Peruvian style chicken

[Firemunkee]

I haven't made chicken thighs in a while. I followed the serious eats recipe https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/peruvian-style-grilled-chicken-with-green-sauce-recipe.html I've done it a few times before but this time I tried it without the garlic since I want to try to make it for a friend who cannot have garlic or onion. I used the SnS and a full chimney of lit charcoals. The lid thermometer was the highest I've ever seen it at over 520F. I thought this would mean the chicken would be done sooner so I checked after 30 minutes but it wasn't ready yet. The chicken was at 175 internal temp after 45 minutes. I tried to do a very quick sear of the skin to give it extra crisp but they burned nearly instantly because it was so hot on the direct side! So the skin wasn't as crisp as I would like but the chicken was still really yummy!

Overall this recipe isn't quite like what you get at a restaurant. I know they do it rotisserie with lump, but I think the recipe in and of itself is missing something. From what I've read I think aji amarillo is the missing key, and maybe some lime and soy sauce.

We also had some potatoes that needed to be cooked so I just sliced a few and put EVOO, SPG, and paprika. My wife liked the potatoes so much that she wanted me to cook all the potatoes. Had plenty of fuel after the chicken to cook the potatoes for 45 minutes, and had plenty even after that. I should have let them go a little longer but they were still yummy.

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[Fire Starter]

As the man says


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[pbe gummi bear]

That recipe is super dumbed down and looks like it was put together simply for people to be able to buy all the ingredients at the regular supermarket. I’m sure it would taste fine but pepper/salt/paprika/cumin/vinegar/garlic/oil is pretty basic and won’t stand out compared to the real thing.

I have not tried these recipes but they’ll get you closer than the serious eats one:

https://www.daringgourmet.com/pollo-la-brasa-peruvian-roasted-chicken/
www.fromscratchlatinkitchen.com/peruvian-pollo-a-la-brasa/
brokebaker.com/2014/02/10/adventures-in-pollo-a-la-brasa/

Note the aji/huacatay pastes, citrus, wine/beer, and other spices that add to the taste complexity.

[56MPG]

@mike.stavlund is our resident el pollo player. He's the man when it comes to this recipe.

[mike.stavlund]

I'm no expert, but I have made pollo ala brasa for actual Peruvians, and they gave me props.  And I have a TON of respect for Serious Eats and especially Kenji Lopez-Alt, but this recipe makes no sense to me. 

Gummi is right, IMO this requires some sourcing of aji amarillo paste, huacatay, etc..  The good news is that if you can't find it in your area, Amazon can help you out.  Also the sauces (one that's mayo based, and another that's basically jalepenos and lime juice) are a huge addition to the final flavors of this.  I've gotten good results by washing the chickens first in lemon water, then marinating them overnight in your aji and huacatay and etc.. 

And I know they are hard to come by, but this is WAY better with a rotisserie. 

[Firemunkee]

I'm no expert, but I have made pollo ala brasa for actual Peruvians, and they gave me props.  And I have a TON of respect for Serious Eats and especially Kenji Lopez-Alt, but this recipe makes no sense to me. 

Gummi is right, IMO this requires some sourcing of aji amarillo paste, huacatay, etc..  The good news is that if you can't find it in your area, Amazon can help you out.  Also the sauces (one that's mayo based, and another that's basically jalepenos and lime juice) are a huge addition to the final flavors of this.  I've gotten good results by washing the chickens first in lemon water, then marinating them overnight in your aji and huacatay and etc.. 

And I know they are hard to come by, but this is WAY better with a rotisserie.

Thanks Mike for sharing the wisdom. I'm also from Nova so I've had good pollo ala brassa. I really like Kenji too which is why I went with this recipe. He does admit in the comments that this is "Peruvian style" and purposefully didn't just say Peruvian because of the ingredients, or lack thereof.

I haven't made the sauces but I plan to once I nail down the chicken. I also have a roti that I haven't used yet and this is definitely going to be the first thing I make with it!

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[mike.stavlund]

Hey, @Firemunkee thanks for your PM.  So sorry that I didn't include the recipe! 

So we get super-nerdy in this epic thread:  http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/pollo-ala-brassa-aka-'peruvian-chicken'/

And it turns out that @pbe gummi bear is the real hero of the story because the recipe that he recommends on Page 1 is the one I use to this day.  The sauces in there are all killer too!  A huge hit with my Peruvian foodie friends.  The only thing I do is tweak up the big flavors-- add more aji amarillo, huacatay, and Peruvian brandy (carried at some of the ABC stores in NoVA). 

If you want to explore the soy side of things, I mention a restaurant in Fairfax that does it that way. 

Glad you have a roti!  You are on your way. 

[mike.stavlund]

Another super-nerdy tweak:  I learned that annatto is most properly infused, rather than ground.  So I buy whole annatto seeds at Penzey's (there is a physical store in Falls Church, VA or you can mail order), then steep them in simmering olive oil for 20 or so minutes before straining the oil and adding it to the marinade.  Annatto adds a very dry, almost bitter flavor.  But more than that, it adds a lot of red color. 

[Firemunkee]

@mike.stavlund you're the man! I've read that entire thread when I first started here but it was a lot of info I didn't soak in. I'll read it again. Thanks a million!!!

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[pbe gummi bear]

Hey, @Firemunkee thanks for your PM.  So sorry that I didn't include the recipe! 

So we get super-nerdy in this epic thread:  http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/pollo-ala-brassa-aka-'peruvian-chicken'/

And it turns out that @pbe gummi bear is the real hero of the story because the recipe that he recommends on Page 1 is the one I use to this day.  The sauces in there are all killer too!  A huge hit with my Peruvian foodie friends.  The only thing I do is tweak up the big flavors-- add more aji amarillo, huacatay, and Peruvian brandy (carried at some of the ABC stores in NoVA). 

If you want to explore the soy side of things, I mention a restaurant in Fairfax that does it that way. 

Glad you have a roti!  You are on your way.

Man, that thread is almost 5 years old.

Another super-nerdy tweak:  I learned that annatto is most properly infused, rather than ground.  So I buy whole annatto seeds at Penzey's (there is a physical store in Falls Church, VA or you can mail order), then steep them in simmering olive oil for 20 or so minutes before straining the oil and adding it to the marinade.  Annatto adds a very dry, almost bitter flavor.  But more than that, it adds a lot of red color. 

Do you find your homemade annatto oil better than store bought ones, and/or do you do it to keep the preservatives away?

[mike.stavlund]

@pbe gummi bear   We do avoid preservatives in my house, but I've never seen any form of annatto that included preservatives. 

I've actually never seen annatto oil in stores.  I just make my own to avoid those little bitter annatto crumbs in the food.  Also because I'm a huge food nerd. 

[mike.stavlund]

@Firemunkee that thread is a lot to absorb!  But it also shows my evolution of practice in cooking (for whatever that's worth!   ;-)... and the way that folks around here share best practices and push one another to new culinary heights. 

BTW, a HUGE improvement came with the use of a 'sacrificial fire' to make smoke out of the drippings.  That's a real key to getting that restaurant flavor. 

[Firemunkee]

BTW, a HUGE improvement came with the use of a 'sacrificial fire' to make smoke out of the drippings.  That's a real key to getting that restaurant flavor.

Yeah I remember reading that. Thanks for pointing it out!


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