Subject: The Hows of Roasted Chicken
From: [email-masked] (S. Schwartz)
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 00:59:18 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes

*  Exported from  MasterCook II  *

                       The Hows Of Roasted Chicken

Recipe By     : 
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Chicken                          Information
                ****

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method

Nothing lifts the spirit or tantalizes more than the fragrance of a roasting
chicken. Caramelized and combined with vegetables and herbs, nothing comforts
more.

The trick to cultivating great roast chicken flavor is in the oven temperature.
High initial heat of 450 to 500 degrees is necessary to caramelize the chicken's
natural sugars and acids.

This is the basis of that wonderful roast chicken flavor. Cooked at low
temperatures, the chicken becomes poached with far less flavor development.
Not only is chicken cooked this way succulent, but can also be quite healthful.
The white meat or breast meat is the leanest and even if you cook it with the
skin, the fat is negligible once the skin is removed. The skin provides
"protection" for the meat and maintains its moistness.

Younger chickens are sold as fryers, while older more mature birds are marketed
as roasters. Fryers usually weigh less than 2 1/2 pounds while roasters are much
larger, weighing in at 3 to 5 pounds. Choose your chicken based on the portions
needed, but keep in mind the younger birds are the most tender. I sometimes
purchase 2 smaller birds instead of 1 large.

THE COOKING STEPS:
Wash the chicken inside and out under cold running water.

Place in a roasting pan.

Season the bird inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff herbs such as thyme,
rosemary, parsley and summer savory into the cavity. You may add other flavor
enhancers such as lemons, apples, limes and pears.

Before roasting, rub the skin with a little softened butter or a few drops of
olive oil to create that golden crispy skin.

Place the pan on the lower rack of a preheated 450-500 degree oven.

Cook for 15 minutes the turn the temperature down to 400 degrees for the rest of

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Salli Schwartz Pres.         1689 N. Hiatus Road #156
HONN Productions, Inc.       Pembroke Pines, FL 33026

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