FEATHER YOUR NEST
SHUTTERSTOCK
LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS
WHAT IS BRINING
AND HOW DO I DO IT?
Brining is basically
soaking the chook
in salt water. It
helps keep your
chicken moist —
soaking it in water
increases the
moisture in the
meat, while the
salt prevents it
from drying out
when it cooks. It
also really enhances
the chicken’s
flavour, as salt from
the brine penetrates
deep into the
chicken flesh.HOWDOIKNOW
WHEN IT’S DONE?
The only way to
know for sure that
your chook is done
is by using a meat
thermometer. Insert
the thermometer
into the inner thigh
area near the breast
of the chicken or
turkey, but not
touching bone. Your
chook’s temp should
be 75 ̊. No pink
should be visible;
juices should
run clear.THE BEST WAY TO
SEASON A CHOOK?
You can season the
skin, under the skin
and/or the cavity.
No matter what you
choose, start by
patting your chicken
dry with paper towels
— it’ll make the skin
crispier. To season
the skin, simply rub
it with your favourite
herbs and spices.
Rubbing some butter
on will also help the
skin brown. To season
under the skin, use
a sharp knife to trim
away any excess skin
and fat from around
the cavity. Starting
from the edge of the
cavity, gently push
the skin away from
the breasts. Rub your
seasonings in the
space cleared under
the skin. To season
the cavity, rub
the insides with
seasoning, and stuff
with herbs and an
onion or lemon. If you
can be arsed making
stuffing, bung some
of that in there, too.COOK YA CHOOK
A roast chook goes well with
pretty much anything, but we
say opt for a white burgundy for
white drinkers or a pinot noir
for those who prefer a red. But
chicken also goes well with
champagne, cider and golden
or blonde ales.BARMAID’S CHOICE
CHOOK
- DID YOU KNOW?
More than 50 billion chickens
are raised and slaughtered
every year — probably mostly
to satisfy bodybuilders’
insatiable appetite for chicken
breasts. This means there
are more chickens on Earth
than people. (Should we be
worried?) And as for that old
chestnut – which came first,
the chicken or the egg? Well,
all vertebrates have eggs, but
the hardshelled variety first
appeared among reptiles.- SIDES AHOY
You can go down the
bog-standard roasted root
veg route, or you could try
something different, like
steamed green beans, grilled
corn and zucchini, crispy
coleslaw, a rocket salad with
cranberries and pistachios,
roasted asparagus or a sweet
potato and feta mash. Herb-
wise, chicken goes well with
herbs like thyme and tarragon.
Tarragon works best if you also
stuff the chook with a lemon.- CARVE IT RIGHT
Place chook, breast side up,
on a board. Remove leg by
pulling it away to expose the
hip joint; cut through joint. Hold
drumstick firmly against board
and cut through the knee joint.
Cutting this joint separates the
leg and thigh. Remove a wing
from the joint that attaches it
to the body. Cut as close to
the breast as possible. Carve
the breast meat parallel to
the centre bone, slicing
towards the top of the breast.Cooked chook can safely be stored in
the fridge for up to three or four days.
Frozen, it will last up to four months.
So make the most of it while you can.Chicken tacos
Shred your leftover chicken meat with
a fork and warm it up in the microwave,
sprinkling the meat with some warm
water or stock (see “Make a stock”) to
help keep it moist. Stir the meat together
with some barbecue sauce and chilli
powder and cumin. Serve meat mix on
warm tortillas with some salad leaves
and Greek yoghurt, or add some corn
kernels and cherry tomatoes.Make a stock
Throw the chicken carcass into a big
stock pot. Add some roughly chopped
carrots, celery and onions, along with
some fresh thyme and black pepper. Fill
the pot with water until all ingredients
are covered, pop on the lid and bring to
a boil, then leave to simmer for around
an hour. Dispose of all the veg and the
carcass (unless there’s still some meat
on the bones, which you can pick off
and eat) and let the liquid cool. When it’s
cold, you can easily skim off the excess
fat that’s congealed at the top. You now
have a delicious, low-salt stock to use
in soups, risottos and stews.AUGUST 2016 MEN’S FITNESS 103