Two-Stage Cooking: Oven then Barbecue

Small birds like poussin win on two fronts when you split the cooking. Start in the oven so the meat cooks through evenly and stays moist, then move it to a hot barbecue, griddle or grill to finish. The second stage is where the charred, smoky depth comes from — basting with peri peri sauce as it chars builds colour and flavour on the skin without drying the flesh. Use an instant-read thermometer rather than the clock: pull the bird at 165°F (74°C) at the thigh, and don't skip the live-fire finish if you can help it, because the smoke is the point.