Bacolod Chicken Inasal with Annatto Basting Oil

What you need

• 1.5 kg (3 1/4 lb) bone-in chicken thighs or leg quarters
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 piece fresh ginger, thumb-size, grated
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) coconut or palm vinegar
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) calamansi juice, or lime juice
• 50 g (1/4 cup) coconut sugar, or brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 250 g (9 oz) chicken skin and fat trimmings, or 80 ml vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp annatto seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed, for the oil
• 1 bay leaf

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Trim the lemongrass to the pale lower part and chop it finely.

2. 2

   Whisk the vinegar, calamansi, sugar, salt, pepper, minced garlic, ginger and lemongrass in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves.

3. 3

   Cut 2-3 deep slashes in each piece of chicken, add it to the bowl and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 h, turning once.

4. 4

   Set a wide pan on the stove and render the chicken fat over moderate heat, turning the pieces, until crisp and the pan holds a layer of clear fat, 15-20 min. Lift out and discard the solids.

5. 5

   Lower the heat and add the annatto, crushed garlic and bay leaf. Stir for 1-2 min without letting the seeds burn.

6. 6

   Take the pan off the heat and let the annatto steep in the fat until it turns a deep red, at least 30 min. Strain this annatto baste and set it aside.

7. 7

   Light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn down to a medium-hot glow, or heat a gas grill to medium. Grease the grates with a little of the fat.

8. 8

   Lift the chicken out of the marinade and scrape off the bits of aromatics.

9. 9

   Grill skin side up, turning every 8-10 min and brushing often with half of the annatto baste, until the skin is charred in spots and the thickest part reads 74 °C (165 °F), 30-40 min.

10. 10

    Rest the chicken for 5 min.

11. 11

    Serve with steamed rice and the rest of the annatto baste for spooning over the rice.

Imported from kawalingpinoy.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.