Roasted Chicken (1 Viewer)

[Polish Hammer]

I'm making a recipe from Cook's Illustrated for Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary. The recipe calls for a 4 lb chicken, but the one I have is 7 lbs. How do I go about adjusting the time needed to cook? Recipe below.

IngredientsChicken and Brine1/2 cup table salt10 cloves garlic , unpeeled3 sprigs fresh rosemary1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), giblets discardedGarlic-Rosemary Paste2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary2 medium cloves garlic , minced or press through garlic press (2 teaspoons)1/8 teaspoon table salt ground black pepper1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for brushing chicken1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes (2-inch), quartered10 cloves medium-large garlic , unpeeled1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1/4 teaspoon table salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepperInstructions 1. FOR THE CHICKEN AND BRINE: Combine salt, garlic, and rosemary in zipper-lock bag; seal, pressing out air. Pound with meat pounder or rolling pin until garlic cloves are crushed. Transfer mixture to large container or stockpot and stir in 2 cups hot tap water; let stand 10 minutes to release flavors. Add 1 1/2 quarts cold tap water and stir until salt is dissolved. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate 1 hour. 2. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Set V-rack in small roasting pan and lightly spray rack with nonstick cooking spray. 3. FOR THE PASTE: Stir together rosemary, garlic, salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl. Rub about 1 1/2 teaspoons of paste in cavity of chicken. Carefully loosen skin over breast and thigh on each side; slip half of remaining paste under skin on each side of breast, then, using fingers, distribute paste over breast and thigh by rubbing surface of skin (see illustrations 1 through 3, below). Tie ends of drumsticks together with kitchen twine and tuck wings behind back. Rub all sides of chicken with 2 teaspoons oil and season with pepper. Set chicken breast-side down on prepared V-rack and roast 15 minutes. 4. During first 15 minutes of roasting, toss potatoes, unpeeled garlic cloves, olive oil, and salt and pepper in medium bowl. After chicken has roasted 15 minutes, scatter potatoes and garlic in single layer in roasting pan; roast for another 15 minutes. 5. Remove roasting pan from oven; decrease oven temperature to 375 degrees. Using tongs or wads of paper towels, rotate chicken breast-side up; brush breast with 1 teaspoon oil and stir potatoes. Continue to roast until chicken is medium golden brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast and thigh registers about 160 and 175 degrees, respectively. Transfer chicken to large plate. 6. While chicken rests, transfer potatoes and garlic to large paper towel-lined plate and pat with additional paper towels. Carve chicken and serve with potatoes and garlic.

 

[TheFanatic]

First, are you sure it's a chicken?

Second, the only difference I would make is cooking it breast side down for about 25 minutes rather than just 15, then follow the rest of the instructions. It doesn't say to bake it for X amount of time. It just says to cook till the temp of the breast reaches a certain temp.

One thing I would be sure to do though is to tie the legs and wings close to the bird. If you don't those pieces will cook much faster than the breasts and will dry out....Simple cooking twine will take care of it. Just criss cross it around and tie the extremities close into the body...

 

[Polish Hammer]

First, are you sure it's a chicken? Second, the only difference I would make is cooking it breast side down for about 25 minutes rather than just 15, then follow the rest of the instructions. It doesn't say to bake it for X amount of time. It just says to cook till the temp of the breast reaches a certain temp. One thing I would be sure to do though is to tie the legs and wings close to the bird. If you don't those pieces will cook much faster than the breasts and will dry out....Simple cooking twine will take care of it. Just criss cross it around and tie the extremities close into the body...

Thanks, Fanatic. Positive it is a chicken (Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster), unless the good folks at Perdue are lying. Thanks for the heads up on the suggested time change as well as tying. Will do. Any guess on how long it might take to get the bird up to temp overall?

 

[TheFanatic]

First, are you sure it's a chicken? Second, the only difference I would make is cooking it breast side down for about 25 minutes rather than just 15, then follow the rest of the instructions. It doesn't say to bake it for X amount of time. It just says to cook till the temp of the breast reaches a certain temp. One thing I would be sure to do though is to tie the legs and wings close to the bird. If you don't those pieces will cook much faster than the breasts and will dry out....Simple cooking twine will take care of it. Just criss cross it around and tie the extremities close into the body...

Thanks, Fanatic. Positive it is a chicken (Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster), unless the good folks at Perdue are lying. Thanks for the heads up on the suggested time change as well as tying. Will do. Any guess on how long it might take to get the bird up to temp overall?

No idea. When I do whole chickens it's at 225 for about 3 hours smoking on my grill. At 375, I couldn't even guess. Under 90 minutes is about all I got. Just make sides that can easily stay on warm on the stove till done. Have the sides ready at about 60 minutes....But really I'm just talking out of my butt here on the timing so don't take this as the word of God...Just check the bird often after about 45 minutes to see if the therm has popped...

 

[culdeus]

too big to roast IMO. Break that sucker down and use it for some other dish.

 

[TheFanatic]

too big to roast IMO. Break that sucker down and use it for some other dish.

That is an option too. Spatchcock maybe?

 

[snitwitch]

With a bigger bird like that, I might consider lowering both cooking temps by 25 degrees, and doing as The Fanatic suggested (re: lengthening breast-side down time to 25 minutes). Also add the potatoes and veggies a bit later in the cooking process, since the bird is going to take longer than a 4 pounder. If it starts to get too browned, use tin foil to cover those areas.

Invest in a good digital thermometer to test temperature. I personally believe if you get it into the deepest part of the red meat, next to the bone, and the temp is 150 - 155 you are safe to take it out. Make sure you let a bird that size rest for a minimum of 20-25 minutes, covered, before carving.

Great video on how to truss a chicken here: http://www.chow.com/stories/10322

 

[TheFanatic]

Great video on how to truss a chicken here: http://www.chow.com/stories/10322

That's interesting. I was thinking through that whole video that I had never just tucked the wings under like that. I always tie them close to the body. That is much easier. But then I saw the end of the video where the wings were not close to being tied to the side of the bird. They just fell back away from the body when she flipped it. All she had to do was wrap the thread across the wings, criss crossed the cooking twine at the top and bring back down and tie off....

 

[Reg Lllama of Brixton]

How do you sell a chicken to a deaf man?

 

[Smoke4Brains]

You're gonna need a 24oz beer can to stuff up that sucker.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

Well, we roast chickens all the time in our oven. A four pound bird takes about one hour at 325 degrees in our convection oven. If you aren't using a convection oven, it takes about 15-20 minutes longer.

So a seven pound bird at 375 would take significantly longer than 90 minutes, I'd imagine.

I'd also agree that you should use that chicken for something else and get a smaller bird for roasting.

 

[Polish Hammer]

I appreciate all the help being provided. Unfortunately, I don't have the "get another bird" option and had already started down the path of this recipe so that is what I'm making. I have a good digital therm I use for my smoker, so when I flip the bird I'll insert that to make sure I don't overcook. I'm going with extending that original cook time as suggested, then I'll just cook the rest of the way. If it seems to be going slow I'll go to Convection, though I find that sometimes that cooks the skin too fast. Will report back when done.

 

[culdeus]

I appreciate all the help being provided. Unfortunately, I don't have the "get another bird" option and had already started down the path of this recipe so that is what I'm making. I have a good digital therm I use for my smoker, so when I flip the bird I'll insert that to make sure I don't overcook. I'm going with extending that original cook time as suggested, then I'll just cook the rest of the way. If it seems to be going slow I'll go to Convection, though I find that sometimes that cooks the skin too fast. Will report back when done.

I don't think you are getting the fact that the outside meat will be dry as a bone while the inside cooks. The skin will be inedible and the fat underneath will render. Your thighs will take 20 minutes longer than your breasts and by that time they will be shoe leather. You are making a very large mistake. good luck we are all counting on you

 

[snitwitch]

I appreciate all the help being provided. Unfortunately, I don't have the "get another bird" option and had already started down the path of this recipe so that is what I'm making. I have a good digital therm I use for my smoker, so when I flip the bird I'll insert that to make sure I don't overcook. I'm going with extending that original cook time as suggested, then I'll just cook the rest of the way. If it seems to be going slow I'll go to Convection, though I find that sometimes that cooks the skin too fast. Will report back when done.

I don't think you are getting the fact that the outside meat will be dry as a bone while the inside cooks. The skin will be inedible and the fat underneath will render. Your thighs will take 20 minutes longer than your breasts and by that time they will be shoe leather. You are making a very large mistake. good luck we are all counting on you

That's why he should reduce the listed cooking temps, and start breast side down.

 

[TheFanatic]

I appreciate all the help being provided. Unfortunately, I don't have the "get another bird" option and had already started down the path of this recipe so that is what I'm making. I have a good digital therm I use for my smoker, so when I flip the bird I'll insert that to make sure I don't overcook. I'm going with extending that original cook time as suggested, then I'll just cook the rest of the way. If it seems to be going slow I'll go to Convection, though I find that sometimes that cooks the skin too fast. Will report back when done.

You can still spatchcock it. It should cook much more evenly and in less time. Do a search on youtube. It's very easy....

 

[Serenity Now]

I cook large chickens like that in my oven all the time. I preheat the oven to 350, and turn it down to 250 when I put the chicken in. Mind you, it takes about 4.5 hours to cook it this way, but it absolutely melts in your mouth and you get outstanding drippings for gravy. I usually use a dry rub on the skin (night before if I'm on the ball). Baste frequently after the first hour. It's heavenly.

I think the standard, old-fashioned cooking temp is 325, for about 20 minutes per pound. YMMV.

 

[culdeus]

well

 

[Ozymandias]

Get a 16 lb chicken. Then it's easy. You just quadruple everything, including the cooking time.

 

[TheFanatic]

I cook large chickens like that in my oven all the time. I preheat the oven to 350, and turn it down to 250 when I put the chicken in. Mind you, it takes about 4.5 hours to cook it this way, but it absolutely melts in your mouth and you get outstanding drippings for gravy. I usually use a dry rub on the skin (night before if I'm on the ball). Baste frequently after the first hour. It's heavenly.I think the standard, old-fashioned cooking temp is 325, for about 20 minutes per pound. YMMV.

It's not out of the realm of possibility. For a turkey, 7 pounds is really small. We cook 12 pounders all the time, right? This should not be a deal breaker. I hope everything went well...

 

[Swing 51]

Looking to roast a couple chix for the games on Sunday. Any new "must" recipes?

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

I cook chickens at a much higher heat than most of these recipes. 450 degrees. Particularly with a four pound chicken, you need to roast hot in order to get crispy skin by the time it's done. I like to rub kosher salt, sage, and thyme under the skin. Then I smear a little lard on top of the skin to get it browning quicker and rub the same salt mixture on top. Finally, I salt the inside of the cavity and put some sort or aromatics in there. Either bunched of herbs, half and onion or lemon, or something. For a 4 lb bird it should take a shade over an hour.

I generally serve with roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts or swiss chard. I don't bother with a gravy, but I'll use the jus from the bird.

 

[Mr. Ected]

Saw this...looks interesting. Similar to a Beer Can Chicken.

The Naughty Way to Roast Chicken

 

[Megla]

You should have no problems cooking this bird by adjusting your time to meet the size of the bird, what you have mentioned shouod be fine.

In future cooks you may want to try

1. Brining for longer than 1 hour, at least 4 up to 12, this will allow you a much wider ranger of error with the cooking times/tems as the meat will not dry out.

2. Try using a garlic/herb butter in place of the "paste" from your recipe, apply it exactly as you did the paste.

3. Try using a Cast Iron Shillet ranther than a roasting pan, this will give you a much more even cook, follow the diecitons as they are listed with veggies except I always cover the CIS with onions and carrots and place the bird on them.

4. Pull the bird long before 160 (breast), 145 to 150 is what I recommend and let the bird rest. Remeber if you poke the bird and the fluid that comes out is clear then it's safe to eat.

 

[Ignoramus]

My favorite roasted chicken method is just to pat the skin dry and season liberally inside and out with salt and pepper. Roast at 350* until the breast gets to 150*. Simple and delicious.

 

[[icon]]

You should have no problems cooking this bird by adjusting your time to meet the size of the bird, what you have mentioned shouod be fine.

In future cooks you may want to try

1. Brining for longer than 1 hour, at least 4 up to 12, this will allow you a much wider ranger of error with the cooking times/tems as the meat will not dry out.

2. Try using a garlic/herb butter in place of the "paste" from your recipe, apply it exactly as you did the paste.

3. Try using a Cast Iron Shillet ranther than a roasting pan, this will give you a much more even cook, follow the diecitons as they are listed with veggies except I always cover the CIS with onions and carrots and place the bird on them.

4. Pull the bird long before 160 (breast), 145 to 150 is what I recommend and let the bird rest. Remeber if you poke the bird and the fluid that comes out is clear then it's safe to eat.

Yep.

Always cook to TEMP not TIME. 145-150 in the breast and you're good.

Also, look into spatchcocking the bird vs vertical or traditional roasting, IMO.

 

[Gadabout]

Thomas Keller knows things. Just follow these steps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWLt6G85zC4

 

[Megla]

Looking to roast a couple chix for the games on Sunday. Any new "must" recipes?

If you like a bit of spice to your bird try

1 cup of applesauce

Tabasco Chiptole sauce

Mix the applesacue and hot sauce together

Spatchcock a bird and season with salt and pepper and then spoon the apple/hot sauce mixture all over the bird. I usually smoke them at 250 but you can roast them in the oven as well, set oven to 250 and cook 3.5 to 4 hours to a temp of 150 (breast)

 

[Swing 51]

Thanks Megla

 

[In The Zone]

.

 

[higgins]

Thomas Keller knows things. Just follow these steps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWLt6G85zC4

 

[[icon]]

1 cup of applesauce

Tabasco Chiptole sauce

Gonna have to try this... always love reading your posts. Pick up some great tricks

 

[Megla]

1 cup of applesauce

Tabasco Chiptole sauce

Gonna have to try this... always love reading your posts. Pick up some great tricks

thanks for the

Now it's time to put together a Super Bowl menu