Topsy Turvy Crispy Roast Chicken With Salt Crust Seasoning Recipes

WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Liberally sprinkle salt all over the outside of the chicken. Cover the chicken loosely with parchment paper and refrigerate overnight (about 24 hours).
• Preheat oven to 500° F. Let the chicken sit on the counter and come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before roasting.
• In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Place potatoes in the bottom of a cast iron Dutch oven. Add the lemon, garlic and onion. Drizzle with about 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Place thyme and rosemary on top.
• Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and herbs in the Dutch oven. Tie the legs of the chicken together and tuck the wings underneath. Brush with melted butter and season with pepper.
• Roast chicken at 500° F for 20 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350° F and continue roasting for 30-40 more minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165° F when inserted between the thigh and breast.
• Remove the chicken from the oven. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.

TOPSY TURVY CRISPY ROAST CHICKEN WITH SALT CRUST SEASONING

Steps:

• Mix all the seasoning mix ingredients together and store in a jar until needed.
• Remove all the wrapping from the chicken and snip the elasticated string that ties the chicken together. Wipe the chicken all over with kitchen paper to dry the skin. Sprinkle a good amount of rock salt over, making sure that you cover all the chicken. Now chill overnight or for at least 8 hours so the salt can draw out any excess moisture.
• Preheat the oven to 190C, 375F or gas mark 5.
• Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, brush and shake off the excess rock salt.
• Place the chicken in the roasting tin and season inside the cavity. Push the lemon and onion inside with the herbs. These will produce steam and flavour, to keep the chicken moist. Brush the chicken all over with melted butter or olive oil, then season liberally with the rest of the seasoning mix. (The salt makes the skin crispy and the butter will keep the chicken moist.).
• Roast the chicken, breast side up, in the centre of the oven for 1 hour, then carefully remove the chicken, and with two roasting forks to aid you, turn the chicken over, so the breast is underneath now. Continue to cook for a further 30 minutes. Then take the chicken out and turn it over once more, with the breast side up now, and continue to roast for a further 15 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
• To check that it is cooked, pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a fine skewer. If the juices are pink or show traces of blood, cook the chicken a further 10-15 minutes, then check again. If the juices are pale golden, the chicken is cooked.
• Using two forks, lift the chicken from the roasting tin onto a large plate and reserve the cooking juices. Leave for 10 minutes before carving. This allows the juices, which have risen to the surface during cooking, to be reabsorbed into the meat to give a moist texture.
• Cook's tips.
• How to make Gravy.
• Drain all but 3 tbsp of the juices from the roasting tin. Set the roasting tin on a hob and reheat the juices. Sprinkle in 2 tsp of plain flour and stir well with a wooden spoon. Gradually stir in 300ml chicken stock. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened and smooth. Season well. If the gravy is bland, add a little mustard and a splash of soy sauce. For a special gravy, some of the stock can be replaced with red or white wine.
• Carving the Chicken.
• Hold the chicken steady with a fork, then insert a large sharp knife between the body and leg. Cut off the leg. Divide the leg in half at the joint to give a drumstick and thigh portion. Cut away the wing on the same side. Carve down the breast in thick slices. Repeat on the other side of the chicken.

SALT-CRUST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat an horno or home oven (with the rack positioned in the lower third of the oven) to approximately 500°F.
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Put the thyme, garlic, and bay leaves in the cavity and truss with kitchen twine.
• Empty the salt into the sink (or a large basin or bucket if working outdoors). Pour 2 cups of water over the salt and, using your hands, toss to combine. Add more water as needed, a cup or two at a time, tossing until the mixture has the consistency of damp snow.
• Make a 1-inch-deep bed of salt in a roasting pan and tamp it down. Place the chicken in the center. Stick the probe of a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Cover the chicken completely with the remaining salt, tamping it down so that it is completely encased.
• Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes; the internal temperature of the thigh should read 175°F. Spread newspapers on the counter next to the sink. Remove the pan from the oven, place on the newspaper, and let rest for 10 minutes (the internal temperature will rise to about 185°F).
• Crack the salt crust with a rolling pin or mallet, lift off the pieces, and discard them. With a pastry brush, brush the remaining salt away from the chicken. Carefully pull off the skin from the breasts and legs. Slice off the breasts from the bone and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Slice the meat from the legs and thighs.
• Arrange the meat on a warm platter and spoon the salsa over the chicken.

TOPSY TURVY CAKE

Steps:

• Place the butter in a microwavable bowl or measuring cup and microwave for 30 to 40 seconds.
• Spray the crock with non-stick cooking spray, add the melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, drained pineapple tidbits and chopped pecans.
• Place the butternut squash in a microwave safe dish with a small amount of water; cover and microwave for 5 to 6 minutes or until squash is fork tender; drain.
• Transfer the squash to a blender and puree; set aside. There should be 1 cup of squash puree.
• Combine the brown sugar through soda in a medium size mixing bowl; add beaten egg, oil, vanilla extract, yogurt and squash puree. Stir until blended, fold in grated apple.
• Pour cake batter over pineapple mixture,cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or until skewer inserted in center comes out clean.
• Remove lid, turn off crock-pot and allow cake to stand for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around rim of cake, turn cake out onto serving platter.
• Serve warm topped with frozen vanilla yogurt or whipped cream. Also delicious the next day.
• Please note: If using old fashioned oats, whirl a couple times in food processor to break up flakes.

CRISPY ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put beaten egg in one plate, and mixture of the dry ingredients in another.
• Roll chicken first in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture.
• Cook covered for an hour, uncovered for half an hour at about 180C.

SALT-AND-PEPPER ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. If you have time, refrigerate the chicken, uncovered, for an hour, or overnight.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan or large ovenproof skillet. Stuff cavity with herbs and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. (If you don't have twine, leave the legs as they are.)
• Roast 50 minutes, then baste chicken with pan juices. Continue roasting until chicken's juices run clear when skin is pierced with a knife, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.

CRISPY ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Line roasting pan with foil.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position.
• Place roasting pan on rack and heat oven to 475 degrees.
• Coat V rack with cooking spray.
• Combine cornstarch and 2 teaspoons salt in small mixing bowl.
• Poke holes all over chicken skin, using skewer.
• Rub cornstarch mixture evenly over chicken.
• Remove roasting pan from oven.
• Place chicken in V-rack, wing side down.
• Roast for 15 minutes.
• Remove roasting pan from oven and, using wad of paper towels, flip chicken so that other wing is facing up.
• Roast another 15 minutes.
• Again remove roasting pan from oven and, using wad of paper towels, flip chicken so that breast side is up.
• Roast chicken another 20 minutes.
• Remove chicken from oven and insert chicken on angelfood cake pan or empty soda can.
• Rest for 10 minutes.
• Carve chicken and serve.

LOW-FUSS CRISPY ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Place a 12" cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet in oven.
• Pull off excess fat around cavities of chicken; discard. Using paper towels, thoroughly pat dry chicken inside and out. Arrange chicken breast side up on a cutting board. Gently loosen skin covering breasts and thighs. Tuck 4 thyme sprigs under loosened skin, 1 sprig for each breast and thigh.
• Combine 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a small bowl. Pat dry cutting board and chicken again, then tie legs together with kitchen twine.
• Using a metal skewer or paring knife, poke 20-30 holes all over chicken, paying special attention to fatty (thickest) parts of skin. Season chicken with salt mixture, placing a pinch inside cavity, but primarily covering outside of bird.
• Cut remaining thyme sprig crosswise into 3-4 pieces and place in a large bowl. Add potatoes, onions, oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a generous pinch of pepper. Toss to combine.
• Carefully remove skillet from oven. Transfer potato mixture to skillet (mixture will sizzle), then place chicken, breast side up, on potato mixture. Return skillet to oven (remember, handle is hot!). Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160°F and thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, 45-55 minutes.
• Remove skillet from oven. Using tongs or a large wooden spoon inserted into cavity, transfer chicken to a large plate. Give potato mixture a stir, then return to oven. Let chicken rest about 5 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife, slash stretched skin between thighs and breasts to let steam escape. Carefully tilt bird and plate over a large bowl to drain juices; reserve juices. Let chicken rest until potatoes are fork-tender, 15-25 minutes more.
• Tilt chicken and plate again over bowl with juices to drain any last bits, then transfer chicken to a cutting board and carve. (If juices have cooled and congealed, gently rewarm over low heat or for 10 seconds in the microwave.)
• Arrange chicken on a platter. Serve with roasted potatoes and onions alongside, spooning juices over.
• Cooks' Note: If time allows, after patting dry and salting chicken, place on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, or on a V-rack set in a roasting pan, and chill, uncovered, at least 12 hours or up to 2 days. This 'dry brine' will result in a flavorful juicy chicken with even crispier skin.

UNCLE BILL'S METHOD FOR COOKING TURKEY

Steps:

• Turkey must be thoroughly thawed before preparing for the oven unless you are using a fresh turkey.
• Remove turkey parts from cavities and use as you desire.
• Wash cavities well with cold water.
• Boil a kettle of hot water (scalding hot.).
• Place turkey in a clean sink or a large roasting pan.
• Pour hot water over the entire turkey including in the cavities.
• The skin will shrink tightly to the turkey.
• "This will help hold the natural juices in the turkey while it is cooking. Do not peel skin back to layer herbs under the skin. This will destroy the process for a moist turkey.
• "Pat dry both inside and outside of turkey.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Sprinkle cavities with salt and black pepper and granulated garlic powder.
• If you are stuffing the bird, then line inside of cavity with cheesecloth, then stuff with your favorite dressing,"stuff loosely",.
• Tie legs and wings with a good meat wrapping twine and leave a lifting loop to remove the turkey from the pan when cooked.
• Place a wire rack in the bottom of roasting pan.
• Place the turkey on the wire rack, breast side up.
• Pour 2 cups of water or 2 cups of chicken broth into the pan.
• Pour about 1/2 cup or more if required of extra virgin olive oil over the exterior of the turkey.
• Cover the turkey with heavy aluminum foil, but do not let the foil touch the turkey as it will stick to the turkey while cooking.
• Pinch foil tight to the sides of the pan.
• Place turkey on lower rack in oven and cook for 1 hour.
• Reduce heat to 325 F and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
• Now turn heat up to 350 F and cook for another 1/2 hour.
• Remove foil from turkey. At this time test for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the breast to see how the cooking temperature is. We are cooking towards a reading of 175°F.
• Baste,the turkey and continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 1 hour at 350 F, basting about every 15 minutes so that the turkey turns a nice brown color.
• When the time for cooking is finished, test for doneness. Insert the instant read thermometer into the thickest portion of the turkey breast, reading should be 175 F and no more. .
• Remove from oven, lift turkey out the roasting pan using the string loops.
• Cover with foil and let the turkey rest for about 1/2 hour before carving.
• Total time for cooking a 16 pound stuffed turkey is 5 hours.
• There is no need to baste the turkey until the last 1 hour of cooking, this saves you a lot of time as you do not have to remove the foil tent during the first 4 hours.
• For a crispy browner skin, you may wish to consider rubbing butter over the entire bird after pouring olive oil. This works very nicely.
• COOKING TIMES: Left Side -Stuffed---- Right Side - Unstuffed.
• *12-14lbs.
• 4 - 4 1/2 hours-- 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 hours.
• *14-16lbs.
• 4 1/2 - 5 hours-- 3 3/4 - 4 hours.
• *16-18lbs.
• 5- 5 1/2 hours-- 3 3/4 - 4 1/4 hours.
• *18-20lbs.
• 5 1/2 - 6 hours-- 4 1/4 - 4 1/2 hours.
• *20-22lbs.
• 6 - 6 1/4 hours-- 4 1/2 - 5 hours.
• *22-24lbs.
• 6 1/4- 6 1/2 hours-- 5 - 5 1/4 hours.
• NOTE: Test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, reading should be 175 F and in the thickest part of the leg or thigh, reading should be 180°F.