Help- need ultimate recipe to convince hubby!

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Hi folks,

This year I embarked on my first meat bird adventure. The adventure included 35 Freedom Rangers, which are now 8 weeks old. I think my first experience was going pretty well, the first time is always a bit more labor and cost intensive because you need additional housing and equipment, but didn't lose a bird or have any major drama until...we had to evacuate the property for 9 days due to the Waldo Canyon Fire.

It was a stressful time for all of us, worried about kids, dogs, cat, chickens, house, property, belongings, job...everything all at once. A couple of days ago I confessed to my husband that I had lost weight and was having difficulty sleeping, because of ongoing nightmares involving the fire and such. His response surprised me, insisting that once the 35 Freedom Rangers were in the freezer I never do this again...like the stress I was going through was all on account of the chickens (mind you evacuating 43 chickens is no picnic).

Next week I'll be slaughtering my first batch of roosters. I need the ultimate 9-week-old Freedom Ranger recipe to wow him with the exceptional flavor and texture of free-range chicken. Any helpful ideas? Bake? Fry? BBQ? Slow cook?

 

[HEChicken]

I tried several and them my mum sent me this and I haven't prepared them any other way since. Its easy, quick and delicious - there are never any leftovers:

Blasted Chicken and Rice

This is an unbelievably simple dish that tastes great and is economical too, espeically if you can buy chicken on sale. I can buy twin packs of No. 15 chickens for $8, making this meal just $5.10 for six serves!

Ingredients:
1.5kg whole chicken (No. 15)
Salt and pepper
1 large onion
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken stock

Method:
Preheat oven 425 degrees F. It is important to pre-heat for this recipe, the oven needs to be at the right temperature when you put the chicken in. Remove giblets from cavity if they are there. Rinse the chicken well inside and out, then pat dry with a paper towel. Put 1 cup water in the bottom of a roasting pan and sit a rack on top. The water will stop the juices from the chicken from hitting a dry pan and smoking. Put the chicken on the rack, breast side up, making sure it isn't touching the water in the bottom of the pan. Do not tuck in the wings or tie it shut. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper all over, inside and outside too. Bake for 45 minutes. Do not open the oven during cooking. Remove and allow to rest for five minutes. Cut apart with a big kitchen shears or a sharp knife.

As soon as the chicken goes into the oven start the rice. Dice the onion into small pieces. Heat the oil in a fry pan and sauté the onion on medium heat until soft. Add the rice. Continue sautéing until the rice begins to brown, stirring constantly (about 10 minutes). Be careful not to burn. Add the two cups of chicken stock all at once; reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes.

If you start the rice as soon as you put the chicken in the oven, both will be ready at the same time. Serve with a big green salad.

 

[SmokinChick]

Glad you are safe.
I take a whole chicken and "spatchcock" it. (remove the backbone) Splay the bird flat and press down on the breast bone, just so the bird will lay flat.
2 or 3 cups Buttermilk, to cover bird.
1 cup Franks hot sauce
pour these two into a 2 gallon zip lock bag, shake, add chicken turning to coat. Remove as much air as possible. Refrigerate overnight.
Becarfull rib bones don't puncture the bag.
Remove bird from bag and drain excess marinade off. Prepare grill for an indirect type high heat. Place bird on grill, skin side up. sprinkle on a heavy dose of Old Bay(my favorite) or your favorite rub or spice combo, lemon pepper works well also.
stick a thermometer in the breast and remove when it hits 170ish. I take the breast to 170 so the thighs and leg joints are done.
Good luck
P.S. the hot sauce doesn't make the chicken hot, just adds a subtle flavor. Honest

 

[wsmoak]

Basic roast chicken really shows off the flavor. I use this recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/356165/perfect-roast-chicken

It's 90+ minutes at 425F instead of some of the others that have you start out at a low temp and raise it later, or the other way around. The lemon and herbs inside the cavity really come through in the meat. You can put potatoes and carrots on the edges of the pan and they cook in the melted butter and juices. Simple and delicious!

My other favorite recipe involves pecan wood and a smoker for about four hours, but that's probably more involved than you want.

-Wendy

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Awesome! Now I can wow him three different ways! Keep them coming!

 

[thunderbolt&marjorie]

My fav chicken recipe is this:
Make a seasoned butter; for this you need:
1 bottle of good red wine (no cheating and drinking any of it!)
shallots or onions and garlic(about 3/4 cup, sorry I never measure!)
1 stick butter

Mince the shallots/onions/garlic finely, add to saucepan with wine.
Simmer for a long long time, until wine is reduced, almost to a thick red paste with the shallots/onions/garlic.
Add butter and mix well once it has melted.
Remove from stove, and chill the butter. This makes more than you need for one serving but since it takes a while to make, I freeze the extra!
When butter mixture is solid, you can now use it on your chicken.

Prep chicken for roasting by carefully seperating the skin over the breast, thighs and legs. Insert butter under the skin. Rub some butter on the skin as well.
Roast in hot, preheated oven (425-450) until thermometer registers 170 for breast.

This is NOT a low-cal meal. The wine butter colors the meat and flavors it oh so well. And this makes the best darn gravy you have ever tasted!!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Sounds delicious!

 

[donrae]

I say just don't stress it for now. My husband has knee-jerk responses like that whenever he thinks somethings stressing me too much. It's the protective male response---female stressed, eleminate stress!

Wait for things to settle down a bit. You probably don't want to have another batch right away anyway, let things cool off (literally--I hate fires!!!) and approach it again when you're ready.

 

[AbbyDog]

A vote for simple fried chicken- my TN great-grandmother's recipe-

salt cut up chicken generously and let sit in bowl in fridge overnight
wipe off extra salt and roll in flour that has a lot of black pepper in it.
fry in a cast iron skillet with hot bacon fat until golden brown- i do it in about 1/4 inch or less of melted fat but you could use more.
You might need to add extra as the chicken fries. Check a piece to see if the juices run clear.

The bacon fat smells so good that we can't wait until the chicken is done!
Serve with home-grown green beans and apple pie, like we did on the 4th of July. Or eat by itself!

Good luck!