Last time we learned how to assemble the La Caja China Rotisserie kit. Now, let’s use that baby to cook up some of the best chicken you’ll ever eat!

We’re going to brine these birds first to lock in moisture and flavor, add whole lemons for aroma, and then let them self-baste as they turn slowly over hickory coals on our Caja China Diamond Cut.

The first thing to keep in mind, if you’re grilling or using the rotisserie over an empty box, is that you want something inside the box to soak up the heat and keep the box from overheating and possibly warping. I found that about a gallon of water in an oven-safe pot does the trick!

Okay, so first…we brine!

Perfect Rotisserie Chicken

The Brine

• 2 whole organic chickens
• 1 gallon water
• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cups ice cubes
• 2 whole lemons

Rinse chickens inside and out with cold water. Set aside.

Bring one quart of water to a boil, add remaining ingredients and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Pour this into a container large enough to brine 1-2 chickens. Stir in 3 quarts of very cold water and ice cubes.

Place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight for whole chickens.

Drain, thoroughly rinse, and pat the chicken dry before cooking.

Cut the ends off lemons, then using downward strokes, cut away the outer peel.

Sprinkle chicken(s) inside and out with a generous amount of lemon pepper or (preferred) Adobo seasoning.

Light 16lbs (1 bag) of Kingsford charcoal at one end of your caja china. Light just the front edge of the coals, so that the coals burn slowly from front to back.

Run one peeled lemon up the skewer, followed by a chicken, tucking the lemon inside the body cavity. If doing two chickens, repeat.

Truss the chicken to keep the wings and legs tight against the body (floppy chickens and rotisseries do not work well together!)

Run the spit-forks, spikes first, up the skewer and push firmly into the chicken. Tighten the wingnuts on the sit-forks to keep them in place. Insert skewer into the upright poles and set square end into motor slot. Turn the rotisserie on.

Rake ½ of the lit coals to the far end of the coal grate (under the chicken). Rake some more to that end, leaving an open slot directly under the chicken. Roast approximately 2 hours, raking more coals under the chicken as needed until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh (but not touching the bone) registers 165°F. Remove from heat and allow to rest, tenting in foil, for at least 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chef Perry

Chef Perry P. Perkins comes from a long line of professional cooks.

As a third generation chef, he focuses his love of cooking on barbeque, traditional southern fare, and fresh Northwest cuisine.

Perry runs a non-profit organization. MY KITCHEN Outreach Program, which teaches nutrition, shopping, and hands on cooking classes or at risk youth.

His cookbooks include La Caja China Cooking, La Caja China World, and La Caja China Party.