How to roast the perfect chicken!

My favorite culinary professor taught me this technique. It’s a little fussy- but I’m yet to have it let me down. I LOVE a perfectly roasted, crispy skinned chicken. If you do too- here’s the guide to accomplishing it! The key to getting a beautiful crisp color is steady heat. With that in mind- you need to work as quickly as possible when changing the position of chicken and basting it. In and out – quick as a whip so it does not cool down between steps.

1. Brine your chicken – 1 cup of salt to 1 gallon of water. Allow to brine for 2-3 days before roasting.

This is completely optional. It’s great for making sure you don’t end up with a dry chicken. The brine keeps the bird moist even if it ends up over cooked a little.

Heat your oven to 450 degrees

2. Truss your chicken.

3.  Make a mixture for basting your chicken. A mixture of about 40% whole butter, and 60% clarified butter works best. Add salt and pepper and your spices of choice. Tarragon works well

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4. Once trussed – place your chicken in a roasting pan with a rack. Lay it on its side. Baste- and the place in the oven.

5. Roast 5 min, then flip the chicken to the other side. Baste.

6. Roast 5 min on the second side. Flip the chicken to breast side up. Baste.

7. Roast the chicken breast side up for 5 min. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees

8. Roast the chicken breast side down for 30 min (baste 1/2 way through)

9. Roast chicken breast side up for the last 15 minutes (or until finished). Chicken should register 165 degrees internally with a thermometer.

Allow the chicken to rest for 10 min before carving. This allows the juices to settle back into the meat- and not run out all over the cutting board!

Cold Melon Soup – Fire and Ice

I love this cold soup. You have the refreshing chill of the mint- mixed with the biting heat of peppers. With a base of incredibly nutritious bone broth- it has a great depth of flavor. Hope you enjoy it too!

1 small, or 1/2 a large melon

1 large jalapeno – diced (remove seeds if you wish to reduce the heat)

1/4 tsp ginger – minced or microplaned

1/2 cup packed mint leaves

1/4 cup roughly chopped chives

4 cups chilled chicken bone broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grassfed cream

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender. Puree. Add chicken broth, and season to taste. Add cream just before serving. Stores really well in the fridge too!