I'll be roasting a few birds over the holidays. A goose, a duck and a couple of chickens, and watching the various food programmes on the telly, it appears to be completely random whether they use tin foil to cover the beast or not. Is there any rule for it? Should I always cover the bird (and then take it off for the last 20-30 mins to brown off) or does it matter? And if I'm covering it, should the tin foil be just over the roasting dish, loosely, or actually around the bird?
To tin foil or not?
I don't normally cook turkey but the last time I did I soaked muslin in melted butter and wrapped the bird in the muslin. It cooked perfectly. Rather messy but worth it.
When roasting chicken I use a roasting bag. It keeps the bird moist and tasty.
A duck or goose is, in my opinion, best cooked on a Weber barbecue (indirect method) outside the house. Both birds produce copious amounts of fat (especially a goose).
Cook indoors and you'll spend weeks cleaning the oven.
Good luck and enjoy your Christmas.
When roasting chicken I use a roasting bag. It keeps the bird moist and tasty.
A duck or goose is, in my opinion, best cooked on a Weber barbecue (indirect method) outside the house. Both birds produce copious amounts of fat (especially a goose).
Cook indoors and you'll spend weeks cleaning the oven.
Good luck and enjoy your Christmas.
Originally Posted by Eternal Life:
“I'll be roasting a few birds over the holidays. A goose, a duck and a couple of chickens, and watching the various food programmes on the telly, it appears to be completely random whether they use tin foil to cover the beast or not. Is there any rule for it? Should I always cover the bird (and then take it off for the last 20-30 mins to brown off) or does it matter? And if I'm covering it, should the tin foil be just over the roasting dish, loosely, or actually around the bird?”
“I'll be roasting a few birds over the holidays. A goose, a duck and a couple of chickens, and watching the various food programmes on the telly, it appears to be completely random whether they use tin foil to cover the beast or not. Is there any rule for it? Should I always cover the bird (and then take it off for the last 20-30 mins to brown off) or does it matter? And if I'm covering it, should the tin foil be just over the roasting dish, loosely, or actually around the bird?”
It'a a matter of preference I guess. I personally think it stops the birds from drying out.
I put the bird on a bed of tinfoil & cover the top loosely with foil too. Also stops fat spluttering all over the oven.
