Debunking Beer Can Chicken: A Waste Of Good Beer, And Dangerous
Famous Death Row Last Meals
A few responses to my post yesterday anticipated the spirit of my second resolution, to perfect that classic of classics, Roast Chicken. My fellow slashfoodie Kat Kinsman plans to master The Biscuit, while a reader named Michael has set his sights on Bouillabaisse. Both worthy goals.
Roast chicken has always flummoxed me. Various recipes pull me in every direction. Do I butter? Rub with some kind of spice concoction? Do I truss? What about basting? Chicken stock at the bottom of the pan, or poured over the bird, or none at all? What, if anything, ought I stuff into the cavity? At what temperature shall I roast it? Pan sauce? Au jus? Somehow, my Thanksgiving turkey has always turned out quite nicely no matter which way I go, but I've never roasted a chicken--never--that I've been terribly proud of.
Am I cursed? This year, I will find out. I plan to try every variation and, perhaps more importantly, take notes. Periodically throughout the year, I'll share those notes, and accompanying photos, so we can all roast chickens to crispy golden tender moist perfection. Then again, you probably already do that, so please don't hesitate to share your tips. I might try your method first! Oh, and to keep the experiment semi-constant, I plan to use high quality but readily available Bell and Evans chickens every time. I'd also welcome suggestions for creative uses for leftover roast chicken. Or, if chicken's not your thing, what will you perfect this year?
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12-29-2008 @6:02PM katie said... This was my resolution last year! I had the best luck with the Cook's Illustrated roast chicken recipe, although I've adapted it over the past year to arrive at my personal perfect roast chicken - rather than brining, I salt a day ahead (so, I guess I've combined the Zuni prep method with the CI time and temperature method). I'm lucky to have a convection oven and that has made things easier. Salt and pepper are all I've found a good quality chicken needs...and the drippings make for some fantastic gravy. Good luck!
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12-29-2008 @6:33PM RM said... I tend to make curried chiken salad from the leftovers - chopped celery, curry powder, mayo & halved grapes.
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12-29-2008 @6:44PM Alex said... I find Julia Child's recipe (chicken stuffed with a halved lemon & basted with cream for the last half hour or so) works a treat.
If you're looking for something different, this Andalusian recipe, where the stuffing is based on apples, is delicious: http://eatingleeds.co.uk/2007/11/andalusian-stuffed-chicken.html
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12-29-2008 @11:33PM kweenkmatt said... Do a google search for the Rubber Chicken recipe. It feeds you for 4 days and ends up with a nice chicken broth from the carcass. Nothing goes to waste!
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12-30-2008 @5:10AM Berkana said... I like to roast chicken by snipping out the backbone, removing the keel bone at the top of the breast cartilage, and flattening the chicken out. I grind black pepper on thin pan fried lemon slices (fried in butter) and slip those under the skin, and roast the bird in a 375˚ oven (preferably a brined, or at least a pre-salted and rested bird, warmed up to room temperature) with a probe thermometer in the thigh until the temperature is about 155˚F, letting it carry over to 160˚ without the heat of the oven. Rest the bird, and serve. A decent roasting rack is important, as it permits air circulation around the bird.
For crispy skin, dust the skin with cornstarch and cut little slots in the skin so the fat renders out and sizzles on the skin. The result is a crispy, slightly coated skin.
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12-30-2008 @5:14AM Berkana said... BTW, I flatten the bird because it increases the surface area exposed to hot air in the oven; a whole bird, especially a trussed bird, has a cavity of cool air inside that takes a while to catch up. However, when I roast the bird on a rotisserie, I always truss the bird. The air cavity doesn't do much harm when the bird is being cooked by rotisserie.
Other good things to slip under the skin include sage and thyme, rosmary and garlic, and Montreal poultry seasoning.
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12-30-2008 @5:25AM Berkana said... A great way to roast a bird is to do it over coals with a little tiny chicken, such as a rock cornish game hen. Snip the backbone out of the bird and remove the little purple bony thing at the top of the breast cartilage (split the top with a knife, and pop it out with your finger), season it, and let it warm up to room temp while you start your coals.
When your coals are started, put them in your barbecue off to one side (presuming that you use a Weber style kettle grill), and put the game hen (brined or salted) on the side where you don't have coals, with the dark meat closer to the coals skin side up, (since dark meat is more resistant to overcooking) and put the lid on. After about 10-15 minutes, turn the chicken skin side down, and turn it so the breast side is closer to the coals. After 10 minutes of this, put it skin side down on top of the coals to sear the skin for about 2-3 minutes, then return it to the indirect heat side for another 5-10 minutes. Test the meat to see if it's done. Rest the meat and serve.
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12-30-2008 @6:39AM Dana said... My husband uses the BBQ and the beer can method of roasting. The bird always ends up yummy!
Leftovers are easy: chicken sandwiches, chicken soup (using the carcass for stock), chicken fried rice... OK, now I'm hungry for chicken. I hope the weather is nice enough outside for my husband to crank up the BBQ!
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12-30-2008 @7:08AM Denise Patterson-Monroe said... The recipe you want is Mimi's Sticky Chicken. A quick Google should find it. I never roasted a chicken I was all that crazy about either until I found this one. It's a long, slow roast on low heat and it just works WONDERFULLY.
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12-30-2008 @7:25AM Helen said... I am newly convinced that if you start of with a high quality free range chicken raised by a reputable grower that you have established a relationship with your finished product will be vastly improved.
45 years of roasting poultry has me convinced of the fact.For about 20 years I bought from the super market frozen poultry bin...no more!
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12-30-2008 @8:47AM John said... I also use the beer can method. I don't see how it could get any easier, unless access to a grill is the problem. I've been using a seasoned salt and then 1 hour on the grill at low. Amazing crispy skin, moist and tender.
I don't have to think about it and there is no clean up, just pitch the can!
Also I take the bone later that night and make a batch of stock for soup with the leftovers.
John
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12-30-2008 @10:55AM Tia said... I use the recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook for times and temps and rub the chicken with Pepper Plant dry seasoning, salt, olive oil and garlic. A quartered onion goes in the cavity and the whole shebang gets dumped in a 9"x13" pan. I don't eat the skin so I can vouch for it but the rest of the chicken comes out great.
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12-30-2008 @9:31PM Missy said... I use Sunset magazine's favorite roast chicken
http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/techniques/perfect-roast-chicken-00400000013355/
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12-30-2008 @2:29PM Bernie B said... I actually use the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie Oven, and it works fantastic every time. It's not really a unitasker either as it can also steam veggies in the top trays, and has inserts for Kabobs. Have even done small Turkeys in it that turn out fabulous.
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12-30-2008 @9:23PM Lady Bear said... Roated chicken is a staple in my chicken. I am really time challenged due to a corporate job and related travel. I find that a roasted chicken in the refrigerator can be a menu life saver. For that reason you will usually find one in my refirgerator. My recipe is a simple one...olive oil all over, a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary all over and under the skin. Cook at 375 degrees and remove at 185 degrees with an instant thermometer. Usually 90 minutes....
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12-30-2008 @8:53PM Megi said... After two years of culinary school, I still find that my method of roasting a chicken is better than anything else I've encountered (and it was based off of doing something similar to your quest!)
I rub the chicken down _under_ the skin with a blend of herbs and olive oil. You could use butter and I'm sure it would be the same, I just prefer the olive oil. I usually let the minced herbs soak in the oil for a few hours, then add in kosher salt just before the rub down. For Christmas I went one step farther and roasted garlic in the olive oil first, then put it through a garlic press and added it back to the oil. Then you just slide your hand in underneath the skin, all the way up the breasts and over to the legs even, making sure to coat. I always put a little on the outside too. The skin is always a perfect golden from the oil. And I'm sure you already know that watching the internal temp like a hawk is the trick to not letting it dry out. I pull mine around 155 since the carry-over cooking will bring it up to the required temp during its resting period.
The great thing with this method is that you can change the flavor so easily without changing the method at all just by what you let roast/soak in the oil.
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1-04-2009 @10:03PM Rob Lusk said... We have been experimenting with roasting chickens for 10 years now and for us,
a bird rubbed down with a little canola oil, kosher salt and pepper all over, and a quartered lemon with 6-8 whole peeled garlic plus a small sprig or rosemary in the cavity. Cook on it's side in a rack at 375-400F (depending on size of bird) for about 75 minutes, turning over half way through. place some carrots, celery and onion in the bottom of the roasting pan. Deglaze with chicken stock and a splash of white wine for the gravy. I'm hungry now!
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1-06-2009 @1:57PM Genevieve said... Hi! I actually have a food blog of my own, "The Alchemist" (http://thealchemistblog.wordpress.com), and I posted in the fall about "How to Make a Perfect Roast Chicken" (http://thealchemistblog.wordpress.com/2008/11/13/how-to-make-a-perfect-roast-chicken/). It may help you out--give it a go! Nice blog, by the way!
Genevieve
http://thealchemistblog.wordpress.com
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