More experimental fireplace cooking

I bought a nice, plump chicken for dinner and decided not to use my usual roasting recipe by Thomas Keller. I wanted to challenge myself and warm up the kitchen at the same time. So, I decided to roast the chicken in the fireplace. Our fireplace obviously used to be the cooking fireplace as it comes with an iron hook that swings out over the fire. A while ago I had bought a piece of chain thinking I could make a cage in which to hang food from the hook.

Here is the trussed chicken before cooking.

I got the fire going well and suspended the chicken.

The advantage is that the fire kept me warm and cozy too! It was at this point I realized I had a design flaw. Uh oh. I could see the bird was only cooking on the bottom nearest the fire. Not good. So I carefully removed it and undid the chain, turning it so that it was hanging the other direction. Then I re-suspended it. Next time I need to come up with a detachable part with hooks or something so I can flip it more easily. After that all went fine.

Nearly finished. I used an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature from time to time.

An finally…ta da! the finished product. It came out smokey and crispy.

I served it with egg noodles and roasted cauliflower. Just a way to have fun on a winters day with the added bonus of a meal at the end!

6 thoughts on “More experimental fireplace cooking

  1. Nancy Hampton Post author

    I’m sure there is something out there. I just need to keep my eyes open for it. 👀

  2. Rodriguez , Carlo J.

    I think there could be a way to thread a steel bar between two ends of the length of chain in an inverted vee suspended from the hook so that you could rotate a chicken or roast. Of course, that makes me think that a steel triangle might work, too. Interesting. I’ll bet there’s an Italian contraption somewhere that would serve this purpose perfectly–Italians have been quite crafty throughout history!

  3. Nancy Hampton Post author

    It was good and a nice diversion and I got to use the hook! And best yet, I made a smokey broth from the carcass which became a great zuppa di ceci.

  4. Nancy Hampton Post author

    Haha Carlo, my aim was to use that iron hook in there to cook it, and the only way I could think of was the “basket”. I’m sure there’s a better way but necessity is the mother of invention!

  5. Carlo Rodriguez

    Nancy, you need a rotating spit and stand, and not the saliva kind, the open pit barbecuing kind! —CARLO

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