« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: Small whole chicken  (Read 6824 times)

sumpnz

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8,323
Small whole chicken
« on: May 08, 2018, 10:38:31 PM »
As mentioned in French's chicken thread on the prepping board I had to cull a meat chicken, so I have a small whole chicken I need to cook.  Haven't weighed it, but it's probably all of 2lbs. 

First thought was to just do a simple dry brine (just coat it with a thin layer of salt with a little baking powder mixed in and leave it covered in the fridge) tomorrow morning and roast it whole tomorrow evening. 

But thought I'd see if y'all have a better idea.  Seems kinda small to cut up, but if a young bird like that screams out to be fried, or cut for something in particular, I'm willing to consider alternatives.
Report to moderator   Logged

charby

  • Necromancer
  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 29,295
  • APS's Resident Sikh/Muslim
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2018, 11:02:43 PM »
I've deep fried Cornish game hens before. I brined them in town sugar and salt for 24hrs before frying.
Report to moderator   Logged
Iowa- 88% more livable that the rest of the US

Uranus is a gas giant.

Team 444: Member# 536

makattak

  • Dark Lord of the Cis
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 13,022
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2018, 08:21:28 AM »
Quote from: charby on May 08, 2018, 11:02:43 PM
I've deep fried Cornish game hens before. I brined them in town sugar and salt for 24hrs before frying.

That's BRILLIANT!
 
We've got a little deep fryer that ought to be perfectly sized for a Cornish game hen.
Report to moderator   Logged
I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,176
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2018, 08:52:29 AM »
Town sugar?

Country boy putting on airs...

Add a little acid to your brine (lemon or orange juice). For some reason it seems to help with smoke penetration when you cook it.
Report to moderator   Logged
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

zxcvbob

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 12,226
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2018, 10:27:15 AM »
Baking powder?
Report to moderator   Logged
"It's good, though..."

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,176
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2018, 11:07:43 AM »
Report to moderator   Logged
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

zxcvbob

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 12,226
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2018, 11:21:48 AM »
Quote from: Mike Irwin on May 09, 2018, 11:07:43 AM
Huh?

From the first post:
Quote
First thought was to just do a simple dry brine (just coat it with a thin layer of salt with a little baking powder mixed in and leave it covered in the fridge) tomorrow morning and roast it whole tomorrow evening. 
Report to moderator   Logged
"It's good, though..."

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,176
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2018, 11:37:17 AM »
Oh! I missed that.

Yeah, I don't understand the baking powder either.
Report to moderator   Logged
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

BobR

  • Just a pup compared to a few old dogs here!
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,266
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2018, 01:50:50 PM »
Quote from: Mike Irwin on May 09, 2018, 11:37:17 AM
Oh! I missed that.

Yeah, I don't understand the baking powder either.

It will help make the skin the crispiest, crackliest skin you have ever had on a chicken (or turkey).

bob
Report to moderator   Logged

MillCreek

  • Skippy The Wonder Dog
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 19,996
  • APS Risk Manager
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2018, 04:08:02 PM »
So I wonder if this is akin to the Chinese food technique of velveting.
Report to moderator   Logged
_____________
Regards,
MillCreek
Snohomish County, WA  USA


Quote from: Angel Eyes on August 09, 2018, 01:56:15 AM
You are one lousy risk manager.

charby

  • Necromancer
  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 29,295
  • APS's Resident Sikh/Muslim
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2018, 05:16:27 PM »
Quote from: Mike Irwin on May 09, 2018, 08:52:29 AM
Town sugar?

Country boy putting on airs...

Add a little acid to your brine (lemon or orange juice). For some reason it seems to help with smoke penetration when you cook it.

Brown sugar you country bumpkin
Report to moderator   Logged
Iowa- 88% more livable that the rest of the US

Uranus is a gas giant.

Team 444: Member# 536

sumpnz

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8,323
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2018, 11:41:05 PM »
Quote from: BobR on May 09, 2018, 01:50:50 PM
It will help make the skin the crispiest, crackliest skin you have ever had on a chicken (or turkey).

bob

^^^ Yeah, that.

BTW, breast meat was fabulous.  Dark meat was a little chewy, but fantastic flavor.  Skin was to die for.  I think a little learning curve will be needed to get the thighs and drumsticks right.  But overall I'd prefer the Freedom Rangers to store bought by a long way.

Don't have the ability to deep fry even a small chicken at this juncture.  So it was roasted as described above.
Report to moderator   Logged

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,176
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #12 on: May 10, 2018, 07:49:34 AM »
Interesting. Never heard that about baking powder. I'll have to give that a try.
Report to moderator   Logged
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

Jim147

  • friends
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,590
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2018, 09:05:28 AM »
I've used cornstarch but haven't tried baking powder. I'll have to remember that.

I like to cook them in the Weber with an old skillet full of water right in the center and the coals around that. I use my grate with the wing so I can add charcoal and cook it slow.
Report to moderator   Logged
Sometimes we carry more weight then we owe.
And sometimes goes on and on and on.

BAH-WEEP-GRAAAGHNAH WHEEP NI-NI BONG

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,176
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2018, 09:21:48 AM »
Quote from: charby on May 09, 2018, 05:16:27 PM
Brown sugar you country bumpkin

I grew up IN town, so I get to use Town Sugar by right!

Just like I get to eat City Ham by right!
Report to moderator   Logged
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,176
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2018, 09:24:01 AM »
I had never heard of velveting before a few months ago. I never gave it much thought because I only very rarely try my hand at cooking Chinese food. I don't want to appropriate cultures and all that happy happy...

Here's an explanation of velveting, why it works, and how to use it to your advantage.

https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/velveting-meat-best-kept-chinese-restaurant-secret-0164737/
Report to moderator   Logged
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

lupinus

  • Southern Mod Trimutive Emeritus
  • friends
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,178
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #16 on: May 10, 2018, 10:22:30 AM »
Hmm.

I often buy chicken leg quarters for low and slow BBQ. I wonder what effect on the skin a little baking powder in my dry rub would produce. This shall require contemplating.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Report to moderator   Logged
Quote from: MicroBalrog on March 20, 2015, 03:39:21 AM
That is all. *expletive deleted*ck you all, eat *expletive deleted*it, and die in a fire. I have considered writing here a long parting section dedicated to each poster, but I have decided, at length, against it. *expletive deleted*ck you all and Hail Satan.

zxcvbob

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 12,226
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #17 on: May 10, 2018, 11:26:02 AM »
Are y'all really talking about baking powder?  Or baking soda?
Report to moderator   Logged
"It's good, though..."

sumpnz

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8,323
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #18 on: May 10, 2018, 12:11:04 PM »
Baking powder. Which is actually baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) plus a couple acids to improve the leavening effect in baked goods like breads and cakes.

For dry brining chicken/turkey mix at a rate of 2tbsp baking powder to 3/8-half a cup of kosher salt (depending on how fine the salt is).
Report to moderator   Logged

Ben

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 45,923
  • I'm an Extremist!
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #19 on: May 10, 2018, 06:15:51 PM »
So what - we're switching from mayo to baking powder? Will you guys make up your minds!  :laugh:
Report to moderator   Logged
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

lupinus

  • Southern Mod Trimutive Emeritus
  • friends
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,178
Re: Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #20 on: May 10, 2018, 06:28:05 PM »
Quote from: Ben on May 10, 2018, 06:15:51 PM
So what - we're switching from mayo to baking powder? Will you guys make up your minds!  :laugh:
Just mix some baking soda into the mayo 😂

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Report to moderator   Logged
Quote from: MicroBalrog on March 20, 2015, 03:39:21 AM
That is all. *expletive deleted*ck you all, eat *expletive deleted*it, and die in a fire. I have considered writing here a long parting section dedicated to each poster, but I have decided, at length, against it. *expletive deleted*ck you all and Hail Satan.

makattak

  • Dark Lord of the Cis
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 13,022
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #21 on: May 11, 2018, 09:51:17 AM »
Quote from: Ben on May 10, 2018, 06:15:51 PM
So what - we're switching from mayo to baking powder? Will you guys make up your minds!  :laugh:

I tried the velveting that Mike linked to last night AND I also used mayonnaise. (Two different items, not at the same time.)

The pork made with the velveting was good. I used some hoisin sauce after frying it up and it was tasty.

However, the large pork chops that I coated with a thin layer of mayo and a ginger-spice rub were amazing.

I'm sticking with the mayo.
Report to moderator   Logged
I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought

zxcvbob

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 12,226
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #22 on: May 11, 2018, 12:20:45 PM »
I've heard velveteen rabbit is good.   :angel:
Report to moderator   Logged
"It's good, though..."

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,176
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #23 on: May 11, 2018, 01:44:32 PM »
Quote from: zxcvbob on May 11, 2018, 12:20:45 PM
I've heard velveteen rabbit is good.   :angel:

Yeah, but you only really enjoy it after you get scarlet fever.
Report to moderator   Logged
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

sumpnz

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8,323
Re: Small whole chicken
« Reply #24 on: May 11, 2018, 01:57:34 PM »
Ahhh, APS thread drift.  Roasting a chicken to scarlet fever in under 1 page.
Report to moderator   Logged
Pages: [1] 2
« previous next »