Wheat Beer Roasted Chicken

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. TESTER TIP: If you've recently had a pie or anything else spill over and create a mess on your oven floor, you'll want to scrub that off prior to cranking the oven to this temperature. Or else be prepared to have some serious ventilation happening. 

In a small bowl using a fork or the back of a wooden spoon, work together the butter, orange zest, coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until combined.

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Gently run your fingers between the chicken skin and the meat, loosening the skin while being careful not to tear it. Push the butter under the skin, as far over the thighs and drumsticks as your fingertips or the handle of a wooden spoon will reach. Massage the chicken skin from the outside to spread the butter evenly over the chicken. 

Season the chicken inside and out with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the pepper. Place the garlic and orange, cut into chunks, in the cavity. If desired, loosely tie the legs together with kitchen string.

Place the chicken in a flameproof roasting pan that's not much larger than the chicken itself. (A large cast-iron skillet works quite nicely.) Roast the chicken, liberally basting it with some of the beer every 15 minutes, until the skin is golden and begins to pull away from the base of the drumsticks and the juice runs clear, about 50 minutes. 

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over a burner and add the remaining beer. Bring the liquid to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Stir together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then stir the resulting corn starch slurry into the simmering pan juices. Simmer the gravy, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. If desired, strain the gravy. TESTER TIP: If you prefer a thinner consistency to your pan sauce as opposed to thicker, then you can omit the cornstarch and water slurry. It's not essential. It'll simply make your accompanying sauce more like a glossy gravy.

Cut the strings from the legs, if using, and carve the chicken. Transfer the pieces to a platter and spoon the gravy over the chicken or pass it on the side.

Mains