I'm cooking two 3.5 pound stuffed chickens. For how long do I cook it and at what temperature?!
I'm cooking two 3.5 pound stuffed chickens. For how long do I cook it and at what temperature?
Also, if you could tell me how to make gravy from the drippings that would be great!
Answers: 3.1/2lb - 20 mins per lb at 375 degrees F. Chicken should reach the internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
To make gravy:
Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of drippings from pan. Add 3 tablespoons flour; stir over medium low heat. Add 3 cups milk, simmer until well thickened. Add salt and pepper. Chicken - 2.5 pounds for forty mins. So about 80 mins for 3.5 pounds plus stuffing. Oven at 180 C. Think that's about 350 F.
Gravy: mix 2teaspoons cornstarch with cup of cold water until smooth. More cornstarch for thicker gravy. Put pan drippings in a small saucepan & heat on low. Add cornstarch mix SLOWLY so that you don't get lumps. Cook on low for 5-8 mins. Gravy will thicken with standing. Roast at 375 degrees F for 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours breast side up in a shallow roasting pan. Brush the skin with melted butter and sprinkle with crushed herbs.
For gravy:
Pan drippings
1/4 flour
Chicken broth or stock
Pour the pan drippings into a large measuring cup and skim off 1/4 cup of the fat - discard the rest - and place into saucepan. Stir into flour until smooth. Add broth to drippings in cup to make 2 cups and add to flour mixture all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until hot and bubbly then cook for an extra minute. Season to taste. Roast the chickens in a shallow pan with a rack at 350 degrees F for 1.5 hours.
For the gravy... You need 2 Tbs fat and 2 Tbs All Purpose flour and one cup of liquid for each cup of gravy you want.
For the fat, skim fat off from pan drippings. Add butter to make up the difference if you do not have enough.
Heat fat over medium heat until hot and bubbly. Then add flour.
Cook fat and flour until lightly browned.
Stirring constantly, add liquid all at once. Use skimmed liquid from roasted chicken, adding chicken broth, wine or water to make enough if needed.
Bring to a boil, still stirring constantly.
Reduce heat and simmer 1-2 minutes, until gravy is thickened to your liking.
Season to taste with freshly ground pepper (preferably a gourmet blend) and serve.
Bert Cooking chickens with stuffing in them has three big disadvantages. First, it takes longer stuffed than unstuffed. Second, if you are not careful, you could get food poising from undercooked stuffing. Finally, the stuffing will, while good, be soaked in chicken fat. Since you are already planning on making pan gravy, you should consider cooking the stuffing seperately.
Also, get and use a good digital instant read thermometer. You know about how long it will take based on the size of the birds, but you want to make sure it is really done at that time. 165F in the joint between the leg and the thigh is correct. Wrong answers guys. When you cook a stuffed bird you take your temp reading in the deepest part of the stuffing NOT at the deepest part of the leg joint . It is very possible that the inside of the stuffing could be well within the Danger Zone while still getting the proper joint temps. That is the reason [ and the fact that stuffing is very subject to cross -contamination] that cooking stuffed birds is discouraged. Cook the stuffed chicken at 350 degrees for two hours.
Take the chicken out of the pan and let rest while you make your gravy. Use the hot drippings and add two tablespoons of flour, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper and keep stirring. As the mixture becomes thick add some chicken stock ( or hot water) and stir. Shut off the stove, cover the gravy and wait five minutes.
Carve the chicken and enjoy.