One of the things that makes chicken so very popular as a meal is how to truss a chicken for rotisserie. Rotisserie cooking started in the early twentieth century. Back then, roasting a chicken was much more elaborate than it is today. Trussing the chicken required metal skewers that were shaped like ovals, but since those are not available, we can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You will need to season the breasts with salt and pepper first before cooking them.
Trussing makes even more impressive roasted chicken, and there is something really satisfying about seeing perfectly brown, crispy layers of meat, almost falling off the bone as they are pulled through the roasting process. If you have not had a chance to roast a chicken for rotisserie, this is a great way to do it. Most people just get the bird and throw it on the grill until it is done, but in reality, a really good roast requires some careful preparation. Here are some tips on how to truss a chicken for rotisserie.
The legs of the bird need to be attached to the trussing string underneath with an elastic band or other type of band that holds the legs in place without tying them. Once you have attached the legs, you can twist the ends of the string to hold them in place and twist the string back under itself to keep the legs from coming out. After you have twisted the string back under itself, you will want to separate the skin from the breast. This is done by cutting away a small amount of skin at the breast and along the side of the breast meat, then lifting the skin up on the breast meat. You will then need to turn the chicken over so that it is on its side and the string coming out of the side of the bird is on the opposite side.
To pull the skin from the next bone of the chicken, you will need a small pair of pliers and a small, strong twine. The twine can be wrapped around the leg and around the joint where the two bones meet, and the tip of the twine can be inserted into the hole you just drilled in the next bone. You will have to pry the twine out of the hole and then use the pliers to pull the twine tight. The more times you pull the twine through the hole, the tighter it gets around the joint and the better it comes out. Keep on pulling until the twine no longer comes out.
Once you have the twines through all the joints, twist them a little bit so that they are securely in place. If your roast is rather large, twist them so that they are equally spaced across the bird's legs. This will help them to cook evenly. Then, lay the chicken on the board and place the legs down first. Spread oil in the bottom of a frying pan or baking sheet. Spread some oil in the bottom of a roasting pan too, but make sure it does not get too close to the roasted chicken legs.
Place your chicken on the pan with the legs out. Fold the wing over so that the wing is almost flush against the pan. Fold the second wing over so that it forms a loop. These two folds will help you to cook evenly since they will prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the rotisserie.
Tie a few slits near the top of the wing so that when you pull the twine through the next bone, the coiled pattern will be visible. You need a total of three slits for each wing. Pull the twine through the first bone and then through the second bone. It may be necessary to re-do the twists here and again until your chicken is done. Truss the chicken breasts using the cut side of the cleaver or with a knife.
Truss your chicken breasts with the kitchen twine. Be sure that the twine is tied securely and that it can easily go through the cleaver. Truss the wings by lifting them over your head. Twist the ends so that they are snug against the cleaver. Pull the chicken wings back under the breasts, allowing extra room in the middle to allow the juices to drain.
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