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Published November 28, 2006
More, more, more of techniques. Very nicely done. Short and sufficient.
Nice! I cooked my first whole chicken this past weekend (poached it instead of roasted it--delish!) and was wondering if I should have trussed it, and if so how to do it. Now at least half the puzzle is solved!
That chicken ain't going nowhere.
I think those poor wings are going to burn since they aren't secured to the carcass and are flopping about. I think if there is stuffing in that bird the openings are not sealed on either end and there is a risk of the stuffing tumbling or drying out. Julia would not be pleased.
Agree with Bill, I've seen it done differently where you go from the front, loop around the wings, then go up around the sides and tie off on the legs. Just as easy and you get the wings secured as well. Just as easy and abit more secure.
Aren't you concerned about the raw chicken on a wood cutting board?
Traditional French technique would've left more foot on the chicken and no wing tip. It also involves the needle. Start securing the wings, next thighs, and tie to the side where you started.
I always start like she does, but I use the needle and go through the legs, between bone and tendon, and down through the tail. This draws the cavity opening shut. I contrive to have two equal lengths of string left here, one to each side. With the bird on its back, I pull one string up through the crease between leg and body, and with the needle run it through the "safety pin" wing-bone (with the wingtip tucked under), through the body, and out through the opposite wing. Then I do the same thing from the other side. This leaves one length of string hanging out from each wing. I turn the bird over, do the first half of a square knot and pull the strings tight - which pulls the wings in tightly as well - and then finish the knot and trim off the excess string.
I like Alton Brown's truss technique better, though I have yet to find a trussing technique that is perfect.
Alton Brown's technique:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/how...
The bird is better restrained, and more compact using AB's method.
Let me correct myself; the bird isn't better restrained, as if it would escape, but the knotwork in Alton Brown's method and extra passes of string keep the bird in a better shape for roasting.