Temperature for baking chicken

[Caslon]

I've roasted chicken with and without the rack. The chicken fat is rendered and stays in the pan - it is not absorbed by the chicken. And it doesn't burn. So in my experience, the rack is just an extra item to clean and doesn't provide any benefit.

I'll use a cooling rack to set some chicken on, for my lazy set and forget meal. A large plastic baking bag set inside a larger aluminum pan, with potato slices and frozen green beans up front, formed aluminum dividers keep them seperate. I staple the bag shut. Not bad for set and forget.

What works best for me so far is to season and lightly fry the legs in in a cast iron skillet for 8 min or so, then put the skillet in the oven at 325F for about 40 minuntes. If I set the temp any higher, the meat splits apart and is done almost too fast.

 

[Harry Cobean]

What is in Asian fish sauce?

it's a clear liquid about the same colour as very light soy sauce made by fermenting anchovies & salt for between 12 & 18 months.an absolute staple in thai & other asian cooking.used for seasoning.not the most appetising of smells but a fabulous deep,complex flavour.you know when you have a thai red curry & you get that deep,savoury almost meaty background taste that you can't quite pinpoint....that's fish sauce.i use it in none asian cooking as a seasoning too.
worcestershire sauce is made in a similar way but more spices,ingredients are added.might be worth trying that,but check the ingredients list first.
oh,by the way,i love watching the american cooking programmes,diners drive ins & dives,eat street etc(fabulous food most of the time) but everyone seems to have a problem pronouncing "worcestershire" over there.it's one of those weird(we're famous for 'em) english words that is pronounced differently to the way you spell it.it's "wooster or woostershire"sauce

 

[Harry Cobean]

Thanks for the recipe. Unfortunately soy is a no-no for me health-wise, so I would need to find a substitute. Any ideas?

try umami paste(the fifth taste according to some):
Ingredients: tomato paste, garlic, anchovy paste, black olives, balsamic vinegar, dehydrated Porcini mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, citric acid, olive oil, wine vinegar, sugar, salt.
no msg,no soy...winner winner chicken dinner!

 

[Harry Cobean]

Urban legend.

with you on that one charlie.if you must change temps then turn the heat up towards the end of the cooking time to finish,crisp & brown

 

[GotGarlic]

What is in Asian fish sauce?

Fish sauce is a condiment made from fermented fish used frequently in Asian cooking. It can be an ingredient in sauces, dressings or dips. It has a salty flavor that would make it a good substitute for soy sauce. The taste will be different, but in this recipe, it's really the salt and a mild flavor from brushing it on that you're after. Hope it works. Let us know if you try it.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

it's a clear liquid about the same colour as very light soy sauce made by fermenting anchovies & salt for between 12 & 18 months.an absolute staple in thai & other asian cooking.used for seasoning.not the most appetising of smells but a fabulous deep,complex flavour.you know when you have a thai red curry & you get that deep,savoury almost meaty background taste that you can't quite pinpoint....that's fish sauce.i use it in none asian cooking as a seasoning too.
worcestershire sauce is made in a similar way but more spices,ingredients are added.might be worth trying that,but check the ingredients list first.
oh,by the way,i love watching the american cooking programmes,diners drive ins & dives,eat street etc(fabulous food most of the time) but everyone seems to have a problem pronouncing "worcestershire" over there.it's one of those weird(we're famous for 'em) english words that is pronounced differently to the way you spell it.it's "wooster or woostershire"sauce

I just call it "what's this here sauce?"

 

[taxlady]

try umami paste(the fifth taste according to some):
Ingredients: tomato paste, garlic, anchovy paste, black olives, balsamic vinegar, dehydrated Porcini mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, citric acid, olive oil, wine vinegar, sugar, salt.
no msg,no soy...winner winner chicken dinner!

Can you buy that somewhere or do you have to make it yourself? I'm not supposed to eat soy in any form - it's too estrogenic.

 

[taxlady]

...
oh,by the way,i love watching the american cooking programmes,diners drive ins & dives,eat street etc(fabulous food most of the time) but everyone seems to have a problem pronouncing "worcestershire" over there.it's one of those weird(we're famous for 'em) english words that is pronounced differently to the way you spell it.it's "wooster or woostershire"sauce

I pronounce it "wister" or "wisteh sher" if someone looks at me funny/puzzled for "wister".

 

[GLC]

it's a clear liquid about the same colour as very light soy sauce made by fermenting anchovies & salt for between 12 & 18 months.

And in using it, you'll be following one of the oldest culinary traditions on Earth. Garum, also sometimes called liquamen, was a very popular condiment among ancient Romans who got it, like most things "Roman," from the Greeks. Made by fermenting fish or fish innards. The problem with all Middle Ages and older recipes is that they didn't give quantities, but the impression is that garum was heavily used, Production was so heavy that we know a lot about the problems caused by the stink. And just like Asian fish sauces, not everyone like it. But the ones who did used it heavily. And like Asian fish sauce, there were differences in quality and regional variations.

We don't know a lot of the details. At one point garum and liquamen appear to refer to different kinds of fish sauce and later came to mean the same thing. We have to assume that, like the Asian sauces, the best were light amber color. The dregs went to the poor to flavor their miserable meals. But it was THE sauce and sauce base of the day. It seems to have hung around into the medieval period and then faded, perhaps as spices began to be feasible for someone below the aristocracy. And then they went as nutty about spices as the Romans had been about garum. You can still buy a Mediterranean product something like it.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

What is in Asian fish sauce?

fish

 

[Harry Cobean]

Can you buy that somewhere or do you have to make it yourself? I'm not supposed to eat soy in any form - it's too estrogenic.

nope,you can buy it tax,well you can over here.tesco sell it for about $4 for a tube about the size that tomato paste comes in.sounds a lot but you only use a tiny bit.when i google'd it to get the ingredients a load of stuff came up in the states so i'm sure you will be able to.if not,let me know & i'll mail you a tube

 

[Harry Cobean]

I pronounce it "wister" or "wisteh sher" if someone looks at me funny/puzzled for "wister".

I just call it "what's this here sauce?"

well now you know ladies,i'll learn yer to talk proper like wot we does over 'ere!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

well now you know ladies,i'll learn yer to talk proper like wot we does over 'ere!

I'm fairly sure I could do all right on me own... I watched My Fair lady...

 

[Harry Cobean]

I'm fairly sure I could do all right on me own... I watched My Fair lady...

you need to get out more pf................

 

[PrincessFiona60]

you need to get out more pf................

That's what I keep telling Shrek...but does he listen???

 

[jennyema]

nope,you can buy it tax,well you can over here.tesco sell it for about $4 for a tube about the size that tomato paste comes in.sounds a lot but you only use a tiny bit.when i google'd it to get the ingredients a load of stuff came up in the states so i'm sure you will be able to.if not,let me know & i'll mail you a tube

You can buy it at gourmet and specialty stores.

I bought a tube because it has all the right umami ingredients in it (tomato, anchovy, mushroom, etc) but it's waaaaay to sweet, IMO.

I think the addition of sugar is a big mistake, as one would generally be using it in savory cooking. If the user wants to, they can always add sugar to whatever they are cooking, but the sweet flavor of the paste affects how you can use it.

 

[taxlady]

You can buy it at gourmet and specialty stores.

I bought a tube because it has all the right umami ingredients in it (tomato, anchovy, mushroom, etc) but it's waaaaay to sweet, IMO.

I think the addition of sugar is a big mistake, as one would generally be using it in savory cooking. If the user wants to, they can always add sugar to whatever they are cooking, but the sweet flavor of the paste affects how you can use it.

Thanks for the warning about sweetness. I'm really not a fan of sweet with my savoury. I guess I'll look for a recipe to make it myself.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

After cookign for my family for 30+ years, and having an engineering mind, and a good bit of science background, I experimented, read, challneged what others have said, and recorded results. Here's what I have found.

Roasting/baking at high temperatures, 425 - 450'F. results in crisper skin. A meat thermometer is used to determine when the deepest part of the meat reaches 155'F. Let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 mintues and it will come to a final temp of 165'F, which results in tender, juicy meat. The chicken cooks fast at high temperature, so start checking it after 30 minutes or so.

Roasting at moderate temperatures gives herbs and spices a chance to flavor the meat. The skin is still crisp, but not crunchy. Longer cooking time is required. Again, pull the chicken out when the thermometer reads 155'F and let it rest.

Low temp roasting/baking is done at temps ranging from 290 to 325' F. This is done when you want to extend the cooking time to really get external flavors into the meat. Don't count on crisp skin. Often, chicken cooked this way is steamed in an oven bag, or placed in a pot with a lid, with other veggies added to the pot or bag. This creates a kind of chicken stew. for this chicken, the meat thermometer should read between 180 and 190', and the meat should literally fall from the bone. You get moist, and flavorful meat with this method, and the chicken broth flavors the other foods cooked with it. Often, the skin is removed when cooking chicken this way.

Another way of cooking chicken (preferred in my house) is to bring the cut up bird up to room temperature. Dry it with paper towels. Coat with egg wash, dredge in seasoned flour. Shake off excess flour. Fry in 360' oil until lightly browned on both sides. Move pieces to a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for 40 minutes at 350' F. The chicken has a lightly crisped skin, is not greasy, and is so juicy that when you bite it, it squirts you. I sometimes change the coating method by dredging in seasoned flour, then egg wash, then in panko bread crumbs, frying, then baking. Add coconut to the panko bead crumbs for another take on this classic chicken.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Harry Cobean]

You can buy it at gourmet and specialty stores.

I bought a tube because it has all the right umami ingredients in it (tomato, anchovy, mushroom, etc) but it's waaaaay to sweet, IMO.

I think the addition of sugar is a big mistake, as one would generally be using it in savory cooking. If the user wants to, they can always add sugar to whatever they are cooking, but the sweet flavor of the paste affects how you can use it.

Thanks for the warning about sweetness. I'm really not a fan of sweet with my savoury. I guess I'll look for a recipe to make it myself.

good morning
i guess that there are different manufacturers recipes which may account for the sweetness thing.i haven't detected any sweetness in the brand i buy.it's a laura santtini preparation & the ingedients are:
Tomato Puree,Garlic ,Anchovy Paste (Anchovies, Salt, Sunflower Oil) ,Black Olive ,Balsamic Vinegar ,Porcini Mushrooms ,Parmesan Cheese ,Olive Oil ,Vinegar ,Sugar ,Salt.
don't know if its the same in the states but over here the printed list of ingredients starts with the highest proportion 1st & the lowest last.in this one the sugar content is next to last.there are some naturally "sweet" ingredients in there too-tomato puree,balsamic vinegar & parmesan all have sweet notes so,again,i guess it depends on the individual mix for that brand.
got all the ingredients in the cupboard so might just try making some myself too tax!

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Good news. Raising the oven temperature and coating the chicken thighs with olive oil seems to be working but sometimes the meat is a bit dry. Any suggestions on how to get the meat a bit more tender?