Filipino grilling leans on acid and savouriness rather than sugar and smoke. Cane vinegar and calamansi appear in the marinade and again in the dipping sauce, which is what stops rich basted meat becoming heavy.
Annatto seed infused into oil gives inasal its deep orange colour. It contributes far more to appearance than to flavour, and there is no real substitute for the look.
At a glance
| Recipe | Method | Grill temp | Cook time | Pull at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filipino Chicken Inasal | Two-zone cooking | 175 to 230°C (350 to 450°F) | 30 min | 80°C (175°F) |
Techniques used
Two-zone cooking. Coals banked to one side: a searing zone and a gentle zone in one grill. The single most useful technique in charcoal cooking.