Ingredients
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1 piece chickenwhole
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herbs and seasoning for the inside of the chicken
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Directions
There are quite a few reasons why we truss or tie chickens ahead of the roasting them, if not just because, traditionally, it has always been done that way and sometimes we just should not question our culinary fore fathers. Something’s just shouldn’t be changed or abandoned to save preparation time.
Firstly they just look better. Nothing worse, than birds with the legs and wings spread, “lying” in a roasting pan when they come out of the oven.
Secondly, if you are using a rotisserie or spit over a BBQ, the snug fitting legs and wings of a well trussed chicken will prevent uneven rotations. It will ensure that the chicken is not “flapping” over and about on the spit and roast very even.
Thirdly, the herbs one usually stuffs inside the carcass of the chicken can develop their taste much better and “flavor the chicken from the inside – out” when locked in by tightly trussing the legs tightly over the capping hole in the carcass and then sealing the neck whole with some skin as well. Juices and flavors will be well retained within the carcass.
- Season the inside of the carcass and stuff the herbs as per your liking in it as well.
- Place chicken with the neck towards you on a chopping board and shape the chicken by pushing both legs inwards underneath the breast of the chicken.
- Chop of the chicken wings by the first joint and bend the wing inwards underneath the chicken. Cut off the neck bone, if necessary, leaving a little stump tough and keeping the enough skin so the bone can be wrapped.
- Holding both ends of the string in your hands, slide about 1/3 of the way underneath the chicken’s back/legs.
- Bring the strings up over the legs, switch hands with the end of the strings and loop the string around underneath the leg ends. Pull the strings tight and the leg ends will seal the whole in the carcass.
- Tighten the string further will “automatically” switch the bird onto it’s breast.
- Keeping the strings tight, run one side of the string around the lower side of the chicken, and on over the wing up to the neck.
- Cover the neck with the remaining skin and run the sting around it and to the other side of the chicken.
- Keep the strings tightly, have both ands meet over the wing. Ensure that the string tightly secures both wings, the neck bone and the legs.
- Twist the string twice, pull tight and secure with a knot.
- Cut off all excess string.
