fryers and roasters

Roast chicken is one of my favorite home cooked meals. As such, it makes a regular appearance at the dinner table -- and the blog. I'll take this opportunity to link a fantastic video of Thomas Keller demonstrating how to prepare a roasted chicken. Pretty cool having the most respected chef in the US show you how to truss a bird! Now if only I knew how to tie a slip-knot...

A few important things Keller doesn't discuss in this video. First, using a small "fryer" chicken is a far better idea than roasting a larger "roaster" chicken..Fryers are simply younger chickens. As a result they're smaller and more tender. They usually weigh three pounds, while roasters can weigh up six pounds or more. A fryer should be sufficient for a family of four. If you need to feed more people, just cook two fryers.

Second, drying the skin of the chicken before you cook it is a very good idea. Air drying in the fridge for a few hours before tempering the chicken is one option. If you don't have time for that, just make sure to really dry the exterior of the chicken with paper towels.

Finally, as with any meat that's not brined, salt it right before you cook it. If you salt too early (like when you first pull it out of the fridge), the salt will draw out the moisture from the meat. With a roast chicken, that will prevent you from achieving that perfect crisp skin and will result in a drier chicken. Boooo!!!