It doesn't matter if I am referring to a Chicken or a Turkey, or any other kind of wild or domesticated "bird." All of them sorta scare me. In the refrigerator there sits a Chicken that the wife had out from from the freezer, thawing. Obviously what's available to cook is what is cooked, and so I'm thinking that it's "next" on the agenda.
The fear of the bird is the Salmonella police I guess, and not wanting my bird to fall to pieces. I'm also under the gun because I work, and the wife is at home. She'll naturally assume to start dinner before I get home, so I 'll have to specifically request that she leave it to me, in order to have any hope of attempting a "meal" for us. (Ever notice how every cook book talks about serving sizes for "6 to 8" people?). It's not hard to figure really.........a vegetable (we like a lot of different types) and some mashed potatoes (sounds rather "typical," eh?) and "the bird." Handling and washing and not cross-contaminating things is apparently a big deal, so I'll just have to become even MORE neurotic about my habits with food than I already am in other areas of my life.
My notes here are focused on the planning, as opposed to after the fact, because I want you to be able to share my learning thru ALL the process. I watch these cooking shows of course, and I see they have all their ingredients pre-cut, pre-diced, pre-sliced, etc.. It's not the reality of the time and effort that goes into preparing a meal. I'm sure that many of you are forced to prepare a meal after a long day at work, and that explains why there are so many who eat so dang late at night! When there IS someone home who cooks and is home a good part of the day, meals tend to be more around the 5 PM hour.
So there's that "now thawed" bird in the ice box. I'll look thru the recipe's I can find (I'd LOVE to make Southern Fried Chicken but we don't have a deep fryer and I don't think we have enough oil to pan fry it in the twelve inch cast iron skillet), so I'm guessing that the wife will suggest broiling or cooking it like a turkey, or something along those lines. Thinking of the chicken as just a smaller version of a turkey is helpful on some level. I've seen the stuffing made and injected, and the basting and covering tricks. How much different can this "chicken" BE?! I'm sure the time is less in the oven, and the slicing must be the same after it's done, right?
In a couple of days, when we go to the grocery store, I'm sure I'll be looking at even more "birds" for the upcoming week's menu, and that'll be a whole OTHER aspect to all this...........choosing the right "bird" to begin with. What size (don't need a HUGE one really), what flavor (seems like everyone and their uncle are selling chickens these days and I have no idea which one is best or better than most). I'll try and buy things like fresh vegetables instead of canned ones, (the wife does this as well, most of the time, but I'm seeing more "cans" these days, it seems), and potatoes, potatoes, potatoes (seems like everything has either eggs, or potatoes in it or with it; what's THAT about????).
A video I saw recently, was made by a Chef who was discussing the "Five Phobia's of Cooking." I don't remember all five, but I DO remember one of them. It was the "Phobia" of potentially poisoning yourself or others who eat your food. Given the Salmonella Police and the potentials with birds, I think that is a healthy Phobia frankly. The Chef stated that the reason most foods are overcooked, is that folks are so afraid of poisoning themselves or others, that they overcook to absolutely avoid any trouble. I personally want to respect the fear, but cook something that is not only palatable but easy to eat. There is nothing more flattering than a plate that comes back to the sink with nothing on it.
If cooking a chicken is as easy as the pepperoni bread I made at Thanksgiving, and is eaten as voraciously by others..........I'll deem my efforts "sucessful."
What I've learned:
1. Bird preparation requires strict attention to the cleaning.
2. Learn to use what you have on hand.
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