Published March 1, 2008.
Years ago, we developed an ideal roasting method for tender, juicy meat. Now could we figure out how to get super-crisp skin?
During roasting, juices and rendered fat accumulate beneath the chicken skin and turn it wet and flabby.
We wanted a juicy roasted chicken with skin that would crackle against your teeth with every bite.
A five-step process was the solution. We first cut an incision down the chicken’s back to allow fat to escape and then loosened the skin from the thighs and breasts, poking holes in the fat deposits to allow multiple channels for excess fat and juices to escape. And since skin can’t brown until all the surface moisture evaporates, we added baking powder to our salt rub. This helped dehydrate the skin and enhanced the effects of our fourth step: overnight air-drying. Finally, we roasted the bird at high heat to speed the browning.
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