Just flavor it, truss it, cook it, and volia you’re done!  After attending my culinary class last night,  I must consent that roasting is actually pretty simple.  But for the average home cook?

The thing is, there are so many unanswered questions in roasted chicken recipes- how do I truss it?  With what?  What does it mean to “clean” the bird?   At what temperature do I cook it to?  In what pan?  How do I slice into the chicken?  Well, you get the point…

The term roasting usually applies to meats and poultry, but can be applied to nearly everything except breads and pastries.  The flavor and aroma of a roasted food should contribute to the overall sensation of fullness, richness, and depth.  Keeping this in mind, it is essential to cook your chicken uncovered when roasting.  Covering your bird holds in steam thus changing the process from dry heat to moist heat cooking (braising or steaming).  Another important rule to keep in mind when roasting is to always cook your meat or poultry on a rack.  This prevents the meat from simmering in its own juices and fat.  It also allows hot air to circulate around the product.  In addition, roasts should be “sealed” with fat or oil to keep them from drying out.

When roasting chicken you have two parts of unequal temperature (the white and dark meat), the different parts will attempt to arrive at equal temperatures.  The outer, hotter portion of the roast will try to warm the colder inner portion, even out of the oven.  It is therefore very important to rest the meat and poultry before carving so that the juices retreat into the tissue.  There are a few different methods to this process which include, the classic method-sears the meat more quickly and can produce more browning, medium heat roasting- roasts evenly throughout for generally tender meat but less potential for browning, and low temperature roasting- continuous roasting at a low temperature gives a superior product with less shrinkage, more flavor and juiciness, more even doneness and a greater ease in carving.   Keep in mind that resting gives the natural juices of the bird time to settle back into the meat.  Allow about twenty minutes of resting prior to cutting into the bird.

The chicken is done when the juices come out a clear yellow when the thickest part of the drumstick is pricked with a fork.  You can also feel the flesh of the chicken.  It is important to note, that if the temperature exceeds 165 degrees, the chicken will be dry and overcooked.