Serves 4
1 - 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns (or crushed red pepper flakes)
1 - 3 1/2 to 5 pound roasting chicken (I usually make
'em up 2 at a time).
Remove giblets, set aside; use for gravy, or cook and eat while the chicken
is roasting.
several sprigs fresh, or 2 tablespoons dried Rosemary (according to taste)
1 lemon, halved
If brining; place chicken, and peppercorns into a gallon-sized (or larger container or bag if necessary) zip-lock bag. Cover with brine, and refrigerate at least 12 hours.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove chicken from bag, rinse. Squeeze 1/2 lemon inside chicken cavity; squeeze other half over chicken. Place both halves inside chicken. Tuck rosemary sprig under each wing, or inside if using dried.
Roast 15 minutes, baste with pan juices. Turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue to baste every 15 minutes for an additional hour. Remove from oven and let rest on cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.
NB: I look for chickens of at least 5 pounds or larger. That's because the bones in a 3 pound chicken are as large as in a 5 pound chicken. So the largest chicken you can get has the most meat per pound. Although a larger (read: older) chicken could be tougher, most American farm raised chickens sold as "roasters" are just fine.
Of late I've I taken to roasting the chickens on a rotisserie attachment for my outdoor grill. I find that the turning causes the bird(s) to cook more evenly, and makes the juice run around the outside basting as it goes. This method of roasting yields superior results, giving me crispy skins and moist, tender inside meat.
I make the chickens two at a time, using cooking twine/string to tie the chicken wings and legs to keep them from moving and flopping around, and falling apart as it cooks.
I coat the outside of the birds liberally with olive oil, and sprinkle on salt (omit or reduce the salt if you've "brined" the birds), cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. The oil keeps the juices from seeping out, permits the spices to stick, and crisps the skin. We like our chicken very spicy. Adjust the amounts you use to suit your tastes.