"Ray" > wrote in
nk.net:

> Made a roast chicken for the first time today using this recipe by
> Julia Child and want to discuss the results:
>
> 1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken
> 1 small yellow onion, quartered
> 1 lemon, thinly sliced
> 1/2 cup celery leaves
> Salt and black pepper
> Butter
>
> Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
> Wash the chicken in hot water and dry thoroughly. Season the cavity
> with salt and black pepper and stuff with the onion, lemon, and celery
> leaves. Rub the chicken lightly with softened butter and season all
> over with salt and pepper. Tie the drumsticks ends together and set
> the chicken, breast side up, in an oiled v-shaped rack or on an oiled
> roasting pan in the oven.
>
> Roast for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F, then reduce the heat to 350
> degrees, baste the chicken, and roast for 15 minutes. Continue
> roasting the chicken until the juices run clear, for a total of 45
> minutes plus an additional 7 minutes for each pound. (In other words,
> a 3 1/2 pound chicken would take a basic 45 minutes plus an additional
> 25 minutes, for a total 70 minutes or 1 hour and 10 minutes of cooking
> time.)
>
> -----------------------------------------
>
> The bird I had was 6 pounds. I followed the prep directions, omitting
> the celery leaves (didn't have any on hand) and only cut the lemon in
> half instead of in thin slices. Used a stainless steel roasting pan
> with a nonstick rack in it.
>
> I cooked the chicken at the initial temp of 425 for 20 mins instead of
> 15 but I still had no drippings in the pan, so I couldn't baste. In
> fact, by the end of the cooking time (90 minutes) there were virtually
> no drippings at all.
>
> When I took the bird out of the pan, there seemed to be a bit of juice
> in the cavity with the lemon and onion. When I carved 10 minutes
> later, more juice flowed as well. It seemed that the breast meat was
> cooked pretty well, but the legs and thighs could probably have used
> about 10-15 more mins. Also, the skin did not come out crispy
>
> All in all, I wasn't too disappointed with the results since it was a
> first time effort. I would have liked the skin to be a bit crispier
> though. Would a higher starting temp correct that? Also, my pan may
> be a bit big for that size bird. Doesn't a snug fit in the pan allow
> more heat to reflect onto the bird? Or should I go without the rack?
> I know I also need to invest in a meat thermometer, but that's a whole
> 'nother thread.
>
> Thanks if you are still reading, and wish to offer any tips for next
> time.

Well, The bird was WELL rubbed in the butter and not Covered (no lid used)?
(rubbing with cooking oil such as olive oil or canola works too). Alternate
seasoning can be placed under the chicken skin to good effect. Mix minced
garlic with a little butter and some rubbed sage and after loosening the
chicken skin a little place some of the seasoning under the skin. Actually
getting some of the thin lemon slices under the skin works nicely too.

Basting really helps the most, so add some additional cooking oil/butter to
the pan to use to baste with. Some use a cheese cloth pad soaked in cooking
oil over the breast for at least 1/2 the cooking time to aid in the
basting.

If not using a rack to elevate the bird consider a raft of celery and say
carrots to lift the bird out of the pan juices.

Since your 6 pound bird would have been almost double the size, cooking
longer at the higher temp would help.
Perhaps you need to place the rack higher or lower in your oven, this
sometimes helps or perhaps your oven temp is outa wack.

As to the not quite done thigh meat, invest in an instant read
thermometer. They usually cost under $10 and will allow a more exacting
temperatures to be met. I use a digital probe thermometer it's base unit
sits outside the oven telling me the temp of the roasting meat. This allows
for better timing of other items in the planned meal. If it takes 5 minutes
for the meat to rise 1 degree I can guesstimate when to start the veggies
etc. Allow about a 5 degree lower temp to allow for resting time increases
in temp.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.