Recipe & Photos by Drake Vincent, Roam with Drake

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My family is the type to leave nothing to waste. Leftovers were very common, and we didn’t mind it. As long as we had food on our plates, we were tickled. This whole roasted chicken in the Dutch oven recipe is special to me for a few reasons. It reminds me of Thanksgiving at home; it’s warm, filling, cheap, and you get the opportunity to consume the whole bird. If you want to elevate your next camp meal, this recipe can feed up to five people. With this filling and warm meal, you’ll feel like you’re at home, away from home.

How to Make
Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole Chicken from Force of Nature
• 2 large organic whole carrots
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 Yellow onion
• 3 Tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 bag of baby Dutch yellow potatoes
• 1 lemon
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Salt
• Pepper
• Super Bird Fire & Smoke spice

Materials

• Kitchen Twine (for tying up the legs of the bird)
• Cowboy Grill
• No. 8 Chef Knife
• Dutch Oven
• Chains and S Hooks
• Coal Shovel
• Open Fire Gloves

Instructions

Prep

1. Light several medium logs in your Cowboy Grill.
2. As your fire starts, begin by preparing your compound butter. You’ll need one stick of butter at room temperature. This mixture will go under your chicken skin and set the flavor for the entire dish.
3. Minch 3-4 cloves of garlic. Remove your thyme and rosemary from the stems by pulling against the stem. Fine cut your herbs. Dump these ingredients on top of your stick of butter into a small bowl. Grind some fresh salt and pepper into the mixture and begin to mix. Once you have a good consistency, set aside.
4. Cut your yellow onions, potatoes, and carrots into bite-sized pieces. (I use No. 8 Chef Knife). Set these sides to the side and cover.
5. Bring out your whole chicken and grab a spoon. Before you begin spooning your butter under the skin, you’ll need to slide your hands under the skin to separate it from the meat. Be careful not to tear the skin apart--it’s fragile.
6. Begin by spooning in your compound butter under the skin of the chicken. Get most of the butter around the breast of the chicken, but don’t forget to get some under the skin of the legs as well!
7. Once your butter is used up, throw a small amount of yellow onion into the Dutch Oven. This will help prevent the bird from burning. Throw in a few tablespoons of olive or avocado oil.
8. Place your bird into the Dutch oven.
9. Slice a lemon into 1/4 pieces and place two slices into the bird's cavity. Place some yellow onion in as well.
10. Take some kitchen twine and tie up the legs of the bird as tight as you can. This will help prevent the bird from drying out and from the skin stretching and tearing.
11. Fill in the gaps of the Dutch oven with your sliced potatoes and carrots. If you have remaining thyme or rosemary, tuck a few twigs around the bird.
12. Place your remaining lemon wedges close to the wings of the bird.
13. Take some Super Bird dry rub from Fire and Smoke and coat the top breast and legs. Cover your Dutch oven with a lid.
14. Cover your Dutch oven with a lid.
15. Walk your Dutch oven to your Cowboy Grill and hang it directly in the middle using Chains and S Hooks.
16. At this point, your fire should have significantly died down. Place some medium-sized coals on top of your lid using a Coal Shovel.
17. Keep a temp reader or (thermometer) nearby. You will need to check your internal temp consistently to avoid burning. The key is to go low and slow. You do not want a roaring fire. For a five-pound bird, you’ll want to cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until you reach 165 in the deepest part of the breast.
18. Once your bird cooks to 165, pull your Dutch oven off the hooks using Open Fire Gloves.
19. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid. A good way to test if your bird is properly cooked is to twist the wings and legs. They should fall apart! Enjoy your Dutch oven whole roasted chicken!

ABOUT

Drake Vincent is an avid adventurer, photographer, and open-fire cook. After growing up in the South, Drake acquired an appreciation for the outdoors. He currently resides in southern Utah with his fiancee, Simone. You can usually find them both hiking, camping, and cooking meals over an open fire. @roamwithdrake