Were do I start. We raise chickens for our table and all I can say is they are delicious and like nothing I have ever eaten. There is no need to brine them because they are succulent, juicy and have a flavor profile all their own. Different breeds have different flavors and what we raise is different from commercial breeds. When we started raising meat birds we let them free-range until butchering day. The result was tough as nails and only meant for the pressure cooker. So, being OCD, I got online and started researching how they raise the famous French Bresse chicken. The end results are unbelievable. I like big birds but for this I like them smaller. Years ago I learned from the Dean and Deluca cookbook their recipe for Bistro chicken. They rub them with goose fat and roast them slow and low. I like the goose fat but for smaller birds I like a high heat oven. The goose fat I use comes from our black peppercorn and thyme crusted Christmas goose (Trotter Cooks at Home). So imagine the flavor of the fat but duck fat will also work here. I stuff the cavity with aromatics not so much for flavor but anticipation. The aromatics and roasting chicken make the house smell wonderful creating the anticipation of eating, especially if there are home made rolls in the oven too. One final note, the night before I cook the chickens I set them in the fridge, uncovered, on a tray with edges to catch any juices. It allows the skin to dry, creating a pellicle, and the chicken browns more evenly. —thirschfeld
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