I chose to purchase a whole chicken. I chose the whole chicken because it was a family favourite growing up. I still remember venturing out to a farm just outside of town to get a couple whole free range chickens and then coming home and the house would have an amazing aroma for hours. So, when I saw the whole chicken I had to buy it.
Somewhere around fifty billion chickens are farmed for their meat and eggs. The ones used for meat are referred to as broiler chickens. There are intensively farmed and free range chickens. In my opinion the free range chickens are worth the price bump. They are more plump and flavourful. Whole chickens are often roasted on the oven or on a rotisserie spit. Chickens are also in the same family as turkeys which are stuffed and roasted and then of course shared with family and friends. There are many other types of poultry including; duck, cornish game hen, goose, quail, pheasant and others.
When buying the chicken in the store it is whole, cleaned, and without the organs or neck. However when I was young, and my mother would buy free range chickens and they would come with the organs and neck still inside. My mom would always cook the organs and feed them to the dog and roast the neck with the chicken and believe it or not, the neck was one of the best parts!
The recipe I have chosen to use is one my mother started and then I adapted over the years. It has always been a family favourite and is one I always make when I go home to visit. I call it the best chicken ever!
First things first, you have to brine the chicken. Get a big bucket that will fit the chicken with a little extra room and then add salt water - 1/4 cup pickling salt to 1 litre of water. Depending on the size of the chicken you will likely need more than one litre of water. Brine for about 4 hours.
7/8 lb Chicken2 Apples2 Onions2 Cloves of garlic1 Tall can (473 ml) of hard apple cider (cheap substitute - beer and apple juice)A couple leaves of sage
After the chicken has been brined put it in a roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then cut the apples and onions in quarters or sixths depending on the size. Take 4 apple and 4 onion chunks and set them in the pan then stuff the rest in the chicken. Now slice the garlic lengthwise and cut 3 slits in the chicken going down the breast and one slit in each leg and stuff the garlic slivers into the slits. Then stuff some of the remaining garlic in the pan and some in the chicken. Next pour the can of cider onto the chicken (If you want a cheap alternative pour some cheap beer and apple juice on instead) and then chop up the sage and sprinkle it all over. You can also crack some pepper on top but don't bother with salt because the chicken was already soaked in salt!
Put the chicken in the oven and let it roast for about an hour and a half or until it is tender but not pink - the way chicken should be cooked, obviously you don't want undercooked chicken. Once it has cooked through let it sit out for 5-10 minutes. Carve it up, serve, and enjoy!
7/8 lb Chicken2 Apples2 Onions2 Cloves of garlic1 Tall can (473 ml) of hard apple cider (cheap substitute - beer and apple juice)A couple leaves of sage
After the chicken has been brined put it in a roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then cut the apples and onions in quarters or sixths depending on the size. Take 4 apple and 4 onion chunks and set them in the pan then stuff the rest in the chicken. Now slice the garlic lengthwise and cut 3 slits in the chicken going down the breast and one slit in each leg and stuff the garlic slivers into the slits. Then stuff some of the remaining garlic in the pan and some in the chicken. Next pour the can of cider onto the chicken (If you want a cheap alternative pour some cheap beer and apple juice on instead) and then chop up the sage and sprinkle it all over. You can also crack some pepper on top but don't bother with salt because the chicken was already soaked in salt!
Put the chicken in the oven and let it roast for about an hour and a half or until it is tender but not pink - the way chicken should be cooked, obviously you don't want undercooked chicken. Once it has cooked through let it sit out for 5-10 minutes. Carve it up, serve, and enjoy!
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