how do I get a juicy chicken?

Essex-girl_2

I recently saw something from a chef - cant remember which one who advised to pour water inside the chicken carcus which help keeps it moist.

davetrousers

Put a bit of (olive) oil between the skin and breasts and rub it around with your finger, also while you're at it put a bit of (fresh) rosemary in there too.

Hope you're using a free range chicken. It will be of a better quality from the start.

mineallmine

Hia,

Cover with foil for first half of cooking.

Then regularly baste - and baste thoroughly all over the legs etc - make sure everything is covered.

Also you should let the meat rest after cooking as this helps things too.

withabix

davetrousers wrote: »

Hope you're using a free range chicken. It will be of a better quality from the start.

Didn't you see the blind taste test on Countryfile?

The juiciest, tastiest chickens were the £3 intensively reared ones.

The reason for this is that they are younger and have a controlled diet.

If you want chewy, stringy, tasteless chicken buy an organic free range one!! They came out worst in the test.

A disappointing result, but a true one nontheless!

doorstep

I cover with foil and cook in oven at about 180 degrees. It's cooked for 20 minutes per half kilo plus about 30 minutes. I remove the foil for the last half hour to brown the top. If I'm around whilst it's cooking, I baste it every 20 minutes, but if I'm not - then I don't!!

I use free range/organic chickens and they are always nice and juicy!

prettypennies

I always get my chickens from www.wellhungmeat.com so can vouch for organic chickens being juicy NOT stringy.

To prepare my juicy chuck I:

Whiz up some herbs and butter in the processor and put a layer under the skin.

Season the cavity and bung in a quartered lemon.

Wrap loosely in foil

Cover the breast in pancetta until the last 20 or so mins.

Take out of oven and rest (upside down) for 20 mins before carving.

Super juicy every time

nearlyrich

I buy my chicken from a farmer they are always juicy, blast on full heat for 30 mins then lower the heat to about gas mark 2 or 3 until the juices run clear. If there are no juices it's probably overcooked.

~Chameleon~

withabix wrote: »

Didn't you see the blind taste test on Countryfile?

The juiciest, tastiest chickens were the £3 intensively reared ones.

The reason for this is that they are younger and have a controlled diet.

If you want chewy, stringy, tasteless chicken buy an organic free range one!! They came out worst in the test.

A disappointing result, but a true one nontheless!

Or rather because the meat is pumped full of water before you buy it

I can honestly say I've never, ever tasted a "chewy, stringless, tasteless" free range chicken yet - quite the opposite in fact!

pointypenguin

I put slices of lemon and some oregano under the skin (breasts, legs and in the cavity) making sure the skin covers the meat afterwards.

Then cook covered in foil only removing the foil for the last 20 minutes to brown. Mine are always moist and juicy this way also I find the lemon gets rid of any greasiness.

withabix

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Or rather because the meat is pumped full of water before you buy it

Cobblers.

Can you provide some proof of that?

Processed meat often has water added, but you can't do that to a chicken!