So I bought my first whole chicken... What do I do with it?! :) page 2

[MamaJ7205]

so glad I saw this thread! just bought a chicken too and wasn't so sure what to do with it...now i do

[ElaineC]

I can't remember where I first read it, but the last couple of chickens I've roasted I cooked breast side down in the pan to start, then flipped half way through ( or longer, I'm not good at paying attention ). It turns out amazing.

I just use Montreal poultry rub all over the bird, and toss in the oven at 350. I'm a big fan of veggies in the pan underneath too. I have a proper roasting pan now, but when I didn't I'd use carrots, potatoes and onions as a rack instead of the metal grate.

[Andtckrtoo]

I love to rub the skin with olive oil, sprinkle on some thyme, rosemary, oregano and salt and rub it in. Bake for the first 10 minutes at 425, lower the temp to 350 and finish. Typical 4-5 pound bird will take 75-90 minutes. I say it's done when the skin in dark and you can "shake hands" with the chicken (If the drumstick moves easily when you pull it up and down) and if you cut the skin between the leg and the breast and liquids run clear.

[patski]

Loosen the skin and stuff chunks of butter underneath. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally all over the bird.

Stuff the cavity with 2 - 3 cloves of smashed up garlic, fresh thyme, sage, and a whole lemon that you have rolled and pierced all over with a fork.

Cook for about an hour at 375 or until juices run clear from the leg or thigh.

BAM!

[cavebabymama]

Thanks everyone for all the tips! And Elaine, yes I found the bird had to be flipped to cook through. I just rubbed the bird down with a little coconut oil, then mixed up a little coconut flour and curry powder (I think I put some variation of coconut oil and curry powder on everything, seriously) and rubbed that on the bird. Cooked breast up at 450 for like 40 or so minutes, basted with a little butter and flipped the bird to cook another 20 minutes. It was divine. I totally wussed out on the broth experiment though. I'm still firmly Primal 101 over here, that is more Primal 201 or something, lol.

Ok I have a basic food safety question. On a cooked chicken like that, how do you store it? On the bone? How many days is it safe? I rushed to eat the bird within 3 days, just popping the whole thing in the oven to warm up, but I feel like I've heard somewhere that's not the best way to do it???

[ElaineC]

Chicken spoils more quickly on the bone. I learned this the hard way. I personally devour the legs first, and the wings. I cut the breast meat off and if it's a fair amount, I freeze it, even if it's just for a few days. The carcass then gets picked for chicken salad, and the carcass in the freezer to make soup with when I have time.

I tend to use breast meat in stews and curries, so freezing it is the way to go for me. I just cooked up the last 9 lb chicken tonight, so I will get a number of meals. Mmmmmmmm, farm fresh monster sized chicken!

[Tom B-D]

We just put a few cloves of garlic and a lemon, quartered, inside the chicken, salt the heck out of it, and put in the oven on a cast iron skillet at about 375 until it's done. Save all the bones for the stock, which is really simple: put the bones into a stock pot (ours is about 8" diameter), add a clove of garlic, maybe half an onion and a carrot and/or celery stalk, cover the bones so they're underwater by about an inch, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about 4 hours. Your house will smell great...oh, and before you cook it, make sure it's dead first, and all the feathers off :-)

[The Tall Tree]

Throw it at passing vegetarians.