Gochujang Chimaek Beer-Can Chicken

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix the gochugaru, salt, garlic powder, ground ginger and brown sugar to make the rub.

   Add in this stepFine Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) 1 tspFine salt 1½ tspGarlic powder ¾ tspGround ginger ½ tspBrown sugar 1 tsp

2. Remove the giblet bag and pat the chicken very dry inside and out with paper towels. Rub the oil all over the skin, put a quarter of the rub inside the cavity and rub the rest over the outside. Put it in a lidded container in the cooler, below 4 °C, for 1 h. Wash your hands and board straight after handling raw chicken.

   Add in this stepWhole chicken, giblets removed 1,400 gVegetable oil 1 tbsp

3. Light 45 briquettes in a chimney starter for 20 min, until covered in grey ash, then pile them on both sides of the grill with a drip pan holding 1 cm of water in the middle. Close the lid and aim for 180 to 190 °C on the lid thermometer (charcoal (medium heat)). On a gas grill, light only the outer burners on medium.

   charcoal (medium heat)

4. Pour out about half the beer, punch 2 more holes in the top and add the ginger slices and half the garlic, smashed. Lower the chicken onto the can, stand it on its legs like a tripod and tuck the wing tips behind the back.

   Add in this stepCan of lager (355 ml) 1Fresh ginger slices 3Garlic cloves 1½

5. Stand the chicken on the grate over the drip pan, close the lid and cook over charcoal (medium heat) for 55 min. Do not open the lid for the first 45 minutes. When the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74 °C, move on to the glaze.

   charcoal (medium heat)

6. Mix the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and the rest of the garlic, finely chopped. Brush a thick coat all over the chicken, close the lid and cook for 10 min. Brush again and cook 5 minutes more: it is done when the thigh reads at least 80 °C, the breast at least 74 °C and the glaze is sticky and glossy. Gochujang and honey burn easily, so keep the bird in the middle, away from the coals.

   Add in this stepGochujang (Korean chili paste) 2 tbspHoney 1½ tbspSoy sauce 1 tbspToasted sesame oil 1 tspRice vinegar 1 tspGarlic cloves 1½

7. Using heatproof gloves, tongs and a folded towel, lift the chicken and can together onto a tray and rest for 10 min, keeping the can level because the beer is scalding. Twist out the can, cut the chicken into pieces and scatter with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve with cold beer and pickled radish for proper campsite chimaek.

   Add in this stepSpring onions 1Toasted sesame seeds 1 tsp