Over the years, we have roasted thousands of chickens, hundreds of beef and pork roasts and many, many turkeys. We have experimented with different roasting techniques from temperature ranges to time differences and have discovered, in our opinion, the perfect way to roast a chicken.

To truly roast, the temperature must be sufficiently high enough to cook the meat without steaming it. Lower temperatures will produce a less crisp skin and will have a tendency to dry out the meat. A roasted chicken should never be covered because, this again, will steam rather than roast.

The magic formula for the perfect roast chicken is high heat, 500 degrees F., for a shorter period of time. An average size chicken, 5 lbs., should take an hour to roast. Other roasting methods that we have used, such as to begin with a hot oven, 450 degrees F., for 30 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. for another hour or so, take much longer and do not result in a chicken that is as moist inside and crisp outside as the high heat method.

High Heat Technique

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken, washed and dried
• 1 lemon, halved
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup gf chicken stock or wine

Directions:

Place oven rack on second level from the bottom. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper and stuff with lemon and garlic cloves. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up. Place the pan in the oven with the chicken legs towards the back of the oven. Roast for 1 hour. After the first 10 minutes, slide a wooden spatula under the chicken to prevent it from sticking. Tilt the chicken against the roasting pan so that the juices run out into the pan. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour off excess fat and put the roasting pan on top the stove. Add the chicken stock or wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to loosen the browned bits. Let the sauce reduce by half and serve with the chicken.

We suggest roasting directly in the roasting pan without a rack. The chicken will not stick if you slide a wooden spatula between the chicken and pan 10 minutes into the roasting time. This way there is no rack to clean and the wonderful browned bits stay in the pan for gravy instead of getting stuck to the rack.

To roast at high temperatures it is essential to begin with a clean oven. If your oven is not clean, the high temperature will cause it to smoke.

The beauty of roasting is that it produces little mess, the roasting chicken fills your kitchen with tantalizing aromas, and anyone, I mean anyone, can roast a magnificent meal. Roast chicken and this technique is perfect for those who don’t usually cook but want to have a killer, foolproof recipe in your pocket for special occasions.

Roast chicken can be stuffed with fruit, garlic and herbs and accompanied with vegetables that are roasted right along with the chicken and added during the last 45 minutes of roasting.

Chickens roasted in this way will produce the most heavenly drippings for gravy.

This roasting technique will also work for chicken pieces. White meat will take about 20 minutes and dark meat about 30 minutes. This method is also perfect for roasting a turkey. A 15lb. Turkey should take about 2 hours at 500 degrees F.

Try ‘Roast Chicken with Potatoes’, 'Roast Chicken with Rosemary & Lemon' or ‘Tarragon Roast Chicken’ and see if you don’t agree that high temperature roasting is the only way to roast the perfect chicken!

- Glutenfreeda