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Cider Brined Chicken

Cider Brined Chicken with Cinnamon and Orange

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Course Main Dish

Ingredients
  

  • 2 quarts apple cider plus 1 cup
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 16 whole black peppercorns
  • 6 garlic cloves smashed
  • 6 scallions white parts only, trimmed, split length wise
  • 6 1/4-inch thick ginger sliced, unpeeled
  • 2 3-4 inch cinnamon sticks plus more for garnish
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 1 3-4 lb. chicken
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large oranges quartered
  • melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil (for basting)

Instructions
 

  • Bring 2 quarts of cider, 1 cup of salt, and the next 10 ingredients to a boil in a very large (16-quart) pot, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Let cool to room temperature.
  • Stir in 1 1/2 gallons of cold water. Add chicken to brine and press down to submerge. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels; discard brine. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack set in a large heavy roasting pan; stuff with oranges and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Let stand at room temperature for one hour.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the remaining one cup of cider and three cups of water in a roasting pan. Brush chicken with butter and flip breast side down.
  • Roast chicken, breast side down, basting occasionally, for one hour. Using paper towels, flip chicken. Roast, basting occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, (1–1 1/2 hours longer). Transfer the chicken to a platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
  • Meanwhile, strain the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan, reserving the apples. Simmer over medium heat until the juices have thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve the cider jus alongside the chicken and apples and garnish with cinnamon sticks.