Vertical Roasters for Chicken

My son lives next to a farm where he can get fresh chickens anytime for cheap, and has been bringing them to me when he visits. I usually roast them in a pan but lately have been wondering if those vertical holders might be a good idea? How do they work out? Any experiences to report here?

I've never tried a vertical roaster, but we do regularly use one of the beer-can standy-uppy-thingys in the grill, and it does produce one heck of a bird, though there are an awful lot of factors going on there beyond positioning.

I did recently realize that I could probably do the same thing with it standing inside a roasting pan: I'll report back at some point.

I'm a big fan of beer butt chicken - it's easy to make, the bird gets a nice smokiness from the grill (although I assume it could be done in an oven, too), the meat ends up very moist, and it doesn't require any special equipment (other than a can of beer).

I don't see the need for a vertical roaster.

Roast chicken is one of those special foods for me: difficult to do right, but oh so good when it is. Getting the dark meat done while keeping the white meat from drying out and getting a good crispy skin is the sign of an accomplished home chef.

I've got two Spanek vertical roasters (small and large), beer-butt chicken holders, and a collection of different roasting pans that I have used to cook birds in the kitchen oven, over coals on the grill (with and without rotisserie), in the brick oven, and in the smoker.

Many chickens later, I would say that the quality of the chicken is, by far, the most important factor. I have been enjoying heritage French chickens from a local CSA farmer. Recently, I picked up a Foster Farms chicken from Costco and the difference was very noticeable: deeper and richer flavor and texture in the French bird. Are the chickens your son gets very tasty? Makes a big difference.

Addressing your question about vertical roasters - I rarely use them any more. I have found that a butterflied chicken (remove the backbone and press flat) comes out the best for my taste. Prepping the bird Julia Child-style also helps:

1. chop off the ankle (?) bone at the bottom of each drumstick (as the meat cooks, it contracts into a larger, juicer mass)

2. Cut the joints where the wing meets the shoulder.

3. Separate the skin from meat (from the neck side) and rub butter and spices/herbs under and over the skin

4. Remove the wish bone

Yeah, my sons chickens are great, the best ones I've had sincy my Grandfather's farm days. So, you just lay the meat in the pan, no foil, racks, etc.? What temperature and time you usually use for the average bird?

Cogito wrote:So, you just lay the meat in the pan, no foil, racks, etc.? What temperature and time you usually use for the average bird?

I always place on a greased rack in the pan, usually skin side down at first (swim-cap method). Not sure what an "average" bird is. The ones I get are from 3-6 pounds. Usually roast at 375F for about 1.5 hours, but use a meat thermometer in the thigh (~170F) and breast (~155F) to judge doneness.

After roasting, the bird is tented with foil while a sauce is made from the drippings. I am getting VERY hungry.

Bill/SFNM

My favorite way to roast a chicken is loosely based on the "Turned Roasted Chicken" method from Joy of Cooking, but I use only smallish fryers around 4 lbs:

Prep: Remove giblets and rinse as necessary. Using a mortar and pestle, make a paste of garlic, salt, olive oil (or bacon drippings) and desired fresh herbs (Rosemary, Thyme and Sage or whatever's you've got) to make about 2 tbsp. Starting at the cavity opening, poke herb mixture under breast skin, breaking connective tissue and massaging into breast, thighs, and legs under the skin - if you have extra fat at the cavity opening, remove it and stuff it under the breast skin. Rub remaining paste into cavity. Poke holes in skin on either side of cavity and thread legs through holes, crossing them in front of the bird. Tuck the wings underneath the back. Turn the bird on its side and squish slightly.

Preheat some oil in your cast iron skillet on the stovetop (or bacon drippings, as I am more apt to use) Gently place chicken in skillet on its side (one thigh in pan, one facing the ceiling.) Prop with balls of aluminum foil or neckbone as needed. Roast for 50 min (for the 1st 4 lbs, if larger add 3 min per lb for additional weight) in 400 degree oven, turning the chicken to its other side halfway through. Turn breast side up, roast until done - at 20 minutes, check for doneness (My litmus test for this is that the pan juices are solid, browned, and crackling noisily)

Not only does this make great chicken, it makes an easier gravy: Remove chicken. Drain off all but about 1 tbsp of fat, sprinkle with flour, place your skillet on the stovetop and, after the roux bubbles a bit, whisk in about a cup of stock, milk or wine as desired. Bring to a boil & serve.

You can use the same method in a roasting pan, but it doesn't stay balanced as nicely, nor do you get as good a gravy.

I"m a fan of Steven Reichlen's Beer Can Chicken on the grill, but I swear by Thomas Keller's roast chicken recipe from Bouchon. Incredibly simple. Unbelievably good. Best. Chicken. Ever.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/231348

winediva wrote:...I swear by Thomas Keller's roast chicken recipe from Bouchon. Incredibly simple. Unbelievably good. Best. Chicken. Ever.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/231348

winediva,

This recipe seduced me immediately, so today for lunch I made it using a French Label Rouge chicken. Everything you say is true. A real revelation. Since Keller is so adamant about removing all sources of moisture, I roasted this in my electric oven rather than my gas one which is more humid. Perhaps next time I will try it in the wood-fired oven. Thank you very much for your post!

Bill/SFNM

Bill/SFNM wrote:
winediva,

This recipe seduced me immediately, so today for lunch I made it using a French Label Rouge chicken. Everything you say is true. A real revelation. Since Keller is so adamant about removing all sources of moisture, I roasted this in my electric oven rather than my gas one which is more humid. Perhaps next time I will try it in the wood-fired oven. Thank you very much for your post!

Bill/SFNM

Maybe I am a bit confused, but what is so different about this recipe compared to most roast chicken recipes? I guess this stems from the fact that this is generally how I have always roasted a chicken (though often peppering as well as salting it), and never saw it as seductive or transcendental or anything; but it is always good. What is so wrong with other recipes I guess is my question...

Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:
Maybe I am a bit confused, but what is so different about this recipe compared to most roast chicken recipes? I guess this stems from the fact that this is generally how I have always roasted a chicken (though often peppering as well as salting it), and never saw it as seductive or transcendental or anything; but it is always good. What is so wrong with other recipes I guess is my question...

Jamie

Jamie,

I don't know about "most" roast chicken recipes, but compare it to the classic Julia Child recipe which involves rubbing the bird inside and out with butter before roasting, roasting on one side, then one another side, then breast up (try turning it over at this point without tearing the skin), basting every 8-10 minutes, etc. The Keller recipe had me at "slather the roasted bird with butter" and is much,much simpler. The flavor of the fresh, unbaked butter with the hint of thyme and a dollop of dijon mustard really had my taste buds singing.

Bill/SFNM

Screw basting. To me, a roast chicken isn't sometime I want to spend that much trouble on.

Which is the beauty of this recipe. NO basting. No turning. No fuss. Its just salt and high heat. End of story. And it still produces the juciest meat crispiest skin ever!

winediva wrote:Which is the beauty of this recipe. NO basting. No turning. No fuss. Its just salt and high heat. End of story. And it still produces the juciest meat crispiest skin ever!

Gotta agree with the winediva here! I do think it's the best recipe and Keller's advice not to add anything like butter or oil that would introduce steam in the oven is golden.

I stand converted. Ignore my recipe, except for the skillet and trussing part. I was worried the breast meat would come out wizened up, but no, it was perfect.

Damn, that's good chicken. Sigh. All that time (and chicken skin) wasted...

I just read that a gal uses the inside of an angel food cake pan to roast her bird. Sounds like a good idea.......you place it in a pan with a bit of water in it.

There is something very therapeutic about J.Child's roast chicken recipe. All the turning and basting and turning and temp changes make me feel good. So there.