# At what temp do you roast a chicken?



## CharlieD (Jun 18, 2006)

Friend of mine and I got onto discussion about baked chicken.
I bake mine at 400 deg, uncovered for one hour. She bakes her covered at 300 deg, for nearly 2 hours.  What do you prefer, any explanations. I really did not have any explanations or reasons to do it my way, except that mine chicken tastes better, but that could be due to better seasoning.


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## GB (Jun 18, 2006)

I am between you and your friend Charlie. I usually bake at 350. Why? I am not sure. That is just how I have always done it.


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## CharlieD (Jun 18, 2006)

Yeah, I used 350 for years,but about 2 years ago swithched to 400 and absolutely love the result.


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## Aurora (Jun 18, 2006)

Are you talking about whole chicken or chicken pieces?  I cook a whole chicken in the oven at 375 degrees F. but chicken pieces I cook at 325 degrees F.  I find that cooking pieces at a higher temp dries it out too much. I also cook smaller chickens and game hen or quail at 325 degrees F.


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## KellyM (Jun 18, 2006)

CharlieD said:
			
		

> Friend of mine and I got onto discussion about baked chicken.
> I bake mine at 400 deg, uncovered for one hour. She bakes her covered at 300 deg, for nearly 2 hours. What do you prefer, any explanations. I really did not have any explanations or reasons to do it my way, except that mine chicken tastes better, but that could be due to better seasoning.


You're talking about the difference between roasting and braising. The uncovered, dry heat method is roasting, the covered method is braising. 

Neither are popularly or properly called "baking."

Both have their uses.

Kelly


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## Andy M. (Jun 18, 2006)

I cook a whole chicken at 500F according to the Barbara Kafka method.  This is the one way I can get a chicken to cook evenly throughout.  Other methods always left me with properly cooked breasts and raw thighs.  A 5-pound chicken will be done in less than 45 minutes.

I cook a cut up chicken (4 pieces) at 400F.

I have found high temperature roasting works better for me.  I also do beef and pork at 400F.

But I call it roasting.


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## kimbaby (Jun 18, 2006)

I never cover my chicken I cook mine at 425 for about 1hour...(pieces)
whole chicken so many mins per lb.


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## GB (Jun 18, 2006)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> I cook a whole chicken at 500F according to the Barbara Kafka method.


Her book is high on my list of books that I want.


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## Andy M. (Jun 18, 2006)

I have had an unreasonable amount of difficulty roasting whole chickens so the breast meat is at 165F and the thigh joint is cooked through.

I have tried methods from Julia Child, Gordon Hammersley, Tyler Florence and who knows who else.  I read about Kafka's method here on DC and tried it out.  Works great!  You need good ventilation!

BTW,  I bought her book at a flea market for $3.00 a couple of years ago.


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## Michelemarie (Jun 18, 2006)

GB said:
			
		

> I am between you and your friend Charlie. I usually bake at 350. Why? I am not sure. That is just how I have always done it.


 
Yep, me too.


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## Constance (Jun 18, 2006)

I haven't roasted a whole chicken in the oven in years. But I do often roast chicken pieces, and I do them uncovered, at 400-425 degrees. When I braise them with a sauce, covered, I set the oven at 350-375.


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## ironchef (Jun 18, 2006)

KellyM said:
			
		

> You're talking about the difference between roasting and braising. The uncovered, dry heat method is roasting, the covered method is braising.


 
Remember that it's only braising if the chicken is being cooked in a liquid. If it's being covered in foil and there is no other liquid added other than say, the marinade or if it was rubbed in olive oil, then that is still considered roasting.


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## auntdot (Jun 18, 2006)

Have heard mixed reviews about the Barbar Kafka method.

But for one year we lived in an apartment that had an oven that had only two temps, off or full blast.

We realized this when our first attempt, a ten pound turkey, was done in about 90 minutes.

It came out very well.

We just learned to deal with the oven beast. Surprisingly, it was not very hard to do.

But on your advice, just ordered the book on the web.

Am looking forward to it. Thanks to y'all.


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## mudbug (Jun 18, 2006)

Ole Barb likes to blast everything (I have the book).  Stuff I've tried out of the book has usually turned out OK, though.


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## CharlieD (Jun 19, 2006)

Yeah, I was talking about cut-up chicken, and the reason I cook at 400 deg, because it comes out much juicier, go figure...


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## GB (Jun 19, 2006)

I always brine my chicken so juciness is never a problem.


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## Andy M. (Jun 19, 2006)

CharlieD said:
			
		

> Yeah, I was talking about cut-up chicken, and the reason I cook at 400 deg, because it comes out much juicier, go figure...


 

Cooking it at a higher temp allows you to cook it faster. Less time for the meat to dry out.  Also, I cook it to just over 160F internal temp.

I always cook cut up chicken at 400F. As a matter of fact, I'm cooking one tonight.


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## jennyema (Jun 19, 2006)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> I cook a whole chicken at 500F according to the Barbara Kafka method. This is the one way I can get a chicken to cook evenly throughout. Other methods always left me with properly cooked breasts and raw thighs. A 5-pound chicken will be done in less than 45 minutes.


 

Me too.   Her methods are fantastic.  Her book is too.

A secret to reduce smoking when the grease drips into the roasting pan is to cover the botto of the pan with very thinly sliced potatoes.  They soak up the grease before it can smoke.


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## CharlieD (Jun 19, 2006)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> I cook a whole chicken at 500F according to the Barbara Kafka method...


 
 Could you describe this method please, for the ehole chicken. I haven't done the whole one in very long time.


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## Andy M. (Jun 19, 2006)

Charlie:

Place an oven shelf in the second position from the bottom of the oven.
 
Pre-heat the oven to 500º F.
 
Cut the wing tips off the chicken and remove any excess fat.  Place it in a shallow roasting pan.  I place foil in the pan to assist in cleanup.
 
You can put lemon, garlic and butter into the cavity if desired.  
 
Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper.
 
Place the chicken into the oven, feet first.
 
After 10 minutes, move the chicken a little to unstick it from the pan/foil.
 
Cook a 6-pound bird for one hour.  Estimate approximately 10 minutes a pound with this method.
 
Chickens over 7 lbs., don't roast well.
 
Also, you'll need good ventilation as there is some smoke.  Follow Jennyema's suggestion of thinly sliced potatoes in the pan bottom to reduce smoking.
 
I also open the area around the thigh joint with a sharp knife to allow heat to reach the thigh joint and cook more evenly.
 
I find it cooks faster than 10 minutes a pound so check the temps so you don't overcook.


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## CharlieD (Jun 19, 2006)

Thank you. The only thing I missed, how do you put chicken in. Breast up or down?


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## Andy M. (Jun 19, 2006)

CharlieD said:
			
		

> Thank you. The only thing I missed, how do you put chicken in. Breast up or down?


 
Breast up.


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## CharlieD (Jun 19, 2006)

thank you. i thought so.


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## mudbug (Jun 19, 2006)

jennyema said:
			
		

> cover the botto of the pan with very thinly sliced potatoes. They soak up the grease before it can smoke.


 
and then you eat 'em, right?  right???!!!


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## jennyema (Jun 20, 2006)

mudbug said:
			
		

> and then you eat 'em, right? right???!!!


 
Cooks Illustrated says to.  I have eaten them and they are GOOOOOD, but they are a bit greasy, so I only eat a few.


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## Piccolina (Jul 1, 2006)

Tossing my two cents into the ring .....I've gotten in the habbit of staring out with my oven set around 400-410 for a whole bird (with either a lid on the roaster or a layer of foil) and I cook it like that for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the bird. Then I bring the temp down by about 25-30 degrees and keep cooking it like that until the chicken is done. Doing it this way seems to produce some wonderfully moist meat and lots of tasty drippings.


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