roasting a chiken

[spidey07]

So I can roast a pretty mean chicken and have done it a number of ways (veggies, no veggies, basting, tented, different temps, lemons, butter, artichokes, aromatics, etc) but never actually brined him.

Any thoughts or experiences? The chicken I've roasted is super juicy anyway but I figure the more the merrier.

The reason i bring it up is Emeril did something interesting - he put him breast side down half way through cooking to keep the breast moist. Makes sense to me as the breast always gets hotter than the hip/thigh. He also brined him in some beer.

mmmmm...beer.

 

[AmerDoux]

Brining is seasoning the meat inside. So you can have all the spices you want on the outside, but yeah, brine the bird.

For a whole chicken

1/2 gal cold water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Kosher salt (if using table salt, reduce to 1/4 cup)
Mix until disolved and immerse your bird in it, making sure it is all the way covered.
Soak a full bird for 3-5 hours, rinse well and continue cooking as usual.

If your bird is cut up, brine for no more than 30 minutes.

Edit: and the breast side down is so that all of the juices run down in to the breast as it cooks and help keep it moist.

 

[spidey07]

thanks for the tips.

does it really matter?

 

[AmerDoux]

I always brine my poultry. It absorbs some of the water into the bird and help keep it very moist. It also seasons the inside meat evenly. You dont need to add any salt if you brine.

 

[ElFenix]

should you flavor the brine?

 

[AmerDoux]

You can flavor the brine, altho' I personally prefer not to. I like my chicken meat to taste like chicken meat and the outside to carry the seasoning flavors.

 

[AmericasTeam]

I saw that episode of Emeril last night. I have to say his show isn't interesting anymore. Too gimmicky.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: AmerDoux
You can flavor the brine, altho' I personally prefer not to. I like my chicken meat to taste like chicken meat and the outside to carry the seasoning flavors.

some white wine maybe?

 

[johnjbruin]

Originally posted by: AmericasTeam
I saw that episode of Emeril last night. I have to say his show isn't interesting anymore. Too gimmicky.

I agree. I don't watch him anymore. He has become too 'lame' for my tastes now.

 

[marmasatt]

Brining is good. Keeps the bird moist and adds flavor overall not just the outside/skin. I did something pretty cool for thanksgiving (might of actually been Emeril now that I think of it). You do an herbal butter rub. (That sounds kind of funny now that I type it.....new dance or a sexual technique maybe) Anyway, you take a stick of butter, buy some Thyme, Rosemary and Sage - all outstanding pork/chicken flavors. You mash them into the butter and you coat the chicken with it. Turns out moist and really herby and flavorful. Put it under the skin and leave a little for the top outside the skin......

 

[aidanjm]

a chicken is a she.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: marmasatt

Brining is good. Keeps the bird moist and adds flavor overall not just the outside/skin. I did something pretty cool for thanksgiving (might of actually been Emeril now that I think of it). You do an herbal butter rub. (That sounds kind of funny now that I type it.....new dance or a sexual technique maybe) Anyway, you take a stick of butter, buy some Thyme, Rosemary and Sage - all outstanding pork/chicken flavors. You mash them into the butter and you coat the chicken with it. Turns out moist and really herby and flavorful. Put it under the skin and leave a little for the top outside the skin......

yep, works wonders and how I roast a chicken.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: aidanjm
a chicken is a she.

meh, all meat to me is a he.

cars and boats = she.

something you stick over fire = he.