1. For the Best Roasted Chicken and Vegetables, Roast them Separately: Roasting the chicken and vegetables separately allows each component to cook at its own pace. Fat renders from the chicken without making the vegetables soggy; the vegetables are able to caramelize. Plus, you’re going to reserve all that delicious schmaltz for pouring over the vegetables at the very end, anyway. This way, instead of soggy, schmaltzy vegetables you get caramelized, schmaltzy vegetables. Cooking the chicken and vegetables separately is clearly the way to go.
2. Add Some Sugar to Your Brine: Sugar adds a pleasant bit of sweetness, but it also helps the chicken’s skin get nice and golden-brown as it cooks. There’s precious few things more beautiful (and tasty) than crispy, golden-brown chicken skin.
3. Sourdough Is the Oldest Kind of Leavened Bread: One of the coolest things about sourdough is that no two loaves will ever taste exactly the same. That’s because every sourdough starter is different and exposed to different bacteria depending on the air it feeds on. Different bacteria equals nuances in taste.
4. Use a Combination of All-Purpose and Whole-Wheat Flour in Your Sourdough: Whole-wheat flour provides more nutrition for the yeast and the bacteria that live inside the starter, so the dough is able to come to life a bit faster. Whole wheat also leads to more robust growth and better flavor.
5. How To Know When Your Sourdough Starter Is Ready: There’s one no-fail indication that your sourdough starter is ready to turn into bread: it will be doubled in volume. Now, this can take a while—you’ve got to feed your starter every 24 hours for 10 to 14 days. At some point in that time period, the dough will become lively and double in size. That’s when you know you’re ready to cook with it.
Quote of the Week: “Much like the key to a successful marriage is separate bathrooms, the key to a successful roast chicken and root veg is roasting them separately.” —Julia Collin-Davison on roast chicken and vegetables
Can't wait for next week's episode? Get your fill with our past episode recaps:
- Season 17, Episode 25 Recap: How to Make the Best Smoked Pork Loin
- Season 17, Episode 24 Recap: How to Make the Best Grill-Roasted Beef Tenderloin
- Season 17, Episode 23 Recap: How to Make the Best Grilled Pizza
- Season 17, Episode 22 Recap: How to Make the Best Paella
- Season 17, Episode 21 Recap: How to Make the Best Shrimp and Vegetable Skewers
- Season 17, Episode 20 Recap: How to Make the Best Pan-Seared Flank Steak
- Season 17, Episode 19 Recap: How to Make the Best Strawberry Jam
- Season 17, Episode 18 Recap: How to Make the Best Pork Roast
- Season 17, Episode 17 Recap: How to Make Sensational Beef Stir-Fry
- Season 17, Episode 16 Recap: How to Make Better Oatmeal Cookies
- Season 17, Episode 15 Recap: How to Make Better Chicken Marsala
- Season 17, Episode 14 Recap: How to Make Baked Alaska
- Season 17, Episode 13 Recap: How to Make the Best Frozen Yogurt
- Season 17, Episode 12 Recap: How to Make the Best Pantry Pasta Dishes
- Season 17, Episode 11 Recap: Taking on the Best of the Big Easy
- Season 17, Episode 10 Recap: How to Make the Best Korean Rice Bowls (Dolsot Bibimbap)
- Season 17, Episode 9 Recap: How to Roast Turkey and Boil Corn
- Season 17, Episode 8 Recap: How to Make the Best Ground Beef Chili
- Season 17, Episode 7 Recap: How to Make the Ultimate Sticky Buns
- Season 17, Episode 6 Recap: How to Make the Best Shrimp Scampi
- Season 17, Episode 5 Recap: How to Make the Best Cheese and Tomato Lasagna
- Season 17, Episode 4 Recap: Home-Corned Beef and Cabbage—and Shots of Sherry (Vinegar)
- Season 17, Episode 3 Recap: Crispy Chicken Breasts and Creamy Baked Potatoes
- Season 17, Episode 2 Recap: "Two Stews for Yous"
- Season 17, Episode 1 Recap: Cast Iron is Back!
What was your favorite part of this episode of America’s Test Kitchen? Let us know in the comments!