Chicken

Whole Chicken

A fresh, Free Range, Whole Chicken from a local farm is so delicious it is hard to imagine it is the same thing you have been eating from the supermarket your whole life. There is less fat, less grease, more flavor, and more nutrition.

Your chicken will arrive frozen, so it is best to take it out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator 48 hours or more before you intend to cook it. This will give the meat plenty of time to go from frozen to cold and allow the juices to distribute evenly through the meat.

* Please note that when you receive your farm fresh chicken, the giblets and neck may be inside the body cavity. If you do not want them, remove them after the chicken is defrosted and discard them.

Prior to dressing your Chicken wash it thoroughly with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Dressing a Whole Chicken

* Take the chicken out of the refrigerator at least 1-2 hours before cooking. This will allow it to come to room temperature and cook evenly.

Pre-Heat your oven to 350 degrees

Rub the chicken all over with olive oil and dust with Sea Salt, Pepper, Lemon Thyme, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, or any other spices you prefer. Lowry's Seasoned Salt is also tasty.

If you so desire, you can season the inside of the body cavity with spices, or put some halved lemons, quartered onions, cloves of garlic, or any other aromatic you desire. Just make sure not to over stuff it as this will inhibit the circulation of hot air and affect cooking time. Half of a lemon and a quarter of an onion are fine, don't overdo it.

Place the Chicken in a baking dish on a rack and place on the middle rack of the pre-heated oven.

Allow to cook for approximately 65 minutes for a 3.5 lb bird. For every additional pound over 3.5 add approximately 8-10 minutes per pound. Please remember that these are approximations. In my house we have two ovens. A 3.5 pound Chicken cooks in 1 hour 20 minutes in one and 1 hour and 5 minutes in the other, I have no idea why, but trust me, it is so. Some ovens just cook faster than others.

To check if the Chicken is done insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the Breast. It should read 170 degrees, 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.

When the chicken is at temperature, remove from baking dish, place on a cutting board, cover loosely with tinfoil, and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

* Note- I usually take my chicken out about 3-5 degrees before it is done and cover it tightly with tinfoil, allowing it to rest for 20 minutes while it remains in the baking dish. This allows it to continue cooking in its own juices and it reaches 170 on its own. If you are not an experienced cook, just wait until it reads 170 and then take it out of the oven.

Carving a Chicken (The Right Way)

After you have let your chicken rest for 20 minutes, your entire kitchen will smell like heaven and your husband/wife, kids, neighbors, dog etc. will be standing around the table with pained expressions on their faces saying "Can we eat yet?" Your reply will be the dreaded and cryptic "Almost?"

Lay your chicken, breast up, on a large cutting board (preferably with a groove around the edge to keep the juice on the board).

First Step- Remove the Wings: Follow the wing bone down to where it meets the breast. With the tip of the knife feel for the joint and gently cut it. The wing should come right off. Put both wings on a platter.

Second Step- Remove the Thighs/Drumsticks: Pull the drumstick/thigh away from the body and follow the thigh down to where it meets the body. Again with the tip of your knife, feel for the joint where it attaches. Cut the joint with the knife and the whole thigh/drumstick should come free. Cut the drumstick free from the thigh by following the same procedure at the joint above the thickest part of the drumstick. Repeat for the other side and arrange the 2 thighs and drumsticks on the platter next to the wings.

Third Step- Carving the White Meat: In the center of the breast, running vertically from the top of the breast to the bottom you will see a breast bone. Take your knife run it parallel and as close as possible to the breast bone. You want to remove the entire breast from one side. Follow the contour of the breast bone all the way down until you have a large piece of delicious white meat. Place the entire half breast on the cutting board and cut perpendicular to the breast (or across the grain of the meat) into ? inch thick slices. Arrange on Platter. Repeat with the other side.

* Note- One of the most prized parts of a chicken is the oysters. Chances are you have never had them before. The French call them "Sot-L'Y-Laisse", meaning "A fool leaves it there." This should give you an indication of how they taste. Flip the now carved chicken onto its breast. Remove the skin from the back and you will see, at the base of the back, above the hips, 2 small medallions of meat on either side of the spine. They are sensational. A neat trick is to get up while everyone is digging into their meal, casually stroll over to the chicken, and accomplish this feat unnoticed. Eat them before you return to the table. Don't worry, I won't tell on you.