The Big Easy Does Chicken
I love to try new things so when the folks at Char-Broil asked if I wanted to test out their oil-less turkey fryer, The Big Easy, I responded with an enthusiastic YES! Within a week of our email exchange a very large box arrived on my doorstep.
Opening it up, I realized that some assembly was required, but with the help of my power drill and the instruction booklet, it came together in a snap. Once I had it put together I didn’t want to wait any longer to use it so I set about preparing a little chicken.
I bathed the chicken in a soy sauce marinade for a few hours before stuffing lemon slices under the skin and rubbing some spices on top. Not even the falling snow could keep me from trying out The Big Easy, (although this meant standing in the cold as using the infrared fryer requires a propane tank and is therefore an outdoor activity). In less time than it would usually take to roast a chicken in the oven, it was done.
And the results? Crispy, crackly skin concealed an unbelievably moist chicken. I was pleasantly surprised by the results. It was one of the juiciest chickens I’ve had in a long time and was simple to do. All I had to do was check the thermometer and remove the basket when the chicken reached the appropriate temperature, let it rest for a few minutes and slice away. With the leftover chicken I made a chicken salad sandwich on fresh Italian bread for lunch the next day and it was just as delicious. I’m looking forward to trying out a turkey next time and playing around with spice rubs. The Big Easy has currently taken up residence next to my smoker and BBQ and is a welcome addition to my toy collection.
Thanks for talking about The Big Easy. I write the newsletter for Char-Broil and have had a chance to see first hand what a great product it is. I’ve also received hundreds of emails from folks telling me how happy they are with their results. There have been a few complaints and I guess you can expect that. This isn’t a perfect cooker - but it surely is easy to use. Except for slow smoking and grilling chicken parts, I think this is my new best way to prepare whole chicken. I’ve also cooked lamb, pork and beef in it. One of my readers prepared venison and several have prepared pork butt and even sausages. One of the crazier recipes shared is for meat loaf. We’ve also come up with some creative ways to use more of the cooking basket - as one of the guest chefs on the web log suggested using the racks from a toaster oven (I improvised with a round cake cooling rack that inserted half-way up the basket) and he created “Bunk Bed Chicken” perfectly roasting two while chickens at one time. If you or any of your readers want to share recipes or have questions, I’m happy to try to help - www.sizzleonthegrill.com