Roast chicken with sage and bacon stuffing

Ingredients

• 2 chickens, approx. 2 kg (4.4 lbs) each
• salt for brining
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 0.5 bunch of thyme
• 20 black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp honey
• 200g (7 oz) smoked streaky bacon, diced
• 200g (7 oz)  stale bread (lightly toasted if fresh) torn into small pieces
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 10 large sage leaves, finely sliced
• 6 anchovies
• 100g (3.5 oz) butter

Directions

1. Prep the day before
2. Prepare a 4% brine solution  - 40g (1.4 oz) salt per 1L (1 quart) of water, using 4L (4 quart) of water in total. Dissolve the salt in about 1L (1 quart) of the water by heating it slightly and stirring. Once dissolved, combine with the remaining water. If needed immediately, substitute some water with ice. Add the lemon slices and peppercorns to the brine.
3. Remove the chickens from their packaging, extract the wishbones, and submerge them in the cold brine. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Stuffing
5. Start by cooking the bacon in a cold pan with a dash of water over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon, retaining the fat in the pan.
6. In the same pan, cook shallots, garlic, and anchovies over medium heat until softened. Add butter and allow it to melt.
7. Add the torn bread and sage to the pan. Mix thoroughly, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
8. Remove the stuffing from the pan and let it cool completely before using.
9. Prep and cook the chickens
10. Remove them from the brine, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Stuff each chicken's cavity halfway with the bread stuffing. Secure the chickens with butcher's twine to maintain shape during cooking.
11. Place any excess stuffing in an oven-safe dish, topped with a knob of butter. This will be roasted alongside the chickens during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
12. Place the stuffed and tied chickens on a wire rack set over an oven tray. Add 1-2 cups of water to the tray, drizzle the chickens with olive oil, and roast in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) for about 1.5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 65°C (149°F). Then let them rest for 35-40 minutes, up to an hour.
13. Twenty minutes before carving, increase the oven temperature to 250°C (482°F) and roast the chickens for an additional 10-15 minutes to achieve a good colour. Let them cool slightly before carving.
14. To carve, remove and halve the legs, then remove and slice the breasts into thirds. Combine the cavity stuffing with the additional cooked stuffing.