From my Going for 101 in 1001 goal list:
9. Roast a whole chicken.
I have been wanting to do this for a loooooooooong time. I have bought plenty of whole chickens, fully cooked and delicious, from the likes of Boston Market or Publix, our local grocery store. However, to be true to my stubborn-do-it-myself nature, I wanted to someday try it myself.
But whole…raw…chicken…with legs…??? Each time I thought about it, I teetered dangerously close to the edge of swearing off meat forever.
Then I met Jennifer at church while at rehearsal and I heard talk of roasting a whole chicken. I leeched as much info as I could from her and with her cheerleading, I took the fateful steps…I bought not ONE, but TWO whole chickens from Costco. I either like to live on the edge, or I was saving one in case of initial failure. I’ll never tell.
Today was the day.
My ingredients. There is a lemon hiding behind the thyme jar. I am very nervous at this point. I kid you not, it took me ten minutes alone just to figure out the parts and pieces to the broiler and roasting rack pan-thingy that came with my stove, including googling the instructions to the stove. Thankfully, the original owners left it all behind. The purchasers of our last house were not so lucky, I think. Oh, well…
Can I tell you how gross it is getting it ready to cook? Bleh. Double bleh. I was almost pushed over the edge of that vegetarian precipice when I cleaned out the inside, but I held fast. I had a goal. The insides emptied, the wingy-tips touching on the bottom just like the two opened cookbooks said to do, and the drumsticks and tail tied together and we were ready to roast.
Oops, forgot to tell you – I sprinkled it with lemon juice, stuffed that half-lemon inside the, uh, empty space, then rubbed olive oil all over the chicken, followed by lemon pepper and thyme. Let’s not talk about the fact that it took me a couple of minutes and picture comparisons to figure out which side was the breast so that it could properly face up, per the directions. Love me, please.
Thermometer inserted and ready to go…180 degrees reached…
Forgive the less-than-professional photos, no fancy-schmancy camera here. But….voila’! It smelled yummy!! Chris declared it was better than Boston Market. I am a happy woman.
Cauliflower was on sale this week so I made a cauliflower dish from my Southern Living cookbook. The recipe reminded me of something my uncle Craig had made for us a while back. The picture really does not do it justice…it was beautiful.
Steamed, sprinkled with lemon, then doused in butter with basil and parsley. Cauliflower has never tasted so good. It is usually a tasteless veggie to me and I have never understood its inclusion in cold vegetable trays, but I have a new respect for cauliflower now.
Do you usually roast your own chicken or purchase it from your local grocery store hot and ready-to-eat?
Now you have to try brining your chicken and turkeys – once you start you’ll never want any other kind!
This is great! You’re becoming one of those crazy people who takes pictures of their food (like me)!
Welcome to my world of roasting chickens!
I roast chicken at least once a week, However I buy it ready for the oven – all washed out and tied up for me.
Did you make stock from the left over bones? It is THE BEST for making soup with – sounds impressive but it so easy even I can do it!
@megan Brining? Sounds like something to do with salt water? I have heard of it…particularly when my OB was telling me about doing that to his turkey when I was in labor with my daughter on Thanksgiving morning…but that’s another story…tell me more, how do you this?
@JanMary, N Ireland
JanMary – Do tell! Please! How do I make stock from the left over bones? I picked off all the chicken I could for my next dinner recipe, but felt like I missed so much…is that what I’m missing?
@BigKat I crossed into the land of crazy a long time ago, but if taking pictures of my food now qualifies me, oh yes, I’m obsessed. Taking my camera out has now, oddly, become a part of the routine. Oh, what has happened to me!
I will post about it on my blog this week – will buy a chicken tomorrow!
That looks awesome! I’ve boiled a chicken, never roasted one. Maybe we can roast chicken and make bread together
You didn’t cook like this when we visited! HAHAHA
That is one georgous chicken! I had KFC today and yours looks so much better!
I usually roast my own, although we have been without an oven for several months. I never thought about purchasing one already roasted! I think I might hit the local deli tomorrow night and see what I can find!
Thanks!
Brining is when you soak your meat in a salt water solution. The meat absorbs the solution adding moisture and flavor. You can add spices and herbs to your brine that will go along for the ride with the salt. The texture of the meat changes a little and some people don’t like that. It also makes getting a crisp skin more difficult. Make sure you give the meat a good rinse afterwards.
Brining is also a good technique for pork.
I saw a related technique on America’s Test Kitchen. I tried it out and it works pretty well. They put a dry rub containing salt on the meat and let it sit for a while (overnight I think). The salt draws out moisture from the meat. Then the water that was drawn out is drawn back in with some of the rub.
Oh yeah, I’ll agree with the homemade chicken stock. I haven’t done it in a while, but it is very good.
You can watch Alton Brown do it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=531v0T_LD1E (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpnJsclfUj4 (part 2)
Yummy… this looks SO delicious I can smell it. Thanks for the great idea. :~D
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