Recipe by Sarah Glover, Photos by Katrina Parker

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Introducing Sarah Glover's Whole Chicken with Wojapi Sauce—a mouthwatering recipe that captures the essence of outdoor cooking over an open fire. From her new book, "Open Skies," Sarah's recipe combines simple ingredients and techniques to create a memorable meal under the open sky. The star of the show is a whole chicken, perfectly seasoned with coarse salt and stuffed with a delightful mixture of raspberries or blackberries and pistachios, along with a burst of lemony freshness. But what truly elevates this dish is the luscious Wojapi Sauce made by simmering berries and maple syrup into a delectable sauce. The chicken is then cooked in a Dutch oven, nestled on a bed of leeks, over the gentle heat of an open fire, resulting in tender and succulent meat with a crispy skin. As the chicken roasts, the flavors meld together, creating a symphony of deliciousness. Once cooked to perfection, brush the chicken with maple syrup for a touch of sweetness before allowing it to rest. Finally, carve the chicken and serve it alongside the heavenly Wojapi Sauce, adding a smear of the sauce on each plate and enjoying it with some of the flavorful stuffing.

How to Make Whole Chicken With Wojapi Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 5 pounds/2.3 kg)
• Coarse sea salt
• 2 cups (330 g) of raspberries or blackberries
• 1⁄2 cup (60 g) pistachios, lightly toasted and chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 bunch thyme
• 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock
• 2 medium leeks, cut into3-inch (10 cm) pieces and rinsed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup (80 ml) maple syrup

Wojapi Sauce (Yields 2 cups)

• 2 cups (335 g) blueberries or chokecherries, fresh or frozen
• 1⁄2 cup (125 ml) maple syrup

Materials

• Dutch Oven
• Enamel mixing bowls
• Cowboy Grill Tongs
• Open Fire Gloves
• Stockpot
• Cowboy Ladel
• Rectangular Grill Grate
• Wooden Spoon

How To Make Wojapi Sauce

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer the berries and maple syrup, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the berries have broken down into a sauce.
2. Serve with the chicken (see recipe below).

Main Instructions

1. Remove the giblets from the chicken cavity and discard or reserve them for another use. Pat the chicken dry using paper towels. Rub the chicken all over with 1⁄2 teaspoon coarse salt per pound.
2. Combine the raspberries or blackberries and pistachios in a bowl. Stuff the mixture into the chicken cavity with this. Add a whole lemon.
3. Place the chicken on a large baking sheet, breast-side up, then set aside in the fridge, uncovered, for 4 to 6 hours to dry out the skin (this will ensure a crispy skin as it roasts).
4. When you are ready to cook the chicken, let it come to room temperature.
5. Light your fire and let it burn down for 1 hour until you obtain medium heat.
6. Pour the chicken stock into a Dutch oven large enough to fit the chicken and add the leeks. Place the chicken, breast-side up, on top of the leeks, and tuck the wings underneath. Cover with the lid, place over the fire, and roast for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with the juices. Continue roasting the chicken, basting every 30 minutes, for 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165°F (74°C).
7. Brush the maple syrup over the chicken, then transfer it to a chopping board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
8. Carve the chicken. Smear some berry sauce on each plate and serve with some of the stuffing.

About

Sarah Glover is the James Beard-nominated author of the Wild Adventure Cookbook and Wild Child—a road trip across America that shows how delicious, liberating, and cooking on the open road can be. Her recipes celebrate beautiful, healthy, food cooked outdoors and encourage you to bring your own individual flair and sense of adventure to the kitchen. Her new cookbook Open Skies is now available on Amazon  or via major bookstores.