The Road Less Traveled.
The maillard reaction is thrown around a lot in culinary school as a way to legitimize teaching cooking. There is no amount of education to teach me what I know to be true about cooking now. An emulsion can break and you have the intuition to bring it back to life. You can overcrowd any pan and still get deliciously browned food. There's a serenity that comes with roasting chicken, or any roast for that matter. If you rush, a whole cut of meat will be spared. When I thought about roasted chicken I considered the path of least resistance. There's no trussing, there’s no stuffing, there's only patience and some small bonus steps to naturally enhance an ideal gift, a whole chicken.
It is worth it to find a chicken you’re excited to eat. Consider the fancy butcher that most would deem overpriced. Flavor and consistency is what you’re after and it starts with selecting the right chicken. Purchasing a chicken at least a day ahead is mandatory. The process begins 24 hours before. I admire a person who can decide that day they’ll roast something. I see that behavior as risky. A roast needs consideration and thought. A separate part of our brains is reserved for introspection in cooking. It’s respectful and kind to gather yourself before this kind of commitment.
On a sheet tray with a wire rack the chicken needs to feel all the air on its skin. Exposing the roast to the elements prepares it for what's to come. The skin needs to become taught and translucent. Wrapped in a protective film a roast will never know a world of stillness. Seasoning with salt only for the pursuit of purity. As the roast rests in the chilly tundra of the bottom of the refrigerator, time begins. The small crystals of salt begin to conquer through the layers. Tenderizing, extracting, concentrating. The roast is truly half done.
Like camping in the late summer, heat teases, shaking off any remains of the nightly chill. A roast brought to room temperature is a proper roast. Drastic temperature differences can abruptly alter flavor, texture and appeal. The oven’s temperature is set, the pan is warmed and now we offer a supportive enhancement. A combo of dried and fresh herbs coupled with butter give a foundation to prove their worth. The butter is applied in the cavity and under the skin. Crushed garlic, remaining herbs and stems, all lattice a bottom nest so the roast doesn’t feel banal. Alas the chicken embraces the warmth and everything else is time management.
Ten minutes per pound is a general rule of thumb. The oven has the easiest job of getting the roast up to temp and signing the contract. The remaining detail of importance is rest. The roast has navigated a days long journey with a severe climax altering its physicality. With respect, we let the roast have peace. Some psychiatrists say that most people fully mourn a dissolved relationship for as long as it existed. The roast should have the same grace. If a four pound chicken entered the oven for 40 minutes then it will require 40 minutes of uninterrupted stillness. Marvel at life, revel in your patience, it feels powerful yielding to time. Sharpen your knife and rummage through your presentation platters. Pull out the wishbone and begin cautiously slicing off the drumsticks, the thighs, the wings for whomever wants those, and lastly the breast. Portion the breast into manageable slices. Decorate with those garlic cloves and brittle underling herbs. A roasted chicken could be an ordinary thing. If you’re precious though, a mindfully roasted chicken might have a bigger story to tell.
ChezChez Roast Chicken
Makes 1 Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, pasture raised, air chilled (3-4 lbs)
kosher salt
113g unsalted butter (1 stick)
1T sage, finely chopped
1T thyme, finely chopped
1T marjoram, dried
4-5 cloves garlic, whole
*remaining bits of sage and thyme for storing under the chicken
Method Day Before:
On a half sheet tray with a wire rack on top, place the whole chicken with the giblets removed from the cavity. Begin salting the chicken liberally, dusting kosher salt all over the surface of the chicken and in the cavity as well. Place chicken on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and leave for at least 24 hours to cure and dry the skin.
Method Day Of:
Remove chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come up to room temperature, at least two hours. *Please note that this method is truly safe for consumption and the dry brine helps eliminate potential risk. Preheat the oven to 375ºF-400ºF. In a large skillet, warm gently over low heat to take the chill off of the pan bringing it closer to oven temp. Lay a bed of garlic cloves with remaining stems and herbs leftover from chopping. Place the chicken in the warmed pan and place into the oven on a rack positioned in the center. Roast the chicken uninterrupted for ten minutes per pound. (3lbs = 30 minutes, 4.5lbs = 45 minutes, etc).
Rest the chicken for as long as it was in the oven. If necessary, take the temperature with a calibrated thermometer reaching 160ºF. The continued resting in the pan will carry over the cooking process but also allow it to retain moisture. Remove the wishbone, and start portioning the chicken starting from the outside in. Drumsticks, thighs, wings and finishing with the breast. Remarkably, finishing salt might not be needed if the chicken was salted well the day before. The garlic cloves and crispy herbs make a nice addition when presenting the chicken.
roast chicken is a true love language and this was simply perfection to read through