Falling Sky Brewery is brightening up those rainy Eugene, Oregon, days, with good ol’ Oregon craft beer pours and tasty grub. Three locations have popped up around town, the Pub downtown, the Delicatessen in the Whiteaker District and the Pizzeria on the University of Oregon campus. We received some insight on how to cook the beer-brined roasted chicken thigh featured on the menu of the Pub location.
If your mouth isn’t watering already, Falling Sky Co-founder Rob Cohen serves up a few tips and tricks for getting creative with this chicken in a sandwich or salad of your own. He suggests cured bacon, beer mustard and crisp greens as complementary pairings for the chicken, while brining the chicken is an easy task well worth the extra step. Cohen says to throw it in the fridge in the morning and then onto the pan for a quick roast at the end of the day. “By beer-brining you get some of the malt and hop quality coming into play,” he adds. “Brining keeps the meat much more lush and juicy.”
In this recipe built for a crowd, the kitchen team at Falling Sky chose the house Hanzo lager, a Japanese-style rice lager. Both the lager and the chicken have lighter flavor profiles, which prevents any overpowering flavors on either end. The beer is also a natural pairing when dining.
Beer-Brined Roasted Chicken Thighs
Courtesy of Falling Sky Brewery
Serves 8-10
2 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thigh
3 cloves garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small lemon, sliced
8 ounces Falling Sky Hanzo Lager
8 ounces water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive container and let it sit for 4 hours in the fridge. Remove the chicken thighs from the brine and dry with a paper towel. Set the oven to 350° F. Roast the chicken thighs in an oven-safe pan for 30-40 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165° F. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the juices. Remove from the pan and serve.
