This August, almost 50 years after the book was published in America, Julia Child's ode to the food of France, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking" was number one on the New York Times Bestseller list in the “How To” category. How amazing is that? Because of the fun movie, (and even more fun book), Julie and Julia, a whole new generation of Americans are embracing the cooking and techniques of the grande dame of French cuisine.
Here’s what I found when researching Julia’s classic Roast Chicken recipe for a cooking class. Times have changed – and the birds we buy today, rather than the ones Julia had access to 50 years ago - have probably changed, too. So I cook my roast chicken a little differently than hers. But I think the take-away from Julia’s influence is her careful consideration and the precise instructions to the American home cook. The book is not just about aspic or tripe – but has some beautifully easy and delicious recipes that anyone can incorporate in their menu repertoire. Check out her quick Blender Mayonnaise, her incredibly delicious Onion Soup Gratinee, or the perfect Tomatoes stuffed with Bread Crumbs, Herbs and Garlic.
Just like Julia, I have definite opinions about how to Roast the Perfect Chicken. Here's a couple of my ideas, that I hope will make your bird better every time!
1) Chicken on The Veggies – Often you will see a recipe for roast chicken that places the bird right on top of vegetables in the bottom of the pan. My experience is that the bottom of the chicken is soggy – and the veggies don’t roast correctly. Setting the chicken in a “V-Rack” in the roasting pan is my answer to allowing proper browning of both veg and chicken.
2) Starting at a very high temperature, then lowering it does not result in a crispier skin. A constant temperature maintained by a convection oven that circulates warm air is what creates the crispiest-crunchiest exterior.
5) I like Big chickens. The “Roasters” often go on sale, and are a wonderful value for the money. Dinner for company tonight, leftovers tomorrow night, and soup for the weekend.
Here’s something about Julia Child that you might not know. What was Julia’s first meal for her new husband Paul? Believe it or not – Brains in Red Wine! (After trying to eat it, they threw it out, and had something else for dinner:)
1) Chicken on The Veggies – Often you will see a recipe for roast chicken that places the bird right on top of vegetables in the bottom of the pan. My experience is that the bottom of the chicken is soggy – and the veggies don’t roast correctly. Setting the chicken in a “V-Rack” in the roasting pan is my answer to allowing proper browning of both veg and chicken.
2) Starting at a very high temperature, then lowering it does not result in a crispier skin. A constant temperature maintained by a convection oven that circulates warm air is what creates the crispiest-crunchiest exterior.
3) Starting the bird breast side down, then turning it over, doesn’t make the meat any moister. Julia Child calls for rotating the chicken from side to side as the chicken cooks. Not only is this a lot of trouble, (AND dangerous – Hot! Heavy! Chicken!) I can’t see any difference in the results. Putting the chicken in the V-rack with the breast up results in juicy, juicy chicken.
4) Rubbing the bird with butter or oil before roasting does not make an appreciable difference in the end result. Also, basting the chicken constantly only makes the skin soggy – not crisp.
5) I like Big chickens. The “Roasters” often go on sale, and are a wonderful value for the money. Dinner for company tonight, leftovers tomorrow night, and soup for the weekend.
6) I think Beer Can Chicken, (or Vertical Roasting) is great. But I love being able to make almost entire meat in one pan – and the taste of the delicious roasted vegetables. So unless I am grilling outside, I’d still choose the V-rack.
7) Letting the Chicken Rest after removing it from the oven is a key point to remember. How easy is this? You can let the chicken rest for a half an hour after cooking. This allows the chicken to redistribute it’s juices, instead of having them run all over the cutting board. And speaking of carving:
HOW TO CARVE A CHICKEN
Step One
Set the chicken breast side up. Pull the leg and thigh back to expose the joint that attaches it to the body (you can move the thigh section and pull it away from the body to help find the joint). Separate the leg and thigh from the carcass. Repeat the process with the other leg and thigh.
Step Two
The breastbone runs along the top center of the chicken carcass. Feel for it with your fingers. Slice along both sides of the breastbone and remove the entire half of the breast meat with the wing attached. Do the same to remove the breast meat on the other side.
Step Three
Now that you have all the parts off the bird, slice the parts into serving pieces:
• Turn the leg over and use the knife to cut through the joint that connects the leg to the thigh.
• Remove the wings from the breast halves and slice each half of breast meat crosswise, making 5 or 6 slices per breast half.
Step One
Set the chicken breast side up. Pull the leg and thigh back to expose the joint that attaches it to the body (you can move the thigh section and pull it away from the body to help find the joint). Separate the leg and thigh from the carcass. Repeat the process with the other leg and thigh.
Step Two
The breastbone runs along the top center of the chicken carcass. Feel for it with your fingers. Slice along both sides of the breastbone and remove the entire half of the breast meat with the wing attached. Do the same to remove the breast meat on the other side.
Step Three
Now that you have all the parts off the bird, slice the parts into serving pieces:
• Turn the leg over and use the knife to cut through the joint that connects the leg to the thigh.
• Remove the wings from the breast halves and slice each half of breast meat crosswise, making 5 or 6 slices per breast half.
If you made it to the end of this really long blog post - I think you deserve a fun food fact ...
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