Directions
Step 1
Spatchcock the rooster: Place the rooster breast-side down. Beginning on the neck, use poultry shears to chop alongside each side of the backbone to take away the spine. Swap to a pointy knife and lower out the rib cage. (Reserve the spine and rib cage for an additional use, akin to inventory.) Flip the rooster over so it’s breast-side up, and press down on the breastbone to crack it barely. To take away the thigh bone, lower the ball joints on every finish of the bone to pop them out, then lower alongside each side of the bone till it’s free sufficient to take away. (Eradicating the thigh bones helps the chook lie flatter within the pan throughout cooking.)
Step 2
To a blender or meals processor, add the feta and a couple of cups of water and mix till clean. Switch to a big bowl and stir in 2 further cups of water.
Step 3
In a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish, place the rooster skin-side down. Cowl with a layer of cheesecloth, then add the peppercorns, oregano, garlic, bay leaf, and lemon on prime. Pour the feta brine over the cheesecloth and seasonings so the rooster is sort of submerged. Cowl the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at the least 8 hours, or as much as 24.
Step 4
Place a rack within the decrease third of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
Step 5
Retrieve the rooster from the fridge and discard the cheesecloth, brine, and seasonings. On a big baking sheet, place the rooster breast-side up and pat totally dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing suggestions behind the shoulders and put aside to air-dry for 30–40 minutes.
Step 6
To a big forged iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high warmth, add the vegetable oil. When it’s sizzling and shimmering, add the rooster skin-side down, making certain the pores and skin on the legs is in touch with the skillet. Cook dinner till the pores and skin begins to show golden brown, 4–6 minutes. Put a smaller forged iron or oven-safe skillet on prime of the rooster to weigh it down. Rigorously switch the weighted skillet to the oven and bake till an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest a part of the thigh reads 170°F and the pores and skin is deep golden brown, about 35 minutes.
Step 7
Take away from the oven, take away the burden from the highest of the rooster, and use tongs or a big spatula to softly flip the rooster, making certain the pores and skin hasn’t caught to the skillet. If the pores and skin begins to tear whereas flipping, permit the rooster to sit down, skin-side down, till it simply releases from the skillet, 1–2 minutes. Switch the rooster to a reducing board and put aside to relaxation skin-side up for at the least 5 minutes.
Step 8
In the meantime, make the herb sauce: in a small bowl, mix the olive oil, chile, mint, parsley, scallions, paprika, and oregano. Zest the lemon instantly into the bowl and stir to mix, then lower the zested lemon into wedges to serve with the rooster.
Step 9
To serve the rooster, lower off the legs, then separate the drumsticks from the thighs. Reduce every thigh in half. Reduce the breasts off the bone and slice every one into thirds, then lower the wings off. (You’ll have 2 drumsticks, 4 thigh items, 6 breast items, and a couple of wings.) Organize the rooster items on a platter, spoon the herb sauce on prime (or serve on the facet), and scatter the feta and extra mint leaves across the platter. Serve with the lemon wedges.
