Chicken Inasal

Instructions

1. 1 Score the chicken leg quarters deeply to the bone in three places on each side. This allows the marinade to penetrate the thick meat thoroughly and ensures even cooking on the grill without burning the outside before the inside is done.
2. 2 Whisk together the vinegar, calamansi juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, lemongrass, grated ginger, brown sugar, annatto oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour over the scored chicken, massaging the marinade deep into every cut. Refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight.
3. 3 Remove the chicken from the refrigerator thirty minutes before grilling. Prepare a charcoal grill for medium-high indirect heat, or preheat a gas grill with one side on high and one on medium. The smoky charcoal flavour is essential to authentic inasal.
4. 4 Mix the melted butter with two tablespoons of the remaining marinade and a tablespoon of annatto oil to create the basting mixture. This butter baste creates the signature golden colour and rich, slightly charred flavour of Bacolod-style chicken.
5. 5 Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for eight minutes per side, moving to indirect heat if flare-ups occur. Baste generously with the annatto butter mixture every time you flip, building up layers of golden, caramelized glaze on the skin.
6. 6 Continue grilling and basting for twenty-five to thirty minutes total until the chicken is deeply charred in spots, the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced, and the internal temperature reaches 75C at the bone.
7. 7 Rest the grilled chicken for five minutes, then chop into pieces with a heavy cleaver. Serve on a bed of steaming garlic rice with a small bowl of spiced vinegar dipping sauce on the side. The contrast of smoky charred chicken and tangy vinegar is essential.