Blood Orange Roast Chicken

Blood orange season comes around towards the middle of winter and typically lasts until early spring; when it does, this is the first thing I make with the sweet and almost floral-tasting citrus. They make for the most amazing glaze, particularly when you bring white wine, brown sugar, and duck fat to the mix. You can find rendered duck fat in a little plastic tub at most natural food stores in the frozen meat area. It adds that extra richness that a fruit like blood orange calls for, and makes for an unforgettable roast chicken. You will need to brine the chicken overnight. • serves 4

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Orange Brine and Chicken

• 8 cups water
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 6 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), innards removed

Blood Orange Glaze

• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons blood orange juice
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons rendered duck fat
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

To Roast the Chicken

• 1 tablespoon rendered duck fat
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 3 blood oranges, cut into twelfths

To brine the chicken, in a large bowl, whisk together the water, orange juice, salt, and cinnamon until combined. Place the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and empty the brine into the bag with the chicken. Press out as much air as possible before sealing the bag and refrigerating it. Allow the chicken to rest in the brine overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

For the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring the stock, blood orange juice, brown sugar, wine, duck fat, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

To roast the chicken, remove the chicken from the brine, rinse lightly, and pat dry. Rub it down inside and out with the duck fat, minced rosemary, and salt. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, place the rosemary sprig in the cavity, and truss. Arrange the blood orange slices in the pan around the chicken. Pour the glaze into the pan around the chicken and lightly brush the chicken with the glaze.

Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and continue roasting, brushing the bird with the pan drippings every 15 minutes, for 50 minutes to 1 hour more, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh of the bird reads at least 165°F.

Allow the bird to rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.