Friday Shout Out: Spatchcocked and Loaded
TGIF, my friends, TGIF. What a long-ass week this feels like. Anyone else agree with me?
I didn't accomplish very much in the culinary arena this week, as you may have determined from my earlier post on the evils of bad food. We were busy, we were tired, and I am more than just a little bit lazy due to the winter blues, so I need to work on my motivation.
However, I did achieve one of my goals for 2011, which was not super lofty, nor sexy, but it is what it is: roasting a chicken. (Crappy photos to come!)
I know, ho hum. But while some of you out there are on a friendly basis with The Bird Who Is The Word, I've only used the poultry in neat little segmented, sanitized boneless breasts. It was time I get in there and rumble with the big bird itself.
Using the spatchcock method recommended by Mrs. Wheelbarrow, slightly modified from Amanda Hesser's Food 52 blog , it took about an hour and some change to go from unwrapping the four-pound roaster to slicing it and serving it up to my salivating husband. Just the smell alone of this bird roasting was divine! My 12-inch All-Clad saute pan did a fantastic job, too.
A few notes:
- Read the recipe. Then read it again, and double-check your ingredients list. I discovered I had neither lemons nor shallots, so I cheated with bottled lemon juice and regular old yellow onions. It still tasted amazing, but it would have been nice to have the real deal.
- Get some kitchen shears. I used some glorified craft scissors to cut the backbone out and it proved that 1) I have never been able to cut in a straight line and 2) The same scissors you use to make construction paper snowflakes are no match for bone and gristle. Word.
- Have some gallon freezer bags handy. As everything from the remaining drippings, herbs and shallots, and pan juices to the backbone and leftover nasty bits can be reused for making stock, you need storage for such. I stuffed two quart freezer bags full, but that's kind of lame.
- Prepare to get dirty. It's a hands-on deal.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
I didn't accomplish very much in the culinary arena this week, as you may have determined from my earlier post on the evils of bad food. We were busy, we were tired, and I am more than just a little bit lazy due to the winter blues, so I need to work on my motivation.
However, I did achieve one of my goals for 2011, which was not super lofty, nor sexy, but it is what it is: roasting a chicken. (Crappy photos to come!)
I know, ho hum. But while some of you out there are on a friendly basis with The Bird Who Is The Word, I've only used the poultry in neat little segmented, sanitized boneless breasts. It was time I get in there and rumble with the big bird itself.
Using the spatchcock method recommended by Mrs. Wheelbarrow, slightly modified from Amanda Hesser's Food 52 blog , it took about an hour and some change to go from unwrapping the four-pound roaster to slicing it and serving it up to my salivating husband. Just the smell alone of this bird roasting was divine! My 12-inch All-Clad saute pan did a fantastic job, too.
A few notes:
- Read the recipe. Then read it again, and double-check your ingredients list. I discovered I had neither lemons nor shallots, so I cheated with bottled lemon juice and regular old yellow onions. It still tasted amazing, but it would have been nice to have the real deal.
- Get some kitchen shears. I used some glorified craft scissors to cut the backbone out and it proved that 1) I have never been able to cut in a straight line and 2) The same scissors you use to make construction paper snowflakes are no match for bone and gristle. Word.
- Have some gallon freezer bags handy. As everything from the remaining drippings, herbs and shallots, and pan juices to the backbone and leftover nasty bits can be reused for making stock, you need storage for such. I stuffed two quart freezer bags full, but that's kind of lame.
- Prepare to get dirty. It's a hands-on deal.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Oh man... the roasters are most DEF a nasty business. I dealt with my first one ever two Thanksgivings ago whilst making Chicken n Dumplings. Though I boiled my bird, and then promptly tore it apart.
ReplyDeleteG.R.O.S.S.
Good for you for tackling that!
Love your blog, very cute, creative and fun! Haha good job roasting a chicken. and friday's are what KEEP ME ALIVE! :)
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