how to roast a whole chicken?

ti1980

I'm a bit squeamish when it comes to food and I just didn't fancy it.

I just couldn't imagine picking off all the meat off the bone to attempt to make stock. Looking at the carcass was not pretty and I couldn't bear to look at it so it had to go.

ames123_2

ti1980 I am like you too - too scared to cook chicken (or any meat). I have just started buying diced turkey and thin chicken fillets!

ti1980

Yay, glad to hear that I'm not the only one!

Have to say that this chicken was pretty easy to handle, even for someone like me!
Then again the instructions were simple enough and I will definitely attempt it as the chickens are still half price.

I don't like handling any raw meat, its just so icky to me.

I suppose if I do it more, then little by little I will gain more confidence but cooking for one just seems like such an effort and I haven't got the freezer space to go mad.

wannasavemoney

Must admit, have never been scared of a dead chicken! (sorry my attempt at humour)! When i first met my husband, I had never made a roast meal myself but thankfully I had the chance to watch my MIL who makes everything from scratch and learned how to do it myself. If you don't like the feel of raw meat, then wear some of those plastic surgical type gloves when you handle it, this may help and you can get them quite cheaply from the 99p stores. I think you get 100 gloves for 99p? Must admit, the more you cook raw meat, the easier it gets. I can even handle liver now!!:rotfl: Eventually, you will do it without even thinking about it. Roast dinner is most definitely the best meal in the world.

inkie

I have bought my first piece of organic meat this weekend - a chicken. Cost £7.36 from Mt T's but used a voucher for something that I did not buy to the value of £2.50, and so brought it down to the price or a normal chicken.
We are making a conscious effort to reduce the amount of meat, but up the quality of it by going organic. Will use left overs tomorrow for sweet and sour or curry!

competitionscafe

Jammy Olive has a very good step-by-step guide on his web site jamiesdinners.com for Roast chicken (and some other recipes too):
http://www.jamiesdinners.com/unleash/cook/?m=3&n=2

(ignore the fruit crumble steps obviously unless you are making that too!)
Menu: http://www.jamiesdinners.com/menu/?m=3&ret=menus

furndire

ti1980, you don't need to pick the meat off the bone to make stock ~ honestly its just throw everything you don't want into a pan, cover it with water, heat and simmer for an hour or longer if you want, drain off. Then if you want to keep down the bulk simmer until the liquid is reduced right down.

ti1980

Fundire-there was quite a bit of leg meat that I just didn't want to get to grips with. I know its such a waste but to me it is still cheaper than just buying a takeaway which is what I would usually do when I fancy some chicken.

It was only about a year ago that I started cooking sausages and bacon. I would go for weeks without cooking a single thing.:o

Competitionscafe-where do you find all your links? They are always so helpful and informative.

Lillys_mum

I know it is supposed to be really simple but I can just never get it right.

I have bought a lovely (expensive) free range chicken and want to ensure I cook it correctly so I don't waste it.

I want to roast it.

It weighs 1.532k and estimates a cooking time of 1 hr 35 mins - which I normally follow but still the chick is pink.

Should I wrap it in foil or leave it unwrapped

Please help as I am really looking forward to eating this tonight as are the kiddies who love roast dinners.

Many thanks

LM

xx

samj_2

Hi I cooked a large free range chicken the other day. I coated the skin with butter and put some butter inside as well and then put a sprinkle of sage on the skin. I prefer to wrap mine in foil and just leave a slight opening on the top of chicken.
I did find that the chicken needed a little more cooking time, and I wonder because it is free range and does not contain so much water that they recken the cheap chickens have in them.