Capon cooked on the Braai
Fancy a change for christmas try a Capon cooked on the Braai
What I love about this recipe is the fast cooking, which turns the capon crisp and golden on the outside and juicy and succulent within. The added bonus is roasting the potatoes and onions at precisely the same time and in the same roasting tin. This is an easy recipe to try if you're planning a treat for Christmas as I am. This week I am doing a trial run for the festive season as I don’t want it to be a disaster on the day. I'm cooking Christmas dinner this year on the BigGreenEgg, lets hope that I don’t mess it up! Otherwise its a curry take away lol.
SERVES 4-8 - PREP: 10 MINS - COOK TIME: 2 - 2.5hrs
Ingredients for the Capon and sauce
- 1 x Capon 4.6kg / large free range chicken or even your turkey
- 2 x large lemons, 1 thinly sliced and the other halved
- 150gm x salted butter
- 1kg x Desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
- 3 x large red onions, peeled and quartered through the root
- 1 x 30g pack fresh thyme (reserve a few sprigs and roughly chop the remaining leaves)
- 2 x cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 x teaspoon olive oil Seasoning
For the gravy
- 425ml dry white wine
- Juice of 1 lemon
Method for cooking Capon
- Preheat the Braai to 230°C (446°F)
- Take a knob of butter and slide it under the skin on the Capon along with some thyme, this will help the breast stay succulent.
- Next mix the sliced lemon with the remaining thyme and place it inside the cavity of the capon and position it in the centre of the tin.
- Add some seasoning then arrange the vegetables all around.
- Add more seasoning, then place the capon on a rack in the middle of a roasting tin, Cover the Capon with some silver foil. Then place it on the centre shelf of the braai and time it for 90 minutes without opening the lid. Then remove the foil and allow the capon skin to crisp up for 20 mins (Because Braai`s vary, test the thickest part of the chicken with a skewer – if the juices run clear it is cooked. If not give it another 10-15 minutes).
Method for making the gravy
- Now remove the vegetables to a serving dish and keep warm. Then spoon out the lemon slices into the tin, put a wooden spoon into the cavity and, using a spatula to hold the breast end up, tip the capon and let all the juices run out into the tin.
- Transfer the capon to a carving board and leave it in a warm place to rest for 20 minutes.
- Next stir the juices in the tin to release any crusty bits and transfer everything to a medium saucepan. Now add the wine, bring it up to a simmer and let it bubble and reduce by half – this will take about 8-10 minutes. Then add the lemon juice, taste and season.
- Carve the capon and serve with the vegetables on warm plates.
- Add any escaped chicken juices to the sauce then spoon it over the chicken and serve the rest in a warmed jug.
Thankfully this was a test run as I over cooked the capon and the breast of the bird was a little dry, just like the old days when my mother cooked the turkey for the whole morning, lol. Lets hope that I get it right next week as I will be cooking this again along with a roast beef and smoked ham, which I will be making on Christmas Eve.
Thank you all for taking the time to write in and for all your messages of encouragement, I just want want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I hope that you all have a fantastic time wherever you are. Best wishes Larry