radiation heat, such as below the rim of a roasting
pan or inside the cavity of a turkey. A convection
oven, on the other hand, forces hot air to circulate
all around the food, constantly supplying it with
plenty of heat energy. It also whisks away surface
moisture, causing skin of crusts to dry out faster.
This can significantly increase the rate of cooking, as
well as make for better, more evenly browned
poultry skin or meat crusts. If your oven has one, I
recommend using the convection setting, particularly
for roasting meats and poultry.
The drawback is that most recipes (including the
ones in this book) are not specifically designed for
convection ovens, so some adjustment is necessary to
get them to work as advertised. The general rule of
thumb is that if you are using a recipe developed for
a conventional oven but cooking in a convection
oven, reduce the oven temperature by around 25
degrees. The exact adjustment will vary depending
on oven brand and model, so some testing may be
required before you learn exactly how your oven
works.

WHAT MAKES CHICKEN SKIN

CRISP AND GOLDEN?

Chicken skin is composed mainly of three