[rosewater]

I'm still new at cooking chicken.
I like really salty roasted chicken, where all the meat tasted salty, not just the skin.
I found a recipe that sounded good that called for
2 T sea salt
1 t paprika
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder

To rub it in the inside and outside of the chicken and let it sit for 12-48 hours, covered, in the fridge.

I wanted to make it for tonight, but that would only give me 8 hours of letting it sit. Should i leave it in the fridge overnight and make it tomorrow? Is it the amount of salt used or the time it is let to "soak in" that really matters? I would imagine both. Does it look like enough salt for a nicely salty chicken? Will it soak through the skin well? Would you recommend letting it sit longer or will 8 hours do? Thanks!

Also, should I roast it at 300 or 350?

 

[AJP]

You can do it faster than that recipe says by using a wet brine (rather than a dry rub). Find a food-safe vessel large enough for the chicken to fit inside completely, then soak it in a brine made with 1 cup of salt per gallon of water. You can add other seasonings to the brine, but you can also put them directly on the chicken after it comes out of the brine. You won't need a full gallon of brine unless your vessel is too large, it should only need a quart or two (so, 1/4 c. salt per quart of water) if you have a container that the chicken just barely fits all the way inside leaving only enough room to add liquid. I use a stock pot. A whole chicken will brine well within about 4 hours. Keep it in the fridge if possible during the brining time, or use ice for part of the water so it stays below 40F while brining. Let it air dry after brining, or dry with paper towels, you don't want it soggy when it goes in the oven. You can probably find more exact directions for brining chickens online if this is too vague for you.

I prefer to roast chickens at a higher heat, like 450F, for a shorter time, because the skin gets crispier and the meat doesn't dry out as much before it gets done, and I also prefer to roast them breast side down to help the white meat not dry out as much. A whole chicken takes about 1 hour to roast at that temp. A meat thermometer is very useful (chicken should be cooked to 160F in the deepest part of the breast), but if you don't have one, no matter what oven temp you use, you can judge doneness by when the leg joints get very loose when you wiggle them and feel like they'll pull right off if you tug.

 

[rosewater]

Thanks!

Mine is already dry rubbed and in the fridge.

I'll try a brine next time.

 

[ani'smommy]

I looooove a brined chicken, too. Here's the recipe I use:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/312785

 

[rosewater]

I don't want to roast it at a hight temp because I tought in NT she says it should be slow cooked. Wouldn't slow cooked be more traditional? I don't remember the reason they gave.

 

[rosewater]

I found she says 375 and I didn't read to see if she explains it. Does anyone know?