Beer & Butter Bundt Pan Chicken

This was my first time roasting a chicken using the Bundt cake pan method, and I decided to put my own twist on it, by adding beer over my vegetables to create not only extra flavor for the chicken, but a delicious broth for the vegetables to cook in! 

Ingredients
4-4.5 lb whole chicken
1 lemon, cut in half
6 -10 whole garlic cloves
12 oz. potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (I used fingerlings)
12 oz. baby carrots, cut in half
7 - 8 stalks of celery, ends trimmed off
5 oz. mini tomatoes (grape/cherry)
1/2 half large onion, cut in 8 wedges
1/2 cup beer of your choice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup of butter, melted
All-Purpose Seasoning (I specifically used Weber's Beer Can Chicken spice - GREAT choice for this)
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all prepped vegetables in a large bowl then add olive oil and season with 1 tsp salt & 1 tsp fresh ground pepper. Toss with spoon to coat.

Remove chicken from packaging, along with any innards (giblets, neck) that may have been tucked inside the cavity. Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Season insides lightly with your all-purpose seasoning.   Place 1 to 2 of  lemon halves inside.

(Optional) For extra flavor, I injected my chicken with Johnny's French Dip Au Jus.

Take a piece of foil and cover the hole of the Bundt pan.  Spray the Bundt pan (including the foil cover) with non-stick spray then place on a heavy duty cookie sheet.

Flip chicken over the center of the Bundt pan, so that the cavity fits comfortably inside the bird and ensure that the bird is sitting upright.  Tuck in the wings.

Arrange the vegetables around all sides of the chicken in the pan.  Add the beer.

Pour the melted butter over the bird, then season with all-purpose seasoning.  Take a pastry or basting brush the outside of the chicken all around to make sure every part of the skin has been buttered.

With your oven rack in one of the two bottom positions, place Bundt pan/cookie sheet inside. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh (between the breast and leg) registers 160 - 165 degrees.

Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.  Taste the vegetables (carrots and potatoes especially). If they don't taste cooked to your desired softness, pop them back in the oven for a longer time.

To serve, carve chicken into 8 pieces.
Use a slotted spoon to lift out the veggies onto the plate, then drizzle some of the "beer & butter juice" from the pan over the chicken and veggies.

 For an even heartier meal, serve with rice. Enjoy!

For a PRINTABLE copy of this recipe, CLICK HERE!

Potato Tomato Galette with Watercress & Red Onion

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of grated russett potatoes
8 oz. cherry, grape or mini heirloom tomatoes, chopped
3 T. flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 - 3 T. olive oil
1 c. watercress, trimmed of bottom portion of stem
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. sliced red onions

Place grated potato in a bowl of cold water and let soak 10 minutes to remove excess starch.

Drain well in a salad spinner or squeeze in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to remove excess water. Combine potato, tomatoes, flour, garlic powder, nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Scatter potato mixture in skillet and gently press into an even layer with a spatula.  Cook until golden on bottom, about 6 minutes.

Run a flexible spatula around the edge of the skillet,  invert the galette onto a plate then slide galette back into the skillet.  Raise heat slightly to medium high and cook until other side is golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Slide galette onto final serving plate. In a bowl, toss watercress with lemon juice and 1.5 teaspoons of oil and place on top of the galette.  Scatter onion slices around and serve immediately.

Yields 8 wedges.

For a PRINTABLE copy of this recipe, CLICK HERE!