Free range, monsto-birds – just like the old days!

Yesterday was a busy day for my girls. It was the last day in the honey house, which means Rhia goes home tonight. Carrie will be staying on until the bee-work wraps up, and then possibly until other bits and pieces of farm-work are done. Last year, they kept her on until the end of November, so we’re hoping for that again this year. Anyway, to celebrate Rhia’s last day and feed her up before she goes home, we’re having roast chicken. But not just any roast chicken…

Yesterday fter work, they went to Full Plate Farms, a family-owned, farm-gate operation not far outside of town. We’ve begun getting almost all of our pork there – more expensive, yes, but oh so worth it! It tastes like it’s supposed to, not of the salt water they use to ‘plump’ up store meats. I’d ordered a pork package and two chickens earlier in the summer… and I digress, when I’m meant to be telling about the chickens they picked up. For less than what we’d pay for ONE similar sized chicken from the store, we have two. And fresh. I mean, the one I’m popping in the oven shortly has never been frozen. It was literally ‘just’ processed within the last few days.

I’m not sure the girls have ever had fresh roast chicken. Perhaps at work, but definitely never at home. This is going to be quite a treat for us, so we’re going to do it right, the old fashioned way.

Juicy Old Fashioned Roast Chicken

Ingredients

1 4-5 lb whole roasting chicken
1 med onion, trimmed, whole
2-3 med carrots, peeled, whole
2-3 stalks celery, whole
sage, to taste
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.

Wash the bird inside and out, remove the giblet bag if necessary. Set aside.

Spray a roasting pan with non-stick spray. You could use lard if necessary, just a thin layer. Place the chicken in the roaster breast-side up. Toss the onion, carrots and celery with salt, pepper and sage. Stuff the cavity of the bird, tie or pin the cavity shut, tucking the legs through the pope’s nose. If necessary, just tie them together as well.

Tuck a bit of the butter by the wings, between the legs and body, under the skin of the breast (gently, do not tear the skin!). Season with salt, pepper and sage. Cover tightly and place in the oven for half an hour.

At half an hour, lower temperature to 350° and baste. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes per pound. Check internal temperature, it should be 165°. Continue roasting if necessary, or remove from roaster and turn breast-side down on platter. Rest, covered, for 30 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

’til next week…
<3 JL