bare basics

ingredients

Keep your kitchen stocked with with these basic ingredients and a simple centerpiece for your meal is always close at hand.

• Just BARE^® — Nothing But All Natural Chicken (any variety)
• Olive oil
• Fresh bulbs of garlic
• Sweet onions
• Coarse ground salt and pepper
• Fresh sprigs of herbs 

safety

Follow these simple steps to ensure safety when handling and cooking fresh chicken.

1. Rinsing a whole chicken or chicken pieces in cold water prior to cooking is a preferred method by most culinary experts. However, it is optional as long as the whole chicken or pieces appear well cleaned right out of the package. If you are someone who likes to rinse, be sure to scrub the sink with hot, soapy water afterwards to avoid cross-contamination with other foods.
2. According to the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service, regardless of the cut or type, poultry should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F into the thickest part of the meat. However, you may want it more well done based on your personal preferences. Some visual cues for doneness: chicken juices should run clear, there should be no hint of pink in the meat, and the meat should be fork-tender which means it should insert easily into the chicken. But to be sure, the experts say ALWAYS USE A MEAT THERMOMETER. Below are a few pointers for using one properly.
   • For a whole chicken, insert the meat thermometer in to thickest part of the thigh or breast.
   • For bone-in, boneless and ground chicken, insert it into the thickest part of the largest piece/portion you are cooking.
   • In all cases, make sure the probe doesn’t touch the bone or cooking surface.
3. Wash all surfaces and equipment that the raw chicken comes in contact with during preparation, including bowls, plates, cutting boards, knives, countertops, etc. Don’t forget your hands and fingernails too!
4. Get more safe cooking and handling information at:

     USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service
     National Chicken Council

techniques & tips

Here are some basic techniques used in the recipes featured on this site... as well as some basic tips for ensuring delicious results.

cooking techniques

Sauté: To cook chicken quickly add a small amount of oil in a skillet or sauté pan over direct heat. This method browns the outside of the meat while the inside stays moist and is an easy method to cook chicken with other vegetables. When sautéing, it is important to use a pan that conducts heat well and is large enough to easily turn chicken and vegetables.

Braise: A cooking method where chicken is browned in oil, and then cooked covered in a small amount of liquid over medium or low heat. Braising can be done on top of the range or in the oven.

Simmer: To cook gently in liquid until tiny bubbles just begin to break the surface. A tip for adding water, wine, or chicken broth to a recipe: add a little at a time so that the liquid cooks off and the chicken remains golden brown in color.

Grill: Grilling is a method of cooking chicken on a heavy metal grate over medium-high heat. The recipes on this site work well on both gas and charcoal grills. Some of the recipes for grilling cook meat in a foil pan or packet to allow pan juices to be collected and ensure a delicious grilled flavor and color. Thin foil pans can be purchased at most any supermarket or created simply with heavy-duty aluminum foil. For give meat added moistness, squeeze the juice of a lemon on grilled chicken while it is cooking. For best results, turn chicken several times during grilling using tongs to avoid piercing the meat or skin. Place pieces on different areas of the grill for even doneness.

Roast: To cook chicken in an uncovered pan in an oven, resulting in a well-browned, appetizing exterior and moist, tender meat on the inside. Roast chicken in a 425°F degree oven until the internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 165°F degrees. Let the chicken rest 5 to 10 minutes before carving to raise the temperature 10 degrees and to allow chicken juices to be absorbed by the meat. For additional moistness, serve roasted chicken with pan juices.

cooking tips

• Begin cooking over medium-high heat to brown and add an appetizing color to chicken on both sides. Then, lower the heat to medium to ensure that the chicken is cooked through.

• Cover the pan the last few minutes of cooking to create more pan juices. Pan juices should be golden in color, flavorful and infused with the aroma of the herbs added during cooking.

• Tuck herbs and spices under the skin of whole chicken to add lots of fresh flavor to the meat while roasting or grilling. This also works well with individual bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces.

marinating

Add fresh, natural flavor to your favorite chicken with these simple steps for marinating.

• For easier handling and cleanup, marinate the chicken in a plastic, zip-seal food-storage bag instead of a dish. Squeeze out the air and refrigerate, turning occasionally to enhance the marination process.
  
  
• For best flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes before cooking but not for more than 24 hours.
  
  
• Discard any leftover marinade after removing chicken. NEVER use it on cooked foods.
  
  
• When grilling chicken marinated in an oil-based marinade, check the chicken often, moving pieces if needed with tongs. Also, keep a spray bottle of water nearby because oil marinades burn more easily and can cause flare-ups.

whole chicken

Cooking Shortcut

An easy shortcut for cooking a whole chicken is to flatten or butterfly it prior to cooking. Just take a sharp pair of kitchen scissors, cut along the backbone of the chicken and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten. This method reduces the time to roast or grill a whole chicken by about 50% and allows you to season both the inside and outside with ease. It’s becoming an increasingly popular cooking method in restaurants.

Carving Step-By-Step

Step 1: Place the chicken on a clean, sanitary cutting board. Remove leg and thigh section by pressing leg away from body. Cut through joint carefully, following body contour.

Step 2: Cut the drumstick and thigh apart at the joint. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for the opposite side of the chicken.

Step 3: Cut the meat from the drumstick and thigh in thin slices.

Step 4: On each side of the chicken, cut between wing and breast to sever joint.

Step 5: Cut breast horizontally just above the wing joint, cutting through the ribs. Repeat for opposite side of the chicken.

Step 6: With long, smooth strokes, cut the breast into thin slices. Repeat for opposite side of chicken.

substitutions

• When fresh herbs are not available, substitute half of the amount of fresh herbs with dried herbs if using one tablespoon or less. Make sure the dried herbs have not been in the pantry for more than 6 months, as dried herbs will lose their flavor after this time. When a recipe calls for more than one tablespoon of fresh herbs, it is important to have fresh available or substitute this herb with parsley which is available at all supermarkets during each season. Another option: try growing fresh herbs from seeds in pots on your porch during the summer and move them inside during the winter. Many herbs like thyme, mint, oregano and sage can be planted in a kitchen garden. With a little mulch over the winter, these herbs will return the next spring season. Dill and cilantro will reseed itself and you can discover this in new places each garden season.
  
  
• The recipes on this site call for cloves of garlic. One medium sized clove of garlic equals about one teaspoon of chopped or minced garlic.
  
  
• Many varieties of onions are available at the supermarket. Try substituting sweet onions in recipes that call for white onions since they caramelize during cooking, adding a delicious flavor to chicken.
  
  
• Many recipes call for fresh lemon juice. For adding flavor variety to chicken, try substituting different vinegars for the lemon juice. Herbed, spiced and fruited vinegars are available at many supermarkets and specialty shops. The juice of one lemon is equal to about two tablespoons. Before adding the vinegar to the recipe, sample the vinegar on a salad to become familiar with the taste.

stock & gravy

Stock or chicken broth and gravy are must-haves for every cook’s collection. Here are two flavorful basic recipes: a broth that serves as the perfect start for any chicken soup recipe and a gravy for a savory finish.

Basic Chicken Stock/Broth

Makes 4 quarts broth

Substitute this homemade stock for canned chicken broth in any recipe. Use it to make homemade soups and stews.

Chicken bones from 1 Just BARE^® Whole Chicken (3 ½ to 4 pounds)
2 onions, quartered
2 carrots, quartered
2 stalks celery, cut into thirds
1 cup mixture of parsley and thyme leaves and stems
2 bay leaves
4 quarts water

In stockpot or large saucepan add all ingredients. Simmer over medium heat, skimming often, for 3 to 4 hours. Strain and use or refrigerate 3 days. Stock can be frozen up to 3 months.

Basic Chicken Gravy

Makes 2 cups gravy

1 package (3 ½ to 4 pounds) Just BARE^® Whole Chicken
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Roast chicken, reserving pan juices (about 1/3 cup). In skillet melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes until flour begins to brown. Stir in pan juices from chicken and milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until gravy begins to thicken. Stir in salt, pepper, parsley and thyme. Adjust amount of milk or broth depending on thickness of gravy that you prefer. Serve over sliced roasted chicken and garlic-mashed potatoes.