Like all of America and the world, we too spent a lot of time in the kitchen this year. This time led to some pretty exciting experiments. We also came to value the amazing difference in taste that results from cooking slowly with low heat. The flavors just meld together in such a way that makes you lick each finger in delight after each and every bite. Here’s some of what we cooked.

The recipe starts with a simple brine that I found in the 2019 Christmas newsletter we received from our local Wegman’s grocery store in Princeton, NJ.

I usually brine the chicken for a day or two. When I’m ready to cook it, I stuff some of the ingredients from the brine, such as lemon, orange slices, a bay leaf and a sprig of rosemary inside the cavity of the bird. I tie the legs together, and in order to keep the chicken moist as it cooks, I slather a little bit of butter with rosemary mixed in atop the skin that will be exposed in the oven. Some cooks use mayonnaise for this step–chef’s choice.

I then add about a tablespoon of oil in the pan I’ll use and rest the chicken on its back in the pan. I set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature can be higher if you want to cook faster, but this will alter the flavor a bit. I start with the lid of the pan off so that the chicken gets some color to start. Pay attention here as you may need to add some liquid to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan on the bottom as well as to keep the kitchen moist. I find that the water from the brine can be of use here. Again, attention is required as the brine can be salty, so add this in moderation.

Once the chicken begins to have a caramel color on top, you can cover the pan with your lid or foil. This step will naturally result in more water coming from the chicken, but this is great for basting as you go. To baste, simply use a spoon or other tool to scoop the water around your chicken and pour over the top of your chicken. Do this few times and continue to do it every 20 mins or so. Cook for 2.5hrs at 350 degrees for fall-off -the-bones chicken and adjust time if you increase the heat. Once your chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove the cover from your pan and allow the top to re-caramelize to your desired color. For fast color, you can use the oven’s broil setting for just a minute or two. Viola, amazingly delicious roasted chicken.