Pinkie wrote:
> 'JL[_3_ Wrote:
>
>>;1548055']Aussie wrote:-
>>JL wrote in :
>>
>>
>>-
>>I enjoy the technique with small fish caught and cooked stream side but
>>
>>the few times i have tried to make the dough encrusted birds or beef i
>>was less than satisfied with my results. Im of the opinion that it is
>>less of a flavor enhancing technique and more of a time saving technique
>>
>>and simplification for busy cooks making large amounts of food. -
>>
>>
>>
>>Nah-hu.
>>
>>
>>'Beggars Chicken pictures by PeterL_2007 - Photobucket'
>>(http://tinyurl.com/2e27xyj)
>>
>>-
>>
>>-
>>It makes the chicken/bird/whatever as tender *as*..... and juicy.
>>-
>>
>>How tough is any bird going to be? but yes, they can get dry. I start
>>my turkey upside down, so its resting on its breast on a rack above the
>>
>>pan and turn it once or thrice during cooking. Cooking covered for most
>>
>>of the time. I start it out in a very hot oven for fifteen minutes or
>>so to start the skin browning and then cover and continue to cook.
>>
>>Leaving uncovered, if necessary for the last 15-30 minutes of projected
>>
>>cooking time. The basting helps the browning process almost as well as
>>
>>direct heat.
>>
>>-
>>The flavourings you use are infused all through the bird meat.-
>>
>>SWell yes, there is that, especially with a Beef Wellington type of
>>seasoning & wrapping.
>>
>>'The Ultimate Beef Wellington Recipe : Tyler Florence : Food Network'
>>(http://tinyurl.com/7u9lp4)
>>
>>But the few times i have made the bird with the flour coating i did not
>>
>>care for the almost steamed quality of the bird. Its appearance on its
>>
>>own was not inspiring and the taste with the herbs and wine was not as
>>good as i felt i would have got with a plain oven roasting and basting.
>>
>>Now i have done large fish in a salt crust in an oven that turned out
>>very well, but in those cases, iirc, only a bit of garlic butter and S
>>
>>& P were used on the cleaned & dressed fish. Though i have heard of
>>people putting lemons and fresh herbs in the internal cavities of the
>>salt encrusted fish.
>>
>>
>>--
>>
>>Mr. Joseph Paul Littleshoes Esq.
>
>
> This is my first post so I hope I'm doing this right.

As far as i can tell

> Years ago I had Thanksgiving at someone's home and they had coated the
> turkey, about 16 pounds, with a mixture--actually a paste--made of flour
> and butter and herbs. It was very good. The skin was crispy, the
> breast was moist and juicy and as it cooked the juices mixed with the
> flour and butter so the drippings were the good beginnings to the gravy,
> which was my job to make.
>
> You're right though, as I recall it wasn't as pretty as a plain roasted
> and basted turkey but they carved it in the kitchen rather than
> presenting the bird to table of guests, but if that's your family's
> tradition it might be a consideration for you. No one there seemed to
> mind that it was not presented and carved at the table. As a matter of
> fact, as it came out of the oven and was resting before being carved, it
> was hard to keep people out of the kitchen who wanted to pick off pieces
> of the buttery, crispy skin as an appetizer. It was good eatin'

I assume the pan drippings from a salt encrusted meat would be very salty?

Nowadays most people cook the turkey till done, then wrap in an edible
pastry dough, even using phylo, and return to the oven to cook till the
dough is done then serve.

In days gone by the bird was encrusted, en croute, with a thick paste
that comes out of the oven rock hard and is broken off and discarded
along with any meat juices it has absorbed.

The few times i have had, but not cooked salt encrusted turkey the bird
was cooked in a fire pit so no pan juices were collected, but they
would, i think, be very salty if they had been.

--

Mr. Joseph Paul Littleshoes Esq.

Domine, dirige nos.

Let the games begin!
http://fredeeky.typepad.com/fredeeky.../sf_anthem.mp3