GardenStater's Profile

@Manjar: I had the same thought. I love Thomas', but the top is always smaller/thinner than the bottom. Not a problem when sopping up egg yolk from the plate, but I doubt they'd work for this recipe.

I like Wolferman's, but agree they're expensive. And I want to make my own English Muffins. Just have to buy the rings.

I use the Cook's Illustrated method of separating the skin and pre-salting, then refrigerating uncovered for up to 24 hours (makes for some nice crispy skin!). But I use two lemons: One gets sliced almost in half, then inserted into the cavity. The other lemon is sliced in half, and the juice squeezed out over the skin on both sides (pre-salt). Then comes salt and pepper. Just prior to going into the oven, I take a stick of butter, slice it up, and stick several slices under the breast skin and the rest on top of the chicken. It works great--I get the lemony flavor, crisp skin, and moist meat every time! (Oh, as to heat: preheat the oven to 450, then reduce to 350 when you put the bird in.)

I think it really depends on who's reading the recipe. A first-time cook, nervous about getting everything right, might depend more on specific instructions, illustrations, etc. Somebody who's already roasted 400 chickens is going to need a lot less, and will be more likely to experiment or substitute.

I've been reading a lot lately about the cast-iron skillet method of roasting chickens; it seems to be the latest thing. I've always used the roasting pan/rack (which are a big pain to clean), so I may try out my old Griswold skillet this weekend.

Being an experienced cook really allows you much more freedom, doesn't it? (Well, I'm out of ingredient "X," but I'm sure ingredient "Y" will do just fine.) It makes cooking lots more fun, and allows you to get better and better, so that eventually you don't rely on recipes except for brand-new things.

Been doing this for years. It seems the cast-iron skillet method is the latest craze. I haven't tried that yet, but I might.

As to cooking time, an hour should be right, if you're cooking at 450. I follow the Joy of Cooking technique: Preheat the oven to 450, and turn it down to 350 when you put the chicken in. Then cook for 20 minutes per pound.

And I never take the bird's temperature--I just wiggle the leg. If it's loose, it's done. Never had a problem. (And let's face it--none of our ancestors had a Thermapen, and they managed!)

A fine list, but you left out my old friend Scotch Whisky...

I bought a 10-inch, 100+ year-old Griswold skillet on eBay about two years ago. It's my all-time favorite kitchen tool.

One big difference in the old cast iron vs Lodge: The surface of the new pans isn't milled smooth. I'm not sure they'll ever be as good as the old stuff.

Long story short: a ten-inch skillet will cover you for 90 percent of what you need. (And buy an old pan!)

Sadly, I wasn't old enough to be interested in cooking when my grandmother died, or I would have made sure to snatch up all her stuff. But a few years ago, I bought a Griswold cast-iron skillet on eBay. It's more than a hundred years old, and has become my favorite kitchen tool. My grandchildren will fight over it when I'm gone...