Recipe Details

Ingredients

• 6 whole Scotch bonnet peppers (see notes)

• 6 scallions, roughly chopped

• 1 (2-inch) knob fresh ginger, roughly chopped

• 6 garlic cloves

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tablespoon ground allspice

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons zest and 1/4 cup juice from about 4 limes

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 large whole chicken, back removed, split in half along breastbone (4 to 4 1/2 pounds, see notes)

• 1/4 cup whole allspice berries

• 3 dozen dried bay leaves (about 2 loosely packed cups)

Description

1. Combine peppers, scallions, ginger, garlic, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime zest and juice, olive oil, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in the work bowl of a food processor or the jar of a blender. Blend until a rough purée is formed, about 1 minute.
2. Divide chicken and marinade between two gallon-sized zipper-lock bags, or place in a large baking dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place whole allspice berries and bay leaves in a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag and fill with water. Refrigerate chicken and bay leaves at least 10 hours and up to 1 day.
3. When ready to cook, remove chicken from bags, allow excess marinade to drip off, and transfer to a large plate. Light one half chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and pile the coals against one wall of a kettle grill. Alternatively, set the leftmost burners of a gas grill to medium-high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Set bottom and lid vents to half-open.

Ingredients

• 6 whole Scotch bonnet peppers (see notes)

• 6 scallions, roughly chopped

• 1 (2-inch) knob fresh ginger, roughly chopped

• 6 garlic cloves

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tablespoon ground allspice

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons zest and 1/4 cup juice from about 4 limes

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 large whole chicken, back removed, split in half along breastbone (4 to 4 1/2 pounds, see notes)

• 1/4 cup whole allspice berries

• 3 dozen dried bay leaves (about 2 loosely packed cups)

Description

Combine peppers, scallions, ginger, garlic, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime zest and juice, olive oil, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in the work bowl of a food processor or the jar of a blender. Blend until a rough purée is formed, about 1 minute.

Divide chicken and marinade between two gallon-sized zipper-lock bags, or place in a large baking dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place whole allspice berries and bay leaves in a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag and fill with water. Refrigerate chicken and bay leaves at least 10 hours and up to 1 day.

When ready to cook, remove chicken from bags, allow excess marinade to drip off, and transfer to a large plate. Light one half chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and pile the coals against one wall of a kettle grill. Alternatively, set the leftmost burners of a gas grill to medium-high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Set bottom and lid vents to half-open.

Drain bay leaves and allspice berries in a fine-mesh strainer. Spread 2/3 of bay leaves evenly over the cooler side of the grill (it's ok if some allspice berries fall through) in a pattern just large enough to fit the chickens. Lay the chickens over the bay leaves skin side up with the legs pointed towards the hotter side of the grill. Place 1/3 of remaining bay leaves over hot side of grill and immediately cover, with the vent above the chicken. Cook for 15 minutes.