# Cover when roasting a whole chicken?



## legend_018

I never use a cover when roasting a whole chicken. I usually use a rack though.

1. do people actually use a cover when roasting a whole chicken in the oven? Just curious. if so - is there an advantage to putting a cover on?

Secondary questions are: 

1. do you baste? and 

2. Do you put any water on the bottom of the pan and keep on replenishing with water as it's cooking?


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## Andy M.

Roasting is defined as a dry heat method of cooking.  Therefore, any food you intend to roast should be cooked exposed to the dry heat of the oven.  No cover.  

Some longer cooking items like a big turkey or beef roast may be covered part of the time to control the browning of the exterior.

Don't be confused by the term pot roast.  It is misleading as it's not roasted but braised in a covered pot.


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## legend_018

Andy M. said:


> Roasting is defined as a dry heat method of cooking.  Therefore, any food you intend to roast should be cooked exposed to the dry heat of the oven.  No cover.
> 
> Some longer cooking items like a big turkey or beef roast may be covered part of the time to control the browning of the exterior.
> 
> Don't be confused by the term pot roast.  It is misleading as it's not roasted but braised in a covered pot.



Wow maybe I think too hard sometimes. that really makes a lot of sense. : ).
what about putting a little water in the bottom of the pan and basting through out the process. Is that normal things most people do? I find with the small birds, not a lot of juices come out if I don't put a little water down on the bottom of the pan. personally, I don't normally baste a whole lot.


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## 4meandthem

No cover-No water here.

I will also change the temp/time for different styles of roast chicken I want

High heat 375-400 will produce real crispy skin but can burn some spices.The muscles of the chicken seem to seperate but stay whole more.

Low heat 300-325 will prduce a softer skin and a diffent texture to the meat.More like a rotisserie chicken

350 if I am roasting vegetables with it.


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## Barbara L

I don't cover it, baste, or add water. I like to make garlic butter, then put some under the skin and rub some on the outside of the chicken.  I set the oven temperature at 350F and don't open the oven door until the minimum amount of time has passed (based on the size of the chicken).  Of all the ways I have tried, this is our favorite.

Barbara


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## Andy M.

No water, no basting for me.  

For chicken, I make sure the skin is dry and coat it with oil or butter to encourage browning and crisping.


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## DaveSoMD

No cover, no water, and no basting here. I just rub with a bit of oil and set on a rack or on a bed of carrots, celery, and onion.


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## legend_018

Most of the time I do it this way too. do you get a lot of juices on the bottom of the pan to use for gravy afterwards? i find sometimes it's dry and not a lot of juices. I don't mean the chicken is dry.


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## Andy M.

You're right, sometime there are no juices.  Use canned or homemade chicken stock and butter.


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## Linux

legend_018 said:


> I never use a cover when roasting a whole chicken. I usually use a rack though.
> 
> 1. do people actually use a cover when roasting a whole chicken in the oven? Just curious. if so - is there an advantage to putting a cover on?
> 
> Secondary questions are:
> 
> 1. do you baste? and
> 
> 2. Do you put any water on the bottom of the pan and keep on replenishing with water as it's cooking?



If I am roasting a chicken as in a plain, old fashioned delicious roast bird with all the trimmings (roast taters and root veg) then I would keep the skin on so it‘s all nice and crispy, never cover just like you said and, rack it. Racking allows any nice bastings (olive oil) and chicken fat to drip down onto the taters etc, below.

However, if for example, I was doing tandoori chicken, I would have previously removed the skin and covered the bird with spices and set aside to marinate. I rarely cover a bird. And, I always baste, even for tandoori (whole) chicken.

Since living in Greece, I have used olive oil and that has been saved afterwards, but combined into any fat drained from the bird‘s roasting tin. Which I have used again and has made the roasted chicken taste even better. 

I can't recall ever using water to keep the bird from drying out. Maybe cover the bird with tinfoil to prevent burning, but all my chicken roasts come out tender and its meat meltingly soft and very, very tasty.


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## legend_018

I put my oven to 400 degrees and when i put the bird in, I changed my mind and put it to 450 degrees and put the timer for 20 minutes. Than I turned it down to 350. it actually took awhile for the oven to come back down, which was strange because i could of sworn in the past it happened quite quickly.  

when i decided to take it's temperature - it appeared as if it was well done, but after taking it out and letting it rest - it wasn't well done at all. actually some red spots here and there and the closer to the bone, the redder it was. luckily a lot of it was done enough to eat. I used two different thermometers too and they both soared to at least 170/180

it came out nice and juicy though. i basically put apple slices and garlic in the cavity and did salt, pepper and melted butter all over. i put it on a rack and on the bottom of the rack i put carrots and onions and I also CUt the two wings off the chicken and put that down on the bottom of the pan. I put maybe a 1/4 cup of water in with the veggies.

i think my biggest problem was the gravy. i didn't have much juices down on the bottom at the end and it was all just bits and pieces plus the veggies. I took all the big pieces and charred bits out.  I put the pan on the oven and added flour. 2 tablespoons. cooked a little and than cup and 1/2 of chicken stock that I had in my refrigerator. whisked and cooked. very tasty. but it was more like pan juices and very thin.  Served with mashed potatoes fresh and some left over butternut squash soup.


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## bakechef

When cooking to 170-180 degrees there will be some redness near the bone, those won't go away until the bird has stayed at that temp for a while or cooked to around 200, by then the bird is way over cooked.  As long as the temp is right (and make sure that your thermometer is correct) and the juices run clear, you will be OK.


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## letscook

I use lil chicken broth in the bottom add in celery, carrots, onion, a clove or 2 of garlic, I put few peices of butter under the skin salt and pepper lil thyme.  I cover to start with,  last 1/2 under cover and bast , comes out very moist, crispy golden skin. and flavored juices for gravy. mmm Our local market has Whole chicken on sale for 79 cent a lb  - think I better go get a few. This made me hungry for one


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## Claire

I do not cover a chicken, and I want a bit of a browned sauce, so do not put water in the pot (as some have mentioned, if you put water in the bottom, you're braising, not roasting).  As for basting, I keep a cruet of olive oil or stick of butter near by, and if it looks dry, I brush or just take the stick of butter and run it over the breast.  I also stick a pierced lemon, branch of thyme when in season, and head of garlic in the cavity.


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## ChefJune

4meandthem said:


> No cover-No water here.


 That wouldn't be "Roast chicken." but I often baste the chicken while roasting. Not too often, but the white wine I usually use (or dry vermouth) mixes with the juices that emanate from the bird tomake "pan juices" that make a great sauce or gravy later.

If I am doing roast vegetables also, they go on a sheet pan on the shelf under the chicken for the last 25 minutes, after I turn the heat up to 400.


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## chefjoanie

My mom taught me to always cover a chicken when roasting, she used tin foil folded over the roaster pan. It holds the heat in around a smaller space encasing the chicken.  Add butter pats on top of chicken, (or margarine), and a little salt.  Baste chicken with melted butter from pan every 20 minutes or so.  You will have to pull back the tin foil to baste.  Recover and roast at 350 degrees.  She never used a rack, I don't think they had them back then!  Uncover approx. 1/2 hour before done to brown the top.    A standard size chicken should roast in 1 1/2 hours, if not stuffed.  If stuffed, roast for at least 2 hours or more.  If your chicken comes out cooked and browned without covering, then you are doing it right. There's no right and wrong, as long as it's cooked through and is browned.  Good luck!



legend_018 said:


> I never use a cover when roasting a whole chicken. I usually use a rack though.
> 
> 1. do people actually use a cover when roasting a whole chicken in the oven? Just curious. if so - is there an advantage to putting a cover on?
> 
> Secondary questions are:
> 
> 1. do you baste? and
> 
> 2. Do you put any water on the bottom of the pan and keep on replenishing with water as it's cooking?


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## 4meandthem

ChefJune said:


> That wouldn't be "Roast chicken." but I often baste the chicken while roasting. Not too often, but the white wine I usually use (or dry vermouth) mixes with the juices that emanate from the bird tomake "pan juices" that make a great sauce or gravy later.
> 
> If I am doing roast vegetables also, they go on a sheet pan on the shelf under the chicken for the last 25 minutes, after I turn the heat up to 400.


 
Why not?

Roasting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think your method is closer to  braise

Braising - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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