I want to roast a chicken!

[Chepstowmonkey]

This may be the most simple of all posts but I want to roast a chicken on the weekend and I was just wondering if there was foolproof way to cook a perfect chicken?

My friend cooks it on low in a casserole dish but I don't understand how she gets the nice crispy skin. Other people swear by a lemon up the bum - but I have never been able to tell any difference in taste!

I don't cook much meat but i would really like to be better at it. Saturday dinner when the ILs visit will be roast chicken, dauphinois potatoes and French peas so I want to get it right!

Thanks in advance

Personally I think either barely fuck around with it at all, splash of olive oil and season, or fuck around with a loads a la Keith Floyd.

Both produce splendid roasts. As you are keeping it simple, I would go for the later with the chicken, it really is lovely.

I cook in either a tin or ovenware, 20 minutes per half kilo, plus 20 minutes, then 10 minutes resting out of the oven.

First 15 minutes at gas mark 8 for nice crispy skin, rest at gas mark 5.

Baste occasionally with juices.

Easy peasy.

Wash the chicken first in cold water and pat dry.

I put an onion inside it, rub it all over with butter and salt and cover the bird with tin foil for the first twenty minutes on a high heat remove foil and baste occasionally afterwards.

Ooooh no, you really shouldn't wash poultry ever, is quite a health risk (one of many, many articles).

Hey RedRubyShoes! - fancy finding you posting on food advice! How's your boss?

What Gobblers and Red said, but also...

Personally I am a big fan of keeping the meat moist, and I think the simplest way is to cook over a small pool of water (I use my grill pan, I put some water in the bottom, the chicken sits on the rack and foil over the top of the whole thing, roasts the chicken but in a slightly steamy atmosphere) This stops the breast meat from getting too dry and also means the meat juices are already dissolved in some water, so your gravy is half done for you too! (You can still use this to baste now and again as you go). Then take the foil off for last few mins (10/15) to crisp the skin up on a high heat.

The alternative way to keep the breast moist is to rub the skin with oil or butter then cook it upside down for the first half of the cooking - then the juices go downwards and drain away a bit for the second half of the cooking so it is not greasy.

This is a bit like asking how to skin a cat isn't it. Everyone has a pet way to do a roast, which is why we all think our Mum's roast is the best one!

Incidentally OP, I would be interested to know how your dauphinois potatoes go, as I don't have a good recipe for those and would like to do them. If they go well will you give me your recipe please? :)

Jenner

The newly married boss who told me he loved me? He's fine.

I also do the dish of water in the oven as well. I might roast a chicken tonight.

[drools]

olive oil, salt & pepper, stuff with a lemon, garlic & thyme if you are feeling flash, slap it on the bum and cook it fastish!

Buy a decent quality chicken, I have found smaller cheap chickens are dry so buy a larger size chicken that is free range. I wash and then dry chicken, rub olive oil and salt into the skin, cook covered but last 20 mins turn up the temp and cook uncovered to crisp up the skin. Careful you don't over cook as that will dry the meat too much. Allow the chicken to "rest" for about 20 minutes before you carve. If a larger chicken gives too much meat you can always use the leftovers for a curry and stocks or soups.

Noooo was thinking of the one who got a foot in his crotch at your dinner party courtesy of your mad friend - crikey your boss history is colourful isn't it - ever considered writing a book - 'recipes and bosses'?

I've got a rotisserie thingy. Bloody marvellous contraption.

Please don't wash your chicken! PLease!!!

I use HF-W method with cooking temps and timings and always comes out well - v crispy skin and moist inside. Will see if on web anywhere.

Also agree with the fuck about loads or not much at all method. I just put a bit of salt on the skin mmmm and I think that helps to crisp it too

Oh and I get corn fed chicken which is tastier IMO

however you cook it (I put LOADS of herb butter all over it) it is really important to rest for twenty minutes before eating.

Mine goes into my slow cooker just as it is & tastes gorgeous

Ditto what Humphrey said. Resting the chicken makes a huge difference to the moistness of the meat. I think it is as important as getting the cooking right.

Sprinkling cayenne pepper & paprika over the skin makes a yummy crispy skin, and adds flavour to the gravy juices. I also shove a small onion in the cavity & brush skin with oil before adding the seasoning.

Yes, cayenne or paprika over the skin, otherwise, sea salt and lots of olive oil. I put a lemon plus a big bunch of thyme and sage in the cavity. I think roasting long and slow, with lots of basting, works best. Pay no attention to the cooking time on the wrapping - it is done when the legs look nicely brown, when you twit them, they come away from the body easily. A smallish sized chicken will cook in about 2 hours on a low setting, as a rough guide. Cook well in advance of serving - it cuts best if it's been out of the oven for at least an hour. Use the juices to make the base of your gravy.

Don't wash the chicken - apart from the risk of spreading bacteria, to get crispy skin you want it to be totally dry. I shove a quartered onion, or some squashed garlic cloves, or a quartered lemon inside, and rub the skin with salt which really helps the crisping, and add a few blobs of butter.

I just dump it in a large roasting tin for a couple hours at 180C, chuck lots of chopped veg or parboiled spuds round it after a while, and then it gets half an hour to rest while we faff about making gravy and the rest of the veg. Meat then falls easily off the bone. Delia's timings and temps work for me if we want to judge it more finely.

Jenner

Ahh the Burns Night Supper when my mate was drunk and obnoxious!

What I was reffering to was this post;

My boss told me he loved me shortly after his wedding when he finished every phone conversation with his new bride with "I love you" as I do with my DP.

I said "I love you to" and then we both realised what we had said and thoughtfully put the phones down. It was an instinctive sort of thang...............but the whole office heard as we were on speaker phone!

Back to chicken roasting. Fifteen unpeeled garlic cloves in the cavity is mouth watering when it is done.

RedRuby ahhh that's hilarious. I name changed from Ginpalace as I fancied a change, your Burns night thread had me in stitches, hence why I remember your name (which is a good name).

Hope your roast goes well Chepstow You have so many tips here it's going to be tricky not to overthunk it! I think I'm going to do a roast this weekend, you have inspired me. I love a roast but rarely make the effort, and I have a nice chicken from the farmers market in my freezer just begging to be roasted. :)

Brine it!

cook it 200 for 2.5 hrs covered.

then remove cover and turn up heat to 210/220 for the last half an hour uncovered basting in its juices.

golden brown and crispy everytime