Roasted Chicken In Beer

Ingredients

• 4 pound roasting chicken
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 5 large carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, and quartered
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled, halved crosswise, and quartered
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 12-ounce bottle flavorful beer or ale
• 1 cup apple cider, preferably unfiltered

Directions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees F.
2. Trim excess fat from chicken, and season inside and out with salt.
3. Scatter onions, carrots, parsnips, sage, cloves, and cinnamon in the oven-useable pot, sprinkle salt over this, and set the chicken on top of the vegetables.
4. Put the pot on the stove, pour in the stock, beer, and apple cider, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes on top of the stove.
5. Put the pot in the oven, and roast the chicken for about 30 minutes, basting with the pan juices two or three times. Cover the chicken with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning, and roast another 30 minutes.
6. Remove the foil, and roast another 20 � 30 minutes, basting frequently, until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through and tender. Remove the chicken to a warm platter, and surround with the vegetables. Bring the pan juices to a boil on top of the stove, and cook until reduced by half.
7. Carve the chicken at the table, and spoon some of the pan juices on top. Makes 3 � 4 servings.