how to roast a whole chicken?

moggins

They won't be bad if they have been frozen, the texture may have changed a little though so I would use them in something that requires a sauce.

katie_jane_2

thanks for your help im quite new to all this but i know it wouldnt be very os if all that meat finished up in the bin!will try something saucy next week!(with the chicken i mean haha)
cheers katex

nearlyrich

Had to buy a reduced free range chick today, was going to buy one anyway but saved almost £3, it's nearly ready and it smells fantastic, can't wait for teatime.

susank

What makes great tasting gravy under the chicken is roasting it on an onion cut in half - skin on - just wash it as it is - the brown skin gives a colour to the gravy and also sitting it on celery as well - we all have bits left over so sit it on the celery and onion and roast it - lovely gravy - may need to add some boiling water at some point if dry.

pavlovs_dog

... with roasting chickens, so i was hoping you guys could break me in gently

rather than buy two packs of overpriced chicken breasts, i thought i'd have a crack at roasting a whole bird. my aims for this rubber chuck are to make a cajun casserole, a one pot sunday lunch (to be served on a weekday :rotfl: )and to then try making stock from the bones to go in my first attempt at french onion soup :drool:


beause of the variety of dishes i aim to make with my chicken, i dont want to flavour it too much with butter/herbs etc during the cooking process. that said, i need to keep it moist to stop it drying out.

i understand i can put a peeled potato in the cavity, and the steam from this will keep the bird moist? is there anything else i can do?

do i have to baste the bird? if so, what is the healthiest way of doing it? can i expect much fat to come out of the bird? if i want to do roasties, do i have to use some kind of fat for basting? what IS the best way to get roasties that are fluffy inside and crispy outside?


and now for the icky part, the bit i've been dreading the most - how do i wash and prepare the bird? its never been frozen, so i dont have to worry about that. am i likely to find giblets inside _pale_ ? how do i make sure he is squeaky clean?

looking forward to your hints and tips and i couldnt think of a nicer bunch of people to lose my virginity with :rotfl:

Montymoo_2

Im sure theres people out there with better advice with regards to the chicken but for fluffy / crispy roasties I always boil the potatoes first for about 10 mins

Ps so nice to read some welsh for a change!

aurora_borealis_2

Here's what I do. I am a bad example.

Remove wrapping. Place on roasting tray. Roast for two hours- high then low.

Un-parboiled potatoes placed around the bird half way through.

That is it. Delicious

pavlovs_dog

aurora_borealis wrote:

Here's what I do. I am a bad example.

Remove wrapping. Place on roasting tray. Roast for two hours- high then low.

Un-parboiled potatoes placed around the bird half way through.

That is it. Delicious

you dont wash it :eek:

*PD suddenly starts to rethink about dinner at her surrogate mother's house*

aurora_borealis_2

pavlovs_dog wrote:

you dont wash it :eek:

*PD suddenly starts to rethink about dinner at her surrogate mother's house*

Not always

There is a thread about that. Consensus was that it's more harmful to wash (and spread) germs than to blast them with heat :cool:

Suits me

I use the roasting tray to make gravy with afterwards too :beer:

thriftlady_2

pavlovs_dog wrote:

and now for the icky part, the bit i've been dreading the most - how do i wash and prepare the bird? its never been frozen, so i dont have to worry about that. am i likely to find giblets inside _pale_ ? how do i make sure he is squeaky clean?

I'd be surprised if there are giblets PD. I don't remember the last time I bought a chicken with giblets, and I get free-range birds from a traditional butcher. But if there are, they'll be in a little bag. I'd regard them as a bonus and make stock with them, and save the liver for toast

As for washing - I never bother - do other people . All I do is untruss the bird, that is take off any elastic bands or string because I like my chickens to hang loose Make sure the skin isn't wet by patting with kitchen towels. The skin won't crisp if it's soggy.