Roasting a chicken - how do you roast yours?

Daisy BennybootsDaisy Bennyboots Posts: 18,375
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The reason I'm asking is that I'm a bit baffled.

We had to buy a new oven recently - and ever since then, some of our favourite foods have been tasting strange/horrible. It's just a standard Zanussi fan oven.

For example, our pizza are almost burned on top and soggy in the middle.

But the biggest annoyance of all is that our roast chicken tastes downright weird. We always use finest/organic chicken and even buy from the butcher sometimes - but it tastes completely tasteless/dry and even 'off' and oily.

So I'm going to forget everything I know and roast a chicken from scratch - so can I be nosey and ask how you roast yours?

Ta :)
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  • PorcupinePorcupine Posts: 25,231
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    I don't do a lot with mine to be honest. I cooked one at the weekend and I just shoved it in a roasting pan with a little knob of butter smeared over the top and lashings of salt / pepper.

    I then roast it for the usual 20 minutes per 500g, plus an extra 20 minutes.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 40
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    I either use a roasting bag or put the chicken on a wire rack above a roasting tray, cover lightly with foil, remove the foil for the last 30 minutes of cooking and baste.
  • JulesFJulesF Posts: 6,461
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    I coat mine with olive oil and season it well. A lemon cut in half (with some juice squeezed over the chicken) goes inside along with two or three unpeeled garlic cloves. Half a head of garlic gets coated in oil and goes in the pan to roast with the chicken. I like garlic!

    It always takes I while to get to grips with a new oven, I've found. They tend to vary in terms of temperature and cooking times. Do you have an oven thermometer, so you can check if your oven's running hot (sounds like it is, with the burnt pizza and dry chicken)?
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    The reason I'm asking is that I'm a bit baffled.

    We had to buy a new oven recently - and ever since then, some of our favourite foods have been tasting strange/horrible. It's just a standard Zanussi fan oven.

    For example, our pizza are almost burned on top and soggy in the middle.

    But the biggest annoyance of all is that our roast chicken tastes downright weird. We always use finest/organic chicken and even buy from the butcher sometimes - but it tastes completely tasteless/dry and even 'off' and oily.

    So I'm going to forget everything I know and roast a chicken from scratch - so can I be nosey and ask how you roast yours?

    Ta :)
    Thomas Keller Roasted Chicken
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWLt6G85zC4


    Obviously check the settings on your oven. Mine has settings for no fan, fan, pizza - which puts more heat to the bottom of the oven to help the base, and grill - which would explain why your pizzas are being burnt on top.
  • ElanorElanor Posts: 13,326
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    When I do a chicken I get a lemon and a peeled onion and chop into quarters and shove inside the cavity with a stock thing (I use those Knorr jelly infusion things). Then I get lots of bits of butter and shove some under the skin on the breast (between the skin and the meat) and rub some over the breast, and shove a few chunks inside too. Then I cut another lemon into quarters lengthwise and rub them a bit over the breast/legs and then squish them into the gaps between the thighs/body and wings/body. I grind some pepper over the breast and zest some lemon over it too, and then cover with foil for the first hour or so of roasting, and baste the juices every so often. Then take the foil off for the last bit of roasting so that the skin crisps up. Then when it's finished, lift and drain out all the juices and use for gravy while the chicken rests.
  • IvanIVIvanIV Posts: 30,301
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    Do you use the fan? I'd turn it off, I never use it. I use just oil, salt, red paprika powder, black pepper, 180 degrees Celsius for about an hour depending on the size of the chicken. I regularly (every 10-15 minutes) pour the released juices on a chicken with a spoon to stop the spices from burning.
  • norbitonitenorbitonite Posts: 8,659
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    Have you lowered the oven temperature to compensate for the fan?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,170
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    I've started to use the roasting bags, add a bit of what ever seasoning you fancy, cooks in its own juices and cuts down on messy ovens.
  • burton07burton07 Posts: 10,869
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    IvanIV wrote: »
    Do you use the fan? I'd turn it off, I never use it. I use just oil, salt, red paprika powder, black pepper, 180 degrees Celsius for about an hour depending on the size of the chicken. I regularly (every 10-15 minutes) pour the released juices on a chicken with a spoon to stop the spices from burning.

    How can you turn the fan off? I cook mine in a covered roaster and season it with salt, pepper and herbs like that video.
  • indianwellsindianwells Posts: 12,702
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    I just put half a lemon and a few sprigs of thyme up it's arse then roast it upside down in a 170f fan oven. A 3lb one takes about an hour and ten minutes.
  • Welsh-ladWelsh-lad Posts: 51,908
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    People are frightened of food poisoning with chicken and therefore cook it for too long.
    Overcooked chicken is stringy and dry, especially if one only eats the breast meat.

    I always:
    - cook it upside down in the tin so the breast is permanently basted
    - 20 minutes to the pound + 20 more at the end
    - stuff the neck and cavity. They say you mustn't stuff the cavity now but for me it's essential as the butter/herbs/onions infuse the chicken with flavour, and the stuffing itself tastes heavenly afterwards.

    Also, allow the chicken to rest for a good 15 minutes after withdrawing it from the oven; the meat will suck up any juices the heat has forced into the cavity, and it will be juicy and succulent.
  • stud u likestud u like Posts: 42,100
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    I don't tend to roast a whole chicken. I just like the thighs with some butter or oil, fennel, lemon juice and herbs.
  • IvanIVIvanIV Posts: 30,301
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    burton07 wrote: »
    How can you turn the fan off? I cook mine in a covered roaster and season it with salt, pepper and herbs like that video.

    I have different settings some of them turn the fan off, I thought you had something similar... But if you cannot do that, you might need to use lower? temperatures, I reckon the hot circulating air makes the outside go crispy quicker without going through, but that's my theory.
  • Daisy BennybootsDaisy Bennyboots Posts: 18,375
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    Thanks for all the replies :)

    Unfortunately, we can't seem to turn the fan element off - it's fan or nothing! My Dad's oven gives you a choice, but not mine. I am wondering if my old oven ran cooler. The dial transfers wore off years ago and we were just guessing temperatures based on memory!

    I have often wondered what roasting bags and chicken bricks/roasters are like - and if that might be the answer to bypass the problem of the oven drying the chicken out?

    It just seems like the fan makes the oven very 'dry' - and I just don't know how to compensate for that? When you open the oven door - the woosh of hot air is so harsh that you have to open the oven door at arms length and tuck metal jewellery under your clothes!

    Even when I started from scratch and followed a plain Jamie Oliver roast chicken recipe - it was grotty - tasteless dry and hard despite using the recommended temperature.
  • Daisy BennybootsDaisy Bennyboots Posts: 18,375
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    Elanor wrote: »
    When I do a chicken I get a lemon and a peeled onion and chop into quarters and shove inside the cavity with a stock thing (I use those Knorr jelly infusion things). Then I get lots of bits of butter and shove some under the skin on the breast (between the skin and the meat) and rub some over the breast, and shove a few chunks inside too. Then I cut another lemon into quarters lengthwise and rub them a bit over the breast/legs and then squish them into the gaps between the thighs/body and wings/body. I grind some pepper over the breast and zest some lemon over it too, and then cover with foil for the first hour or so of roasting, and baste the juices every so often. Then take the foil off for the last bit of roasting so that the skin crisps up. Then when it's finished, lift and drain out all the juices and use for gravy while the chicken rests.

    This is almost exactly how I do mine - but I just can't get that lovely moist roasty taste I used to!
  • ShrikeShrike Posts: 16,591
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    I use a small combi oven so the fan is always on, but never had a problem with dry chicken - I don't even cover it with anything, though do baste every 15mins or so, cook at 180c for 20 mins per lb + 20 mins. Maybe up the temp to 200c or more for the last 15mins to crisp the skin (I love crispy skin!). Its important to rest the bird for 20 minutes or so after cooking.
    I wonder if your oven is running hot? A seperate oven thermometer could be a good investment.
  • JulesFJulesF Posts: 6,461
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    Thanks for all the replies :)

    Unfortunately, we can't seem to turn the fan element off - it's fan or nothing! My Dad's oven gives you a choice, but not mine. I am wondering if my old oven ran cooler. The dial transfers wore off years ago and we were just guessing temperatures based on memory!

    I have often wondered what roasting bags and chicken bricks/roasters are like - and if that might be the answer to bypass the problem of the oven drying the chicken out?

    It just seems like the fan makes the oven very 'dry' - and I just don't know how to compensate for that? When you open the oven door - the woosh of hot air is so harsh that you have to open the oven door at arms length and tuck metal jewellery under your clothes!

    Even when I started from scratch and followed a plain Jamie Oliver roast chicken recipe - it was grotty - tasteless dry and hard despite using the recommended temperature.

    If your chicken is coming out tough it's simply because you are cooking it at too high a temperature and for too long. It's got nothing to do with the the oven being dry or the ingredients you're using, or how you are cooking it and so on. The fan won't be causing your oven to be 'dry'. It's just circulating the air around, so you get more even cooking, and it's more efficient, so you need to compensate for that by cooking at a lower temperature and for less time than you would in a normal oven. I'd recommend an oven thermometer, so you can check whether your oven's running hot and adjust your timings accordingly. You were probably running your old oven too cold, as you were guessing at temperatures, and you've got used to that. It's just a question of getting used to the new one now!
  • burton07burton07 Posts: 10,869
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    My Hotpoint used to nuke everything so I was used to turning the thermostat down about 20 degrees. My new fan oven is better and things cook on the correct temperature e.g. 180 degrees for roast chicken. A covered roaster will stop the meat drying out too much.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,864
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    Cut a lemon in half - stick it in the cavity. Rub the skin with olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Roast uncovered in a preheated oven at 180c for 20 mins per lb plus 20 mins. Baste once or twice during cooking. Leave to rest for 10 mins before carving. End.
  • swingalegswingaleg Posts: 102,979
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    I rarely buy a full chicken but when I do I roast it upside down with a tin foil lid over it.......then turn breast side up for half an hour without the tin foil to crisp.....

    I guess I always overcook it........
  • LYNN(E)LYNN(E) Posts: 1,586
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    cut a lemon in 2 halves put them plus an apple inside the chicken put butter under the skin over the whole of breast & then smear more over the whole bird
    you get lovely moist meat & crispy skin
  • China GirlChina Girl Posts: 2,747
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    Yes, turn the oven temperature down. I had a new oven last year, it doesn't use a fan, but is hotter than my old one. If something says cook at gas mark 7, such as oven chips, I have it on mark 6, which is plenty hot enough,
    I cook chicken on mark 5
  • aggielaneaggielane Posts: 5,356
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    I just throw it in on 180 for a hour and half. I dont baste, season or stuff it. Its always perfect. I have an electric fan oven
  • Daisy BennybootsDaisy Bennyboots Posts: 18,375
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    Right, I have borrowed an oven thermometer - I will turn the oven on tomorrow and see what the real temperature is apposed to what it says on the dial - will report back.
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