Sage and Garlic Cockerel
By OcadoLife
Published on 14 November 2025
“This older male chicken is an absolute star,” says chef James Cochran, who created this Sage and Garlic Cockerel recipe. “Cockerels have a longer life feeding out in the fields, meaning they grow to be a good size – serving anywhere between six and 10 people – with even more flavour. Brining the bird takes it to the next level, locking in moisture. I then roast it in butter loaded with sage, garlic and orange zest for golden, crisp skin and juicy, flavoursome meat.” You’ll need to allow 12 hours for the brining, plus an hour to rest the bird after roasting. James’s Next-level Sage and Onion Stuffing is the perfect accompaniment – search for it online.Time and servings
2 hrs 55 minsTotal time
6Servings
15 minsPrep time
2 hrs 40 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 500g table salt
- 4 oranges, 2 sliced, 2 zested
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ garlic bulb, plus 6 garlic cloves, crushed or grated
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 30g sage sprigs, ½ kept whole, ½ with leaves picked and finely chopped (stalks discarded)
- 9 pink peppercorns
- 9 black peppercorns
- 3 cloves
- 3kg (approx.) free-range cockerel
- 150g unsalted soft butter
Method
Step 1
Fill a large stockpot with 2.5 litres water. Add the table salt, orange slices, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, ½ garlic bulb, thyme, rosemary, whole sage sprigs, pink and black peppercorns and cloves; bring to the boil, then simmer until the salt has dissolved. Turn off the heat, add another 2.5 litres cold water and leave to cool completely.Step 2
Submerge the cockerel in the brine (weight it down if needed) and chill overnight (12 hrs).Step 3
Drain well and pat dry. (For extra-crispy skin, leave the bird to air-dry uncovered on the bottom shelf of the fridge at or below 5°C for at least 4 hrs and up to 12 hrs before roasting.) Mix the butter, chopped sage leaves, crushed or grated garlic and orange zest in a bowl; season.Step 4
Gently tease the skin from the flesh of the cockerel and push in some of the butter; smear the rest evenly all over the bird. Leave for 30 mins to come to room temperature.Step 5
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Place the cockerel on a rack in a large roasting tin and roast for 30 mins.Step 6
Baste with the pan juices, then reduce the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2 and cook for 2 hrs more, basting every 30 mins.Step 7
Remove the cockerel from the oven, turn it upside down and loosely cover with foil; rest for 1 hr to allow the juices to run back into the breast. Carve and serve with the juices spooned over.