Oven Roasted Whole Chicken - Updated and edited.

[Hingle McCringleberry]

This is a cold weather favorite around here. It takes a little extra time, but it is so worth it, this is adapted from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Chicken. He uses a quick brine of six hours, I prefer the overnight method, as used in BBQ 25 by Adam Percey Lang, but I use TK's cooking style (high heat, in a pan). Anyway, it is hard to mess this up, and it will be the best chicken you've ever had. This takes a couple of days but your patience will be rewarded. This works out to: Start on Friday night, eat Sunday...

 

Tools required:

Stock Pot

Oven safe fry pan (ie All-Clad style pan, anything that can go from the cook top to the oven)

Small pan with roast rack, or cookie tray with cooling rack, just make sure it will fit in your fridge.

Instant read thermometer, or preferably a leave in probe style that has a lead to for monitoring outside the oven ($20 at Bed Bath, and worth every penny), and can be exposed to 450F

Butcher twine (not 100% needed but helps cook evenly)

 

Protein:

1 whole chicken, around 2-2.5 pounds

 

For the Brine:

 

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper (fine grind if possible)

10 cloves of garlic, smashed, you dont need to peel them, but it helps to keep the paper off the chicken later, and make sure the garlic is split open, this lets the oils out to flavor your chicken

2 Tbsp fresh thyme

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp fresh oregano

2 Tbsp canola oil

1/8 cup brown sugar (optional)

Water to cover

 

NOTE: The above amounts outside of the salt, can be adjusted or omitted. I normally forget to put in oregano, and I have used dried herbs as well, you just need to use a little more, you can use normal sugar, honey, or add a few lemons. Mess around with things like onions, dill, bay leaves etc., whatever your favorite herbs and spices are, and of course they must pair well with chicken.

 

Method:

 

I use a stock pot (narrow and tall) you need to use as little water as possible. Put all the ingredients in, with a cup or so of water. Bring to a boil, make sure all the salt and sugar is dissolved, and kill the heat, this also helps "open up" the rest of the herbs etc.. You can either put this is the chill chest, or toss in some ice, either way DO NOT put the chicken in until the brine is cold, preferably under 40F.

 

Once the brine is cool, grab your chicken, wash under cold water, make sure the cavity is clean, and any necks/gizzards etc are removed.

 

Put the chicken in the pot, breast side down, add just enough water to cover by about an inch. Make sure it's not floating, put a bowl or something heavy to hold it down, if needed. Place in the the fridge for 12-18 hours. If you have the very large zip-top bags you can pour the cold brine into that, add the chicken and enough water to cover (less than using the pot) and remove the excess air.

 

Once the time is up, pull the chicken out, wash under cold water, make sure to remove any pieces of herbs, let sit a few minutes, then wash again. You are trying to remove any excess salt at this point. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place on the roasting rack and return to the chill chest. This will help dry the skin, and will help produce a dark brown and crispy skin. Leave in there for at least 6 hours, I normally do mine overnight. The skin might change color a little this is OK, don't go to much past 24 hours, the chicken can pick up favors from other food in the refrigerator.

 

A few hours before you want to eat, pull the chicken for the refrigerator. Take the butcher twine and truss the chicken. Don't know how to do that watch this:

 

 

If you choose not to truss, make sure you tuck the wings under the body of the chicken, this will keep them from burning.

 

Let the chicken temper (come to room temp), you wont get sick by doing this, and the chicken will cook more evenly. This takes at least 30 minutes but an hour or two is best, dont be stupid and let it sit for six hours.

 

Preheat oven to 450F

 

Salt/pepper the chicken inside and out. If you have a leave in probe thermometer, insert this now, between the breast and thigh were the meat is the thickest, insure you are not touching bone.

 

Heat your pan on high heat. Once its hot add a tablespoon or two of canola oil, then place the chicken in the pan. You should hear a sizzle sound. The hot pan and oil will prevent the bird from sticking to the pan and will help crisp up the bottom side skin. Put in the oven immediately.

 

Roast 40 minutes, it might smoke a little (or a lot), dont worry it's fine, turn on the vent, or open a window, your oven might need a clean cycle when done. If it is browning to quickly, put some foil on the breast. Don't smash it down this will capture the steam and make for a less crisp skin, just gently set on top.

 

If you have the leave in style probe, set the alarm for 155F, and roast until you reach it, if not, check at 40 minutes, you want 155-160, if it is not there, put back in and check in 5 minutes, if you are within a few degrees, check in a minute or two, the oven is super hot, it will go fast. Once 155 is reached, and the juices run clear remove from the oven, use any juice to baste the chicken for a minute or so. Remove from the pan, place on a cutting board, cut off the twine.

 

LET REST UNCOVERED FOR 15 MINUTES!!!! This is very important, the juices need to reabsorb, and this takes a little time. Skipping this step will make for a very dry chicken, and all your work is down the drain. Don't worry it will be plenty hot... IN 15 MINUTES.... Set a timer, have a drink, have sex, do anything to keep yourself from cutting into that bird...

 

Take a very sharp knife (you do sharpen your knives weekly right?), and carve the chicken. Don't know how, watch this:

 

 

Make sure to get the tail and "oysters" these are for the cook, and are more than likely the best part. Don't worry to much about carving it. You will start, but will end up pulling the thing apart with your hands and eating it then and there, yes it really is that good.

 

If you happen to carve and actually serve this, place on a warm plate, and serve with a green salad (the chicken is rich and the light salad offsets it), and some mustard, I use either Creole or Dijon... Enjoy!!

 

NOTE: Be very careful, most people do not use their ovens at temps over 350, it should go without saying but the pan, oven door, etc will be incredibly hot. The chicken fat can severely burn you, and it doesn't take much. Make sure you use proper hot pads or oven proof gloves when removing the pan from the oven. If the handle starts burning your hand while your trying to move it, or you drop it because of the burning, you're in for a world of pain, and a trip to the hospital...

 

EDIT: I've changed the chicken weight to 2-2.5, from 3-3.5 pounds. These are a little harder to find but worth it, they are the perfect size for two people. Also I have a different brine. This is a quick brine, it is very aggressive and only requires six hours (NO MORE). I brine, pull, wash, then put the the ice chest to air dry as above. The skin gets super crispy and dark, it is truly amazing.

 

Updated Brine:

1 Gallon water

1 Cup kosher slat

1/2 Cup plus 2 tablespoons honey

12 bay leaves

1/2 cup garlic cloves skins left on, smashed

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

3 Large rosemary sprigs

1 Large bunch Thyme

1 Large bunch Italian parsley sprigs

Grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons

 

Put all of this in a pot, with half the water, bring to a boil, siring to dissolve the salt and honey. Boil for one minute, kill the heat, add remaining water and let cool, until 40F or below is reached, or let sit in the refrigerator over night. This is enough brine for two chickens. Brine for six hours and follow roasting method above.

 

I made two of these the other day. They will smoke when they are roasting, A LOT, be ready for it. They get amazingly dark, the skin is otherworldly. Four of us literally stood around my counter stuffing ourselves, the chicken never made it to the table.

[BigRedBuster]

Thanks for the recipe. Sounds like a good winter meal but I think I'll also try it in the smoker.

[sd'sker]

Thanks for the recipe. Sounds like a good winter meal but I think I'll also try it in the smoker.

i just smoked some thick-cut pork chops and they were the best pork chops i have ever had. very easy to do, as well.

[Hingle McCringleberry]

Thanks for the recipe. Sounds like a good winter meal but I think I'll also try it in the smoker.

 

 

Smoked chicken is good but watch the temp. You need to smoke a little hotter because as the fat renders from the skin it will basically turn it into leather, and there isn't enough heat to crisp it... That was learned the hard way... Good luck..

[BigRedBuster]

Yep....I usually smoke chicken quite a bit hotter than anything else.