Pollo ala Brassa, aka 'Peruvian Chicken'

[pbe gummi bear]

Very Nice, OGlenn! You can see that the radiant heat makes a big difference on the bird on the bottom- the breast that is closer to the fire is more brown than on the other end.

[mike.stavlund]

Congrats on the roti, Glenn, and wow what a great way to break it in!  Your chickens look incredible. 

My cook went well today too.  I marinated the bird overnight in the huacatay-aji recipe...  except I added some more lime juice to bump up the 'sour' flavors, and added a pinch more salt, too.  Totally forgot to rub the marinade under the skin last night, which would have made it even better, I'm sure (I did rub some marinade under the skin shortly before cooking, though). 

But bottom line:  WOW.  Incredible flavors.  That recipe is right on the money, at least according to my taste buds.  Really reminds me of the best Peruvian chicken places in the DC area I've visited.  It was a huge hit.  My wife is a great cook, and so I'm always looking for feedback on stuff I make-- adjustments, additions, subtractions, etc..  She didn't have a thing to say about this except that it tasted amazing. 

As others have noted above, the sauces are key to the whole Pollo a la brassa experience, and I followed two recipes from the huacatay-aji recipe.  The green jalepeno sauce, and the mayo/mustard/aji sauce.  Both seemed spot on to me.  And, just like in the restaurants, I ended up combining them 1-to-1 on my plate for the best sauce of all.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.  It's been a really fruitful collaboration!   

[mike.stavlund]

Saw a sign from heaven today at the liquor store when the brandy section included a Peruvian brandy-- I guess it's time to make this recipe again!

[Weber MD]

Mike,

I had never had Peruvian chicken before I saw this post.  Yesterday, my wife and I decided to try it and went to a place in Annapolis called Pollo Ricky's.  We were both floored by how flavorful the chicken was.



The green sauce was amazing.



Also, if you're still looking for a recipe and have Amazon Prime check out season 12, episode 7 of America's Test Kitchen (free with Prime).  Seemed simple enough - we're going to try it.

[Weber MD]

Here's the recipe from America's Test Kitchen:

Peruvian Roast Chicken with Garlic and Lime
Serves 4
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons finely grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 2 limes
1 teaspoon minced habanero chile (see note)
1(3 1/2-to 4-pound) whole chicken

Process all ingredients except chicken in blender until smooth paste forms, 10 to 20 seconds. Using fingers or handle of wooden spoon, carefully loosen skin over thighs and breast and remove any excess fat. Rub half of paste beneath skin of chicken. Spread entire exterior surface of chicken with remaining paste. Tuck wingtips underneath chicken. Place chicken in gallon-size zipper-lock bag and refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Place vertical roaster on rimmed baking sheet. Slide chicken onto vertical roaster so chicken stands upright and breast is perpendicular to bottom of pan. Roast until skin just begins to turn golden and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 140 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Carefully remove chicken and pan from oven and increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.

When oven is heated to 500 degrees, place 1 cup water in bottom of pan and return pan to oven. Roast until entire skin is browned and crisp and instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, about 20 minutes (replenish water as necessary to keep pan from smoking), rotating bird 180 degrees halfway through cooking.

Carefully remove chicken from oven and let rest, still on vertical roaster, 20 minutes. Using kitchen towel, carefully lift chicken off vertical roaster and onto platter or cutting board. Carve chicken and serve, with a spicy mayonnaise if desired.

For the Green Sauce (not from America's Test Kitchen)
3 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded if desired (I use about half the seeds for a medium-hot sauce), and roughly chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

[edhead35]

Decided to resurrect this thread, as I found another version of this. It's in spanish but you can view the ingredients as he scans them. It uses a red chili paste instead of the amarillo aji paste.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxYAgRDpJD0

[edhead35]

From my old post, the one on the left is the similar sauce to the one in the video.

After speaking with some Peruvians, the soy sauce or salsa soya, is traditional in Peruvian cooking in that it might not be thousands of years old traditional but there was a huge influx of Asians that migrated to Peru a long time ago, and for most of their modern cooking (not sure, maybe 100 years?) they use soy sauce alot.

Again, as some others have said, Kikkoman soy sauce is shit. Go to an Asian grocer and grab a different brand that isnt all salt. A natural fermented soy sauce is even better.

[DoppelBock]

I'm trying this this weekend, my order of Huacatay Salsa/Black Mint Paste is on its way 

[mike.stavlund]

Good idea, Chad.  The mint is key I think. 

[mike.stavlund]

And thanks, Ed, for the insight into soy sauce in Peru....  I figured there must be some migrational explanation or something.

And thanks to you, I swore off the Kikkoman soy sauce.  Went to a proper Asian grocer tonight and grabbed some light soy sauce with a label I can barely read.  ;-)

[1buckie]

    The Chinese beat Columbus by 800 years or so........

[DoppelBock]

    The Chinese beat Columbus by 800 years or so........

0
Explorer Tim Severin believes this to be true, even recreated the voyage... http://www.timseverin.net/books_china_voyage.html

Makes for a great read.

[glrasmussen]

This looks great. Has anyone tried this on a Roti? I am thinking this would great cooked this way. Two Chickens at once, Indirect two sides, I am pretty sure it would be moist and crispy.

I have never had this, but I can taste the flavors already. MD, I could see the green sauce as a staple.

[pbe gummi bear]

This looks great. Has anyone tried this on a Roti? I am thing this would great cooked this way. Two Chickens at once, Indirect two sides, I am pretty sure it would be moist and crispy.

I have never had this, but I can taste the flavors already. MD, I could see the green sauce as a staple.

Hey Greg, most of the cooks in this thread are done on a roti. Did you miss them earlier?

[glrasmussen]

PBE, must have... Me bad! I have never had this marinade/rub before, but can see how the ingredients would blend together. It is an East/Mex combo. I want it to look like this, but with the Peruvian flavor,

This looks great. Has anyone tried this on a Roti? I am thing this would great cooked this way. Two Chickens at once, Indirect two sides, I am pretty sure it would be moist and crispy.

I have never had this, but I can taste the flavors already. MD, I could see the green sauce as a staple.

Hey Greg, most of the cooks in this thread are done on a roti. Did you miss them earlier?