Monday, March 16, 2009

Cooking a Whole Chicken

Even though I have a degree in biomedical science and spent an entire semester dissecting a dog, I have always been a little afraid of cooking a whole chicken. But they were on sale at the Sams, and I decided it was time to tackle cooking a whole chicken, so I could add it to my homemaker credentials.

I really am not qualified to be a homemaker, but I am thankful that God called me to this position and equips me every day.

Today's equipping, came in the form of the Juicy Roasted Chicken recipe from www.allrecipes.com.

I started with this raw chicken, added a little salt, pepper and onion powder.

About this time my 6 year old walked in and asked, "What is that?!" I explained to him that it was a whole chicken, well, minus the head and feathers and feet. He then looked at me funny and said, "Where did you get it?" I really think he thought I killed it myself, perhaps smuggled one home from the livestock show we visited on Saturday. He was relieved when I replied, "the grocery store".

I was really glad the 6 year old hung around for the stuffing butter and celery inside the chicken cavity, because he made for a good giggle companion and photographer while I held open the bird!! The momentous occasion of me cooking an entire chicken had to be documented for posterity!

Finally, I had fun arranging the dollops of margarine, notice the margarine tucked under the wings like hidden Easter eggs!

Next, I stuck it in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 min., went outside and played with my kids, and then pulled it out to check it. I dug way to the back of my drawer with odds and ends cooking items and managed to find the meat thermometer -- definitely a lesser used item around my home! I stuck it in, remembered something I'd once heard about not allowing the probe to touch bone, and found myself cheering on the little needle as the temperature reading climbed higher and higher. It was not at all like taking the temperature of one of my children when I watch the readout and cringe with each notch higher it moves!

The thermometer kept stalling out around 170 degrees and I was going for 180, so I had to stick it back in a few times. I think my chicken was a little larger than what the recipe called for. Anyway, I punctured my poor chicken dozens of times taking its temperature, but finally hit the 180 degree mark and was able to move on to the "letting it sit" step.

It turned out very tasty and my husband was incredulous that I "made it from scratch?" As in, did not pick up a rotisserie chicken from somewhere!

I am thankful for the opportunity to be a homemaker, thankful that God has brought me to this place in life where it is a joy to cook a whole chicken, and so incredulous that I just created an entire blog post dedicated to my cooking of the whole chicken!



Find more Tasty Tuesday at Forever...Wherever, Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers and Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes For Mom.

15 comments:

  1. Oh my! What a great tackle...seeing as I have only made ONE turkey in all my life, and that was this last Thanksgiving. I've never really thought about cooking a whole chicken before. Sounds easy enough...how much meat did you get from it?

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  2. I just cooked my first whole chicken a few months ago and was feeling rather chuffed with myself too =) Yours looks really yummy, I'm still trying to master the whole "nice browned skin" thing now.

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  3. I remember reading an article once when my first child was a baby that said she was a little sad the day her child was old enough to put together the connection between chicken, the animal, and chicken, food. Sort of a loss of innocence in a way. Chicken cooked like that is both cheap and easy - and great way to go!

    Jen
    http://www.ListPlanIt.com

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  4. wow - nice work! I have yet to venture into whole-bird cooking.

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  5. It looks beautiful! Baked chicken is delish!!

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  6. Okay, time to simplify! If you can bake it in the oven, you can cook it in the crock pot even easier! Actually, I use a whole chicken cooked in the crock pot for all sorts of things. I shred the chicken once it's cooked for casseroles. You want to know why? Because you can get whole chickens for SOOO cheap! Rinse, stick in crock pot, cook on low for 6 hours, let cook, shred (this takes about 20 minutes), use that yummy slow cooked tender chicken meat for enchiladas, tacos, casseroles, soups, or just eat it the way it is! Delish.

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  7. Looks great! Now if you still have leftovers you can bone it, throw in the carcass and skin and boil it with some vegetables to make chicken stock for your next homemade soup from scratch!! Two meals "made from scratch" for the price of one!! Way to go!!

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  8. That was too funny! Great job on the chicken....it looks yummy!
    ~Kim

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  9. That chicken looks beautiful! I just baked a turkey yesterday. Found it on clearance for 75¢ a pound!

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  10. Well done! The photos were great. And I appreciate your comments on homemaking.

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  11. I really have enjoyed reading your blog! Thanks so much for sharing with us other moms.

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  12. That looks delicious :) This crazy adventure of "homemaking" has us doing all sorts of things we never thought possible!

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  13. I love being a homemaker, too. And am likewise unqualified ;) Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm.

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I'd love to hear what you think!