Roasting a Whole Chicken

[Mr.Wizard]

What is your method?

Do you stuff it, put spices under the skin?

Have one defrosting now.

 

[GakFoo]

I usually do this on the grill over high heat, but it works just as good in the oven
Magic Chicken

Take a whole bird and cut out the backbone so that you have a whole bird you can lay flat -- a whole bird butterflied so to speak.

Working from the neck area, run your hand in between the skin and the top of the meat, making a "pocket." You can do the same on each leg quarter.

In a bowl, combine olive oil, S&P, lots of garlic, and whatever other spices you like -- I use Herbs from Provence -- until its like a loose oil-based paste.

Rub the paste in between the meat and the skin pocket liberally. Cook in oven at 350, skin side up.

The olive oil soaks the spices into the meat and makes it so so moist, and it also helps keep the skin nice and it browns up nicely from the inside.

Moistest yardbird i've ever had by far.

 

[Randy_Allen_Fan]

I make the moistest roast chicken ever. I let some butter get soft and then mix the butter with a little lemon juice and lemon zest as well as some garlic and roesmary. I take that butter mixture and put it under the skin of the breast. You don't want to pack it tight or the skin will tear. I put a few lemons and some garlic cloves in the cavity, rub the bird in a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake in the oven around 400 for an hour and a half or so (really depends on the size of the bird). The butter under the skin slowly melts and is soaked up by the breast meat insuring that it remains incredibly juicy and the butter also gets the skin real crispy. Best roast chicken ever and the same principal can be applied to a turkey with equal success.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

I'd like to endorse RAF's recipe w/ one caveat.

Rough chop, meaning they don't have to be uniform pieces, onion, celery, carrots and just a little bell pepper, and use these to line the pan you're roasting in.

Rest the chicken on the veggies, this keeps the bird from sitting in it's own juices and braising rather than roasting. The veggies impart their flavor into the bird plus the juices can be used for basting, then reduced and turned into a great sauce or gravy.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Gak, I ripped out the backbone of the bird.

I have applied and inserted a mixture of garlic, shallots, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

I like how malleable the chicken is without the backbone. Should cook evenly.

Going to roast with some root vegetables.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

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[Mr.Wizard]

Ha, I like to see how people do theirs.

I kind of incorporated a bit from everyone here.

Smells so good right now, wish I could post some pics.

 

[Randy_Allen_Fan]

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[NCAAFBALLROX]

I do similar with a flat cut bird & spices under the skin (usually with olive oil as a paste base) & it goes on the smoker.

I actually had 3 of the guys on my roofing crew say I cook better bird than their Mexican wives / girlfriends.

 

[Sucklebuster]

I brine mine and nothing else but smoke on the BBQ.

For oven roasting brining works great too and If you add seasoning, oil, butter...etc. = even better.

 

[GakFoo]

mr wizard, what is the final verdict, tell us how it was

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Seriously the best bird I have cooked.

I have only used a conventional oven before, but with this I used a convection oven.

The skin was crisp and held in the juices well.

The meat was tender and juicy.

Quite outstanding, we ate the whole thing in one sitting.

Thanks again for the backbone info.

I will do another one this week, very easy.