ready to grill. Using your fingers or handle of wooden spoon, gently loosen skin covering chicken breast and leg quarters. Using paring knife, poke 10 to 15 holes in fat deposits on skin of back. Tuck wingtips underneath chicken.

Place chicken in bowl with cavity end facing up. Slowly pour marinade between skin and meat and rub marinade inside cavity, outside skin, and under skin to distribute. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning chicken halfway through marinating.

Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4½-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.

Place beer can in large, shallow bowl. Spray can all over with vegetable oil spray. Slide chicken over can so drumsticks reach down to bottom of can and chicken stands upright; set aside at room temperature while preparing grill.

FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent fully and place disposable pan in center of grill. Light large chimney starter two-thirds filled with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into 2 even piles on either side of disposable pan. Place wood chip packet on 1 pile of coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent fully. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on one of outside burners. Set grate in place; turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn 2 outside burners to medium and turn off center burner. (Adjust outside burners as needed to maintain grill temperature between 350 and 375 degrees.)

Scrape cooking grate clean with grill brush. Transfer chicken with can to center of cooking grate with wings facing piles of coals (or outer burners on gas grill) at 3 and 9 o’clock (ends of drumsticks should rest on grate to help steady bird). Cover grill (with top vent open for charcoal grill) and cook for 15 minutes. Using tongs and wad of paper towels, rotate chicken 90 degrees so wings are at 6 and 12 o’clock. Continue cooking and turning chicken at 15-minute intervals until thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees, 1 hour to 1¼ hours longer.

With large wad of paper towels in each hand, transfer chicken and can to clean bowl, keeping can upright; let rest for 15 minutes (do not discard paper towels). Using wads of paper towels, carefully lift chicken off can and onto cutting board. Discard can. Carve chicken, transfer to platter, and serve.