Broiler or fryer chickens can be roasted, ovenbaked, barbecued, or cooked on a rotisserie as well as broiled or fried. Fryer-roaster turkeys weighing 4 or 5 pounds can be roasted whole, or can be cut into parts and fried or broiled.
Rock Cornish game hens can be cooked like broiler or fryer chickens. Small ducks are suitable for broiling or frying; larger ones, for roasting or rotisserie cooking. Geese roast very well.
Roast poultry uncovered for best color and to reduce splitting and shrinkage. Poultry can be roasted with or without stuffing; unstuffed birds take slightly less time to cook. Cook poultry until tender and juicy; do not overcook.
Roasting
Prepare the poultry as directed above. Stuff the body and neck cavities lightly; allow about ½ cup of stuffing per pound of ready-to-cook poultry. See stuffing recipe (p. [28]). Or if desired, leave poultry unstuffed.
Fold loose neck skin toward back; fasten with a skewer. Turn wingtips back of heavy wingbone to rest against neck skin. Tuck ends of legs under band of skin at tail or fasten legs together close to body.
To roast poultry, place breast side up on a rack in a shallow pan. Do not cover pan and do not add water.
See roasting guide (p. [28]) for approximate times for roasting poultry.
A meat thermometer is the best guide to doneness of turkeys. Insert the thermometer into the center of the inner thigh muscle. Make sure it does not touch the bone.
Salt the giblets and neck, seal them in aluminum foil, and roast along with the poultry. Or simmer them in salted water until tender.