A SHALLOW ROASTING PAN—This is my preference, as it allows the heat to
reach the bird evenly, and ensures an all-over rich brown color—even in the case
of a small bird which roasts in a comparatively short time.

To STUFF THE BirD—Use. the stuffing of your choice—and whilst you may
have a favorite stuffing, it is a good idea to experiment a little with other combinations
of base, seasonings and special character-ingredients.

Most of the stuffing goes into the large cavity of the bird, through the slit above
the tail. If the stuffing mixture is one which will swell during cooking (as a bread
crumb or other cereal stuffing will do), be generous (because everyone loves plenty
of good stuffing) but do not pack too closely.

The opening through which stuffing has been done, will need to be closed. You
can do this in three ways:

(1) Overlap skin and fasten with a couple of small skewers; often adequate,
but not the neatest way.

(2) Sew up the vent, using a darning needle and strong sewing-cotton or fine
string. |

(3) Run as many small skewers as are needed (depending on size of vent) through

the skin on each side of the opening, keeping them straight and parallel to each |

other. With a string, lace across the opening, from the ends of each skewer to the
next one, crossing the strings each time (just as a man laces the upper part of a
boot, where there are hooks around which he carries the crossed shoe-laces). Draw
the vent close, as you go. Tie string-ends.

The crop remains to be stuffed, and for it I like to make sure the stuffing will
slice nicely, along with the breast-meat. To that end, I advocate the addition of a
slightly-beaten egg or two to the stuffing that goes in at the neck-end of the bird.

Never over-stuff the breast—just use enough stuffing to carry a smooth line
from the breast-meat; turn the long neck-skin down over the back of the bird and
fasten it with a skewer—patting and pressing the stuffed crop-area to shape it
nicely. Remember to allow for swelling here, too, when you are putting in the
stuffing—a bird with a swollen lump above the breast is no handsomer than one
with the sunken appearance that results from not using stuffing there at all!

To Truss Birp—I never like to see string-marks over the top or breast of a
bird—and they are quite unnecessary.

You need strong string and skewers for trussing—handy short skewers are useful
for purposes already discussed, but long ones are needed for holding wings and
legs in good position.

Press the wings in close to the body of the bird (turning tips in underneath, if
they have been retained) and run a long skewer through one wing, the body, and
the second wing; (if your skewer isn’t long enough, run one through each wing).
Push the legs up well toward the breast, and skewer them firmly in place.

Take a piece of string calculated to be long enough for the job, and wind the
middle of it around the ends of the leg bones; draw turkey and chicken legs fairly
close—leave goose and duck legs further apart (as becomes the natural structure
of each bird); carry the two strings (we shall speak of the two ends now as two
strings) under the tail of the bird, cross them, and carry them to the protruding
ends of the leg skewer; wind strings firmly, one around each end of leg skewer.

109 LESSON 14

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