Snow Buzzard
I had bought a nice big honking roasting buzzard a few weeks ago that I was going to make a fricassee with on the day we had the big storm. But after shoveling for several hours I frankly didn’t have the energy. So what to make? When in doubt, I reach for Marcella.
(I hope my Bride knows what I mean by that)
Anyhow, since I had one of these lying about
And a couple of these
it was a given that I was going to make her classic Two Lemon Chicken, just about the simplest, divinest piece of poultriarchal joy that will ever cross your lips.
Roll the lemons on the counter to allow them to commune with their inner juiciness; use a reasonable amount of pressure…they like it
now take a bamboo skewer or other appropriately sharp and strongly pointy implement and puncture a multitudinous array of holes in the lemons as if you were practicing some nasty lemon voodoo
Juice will ooze out.
Here’s an interesting random fact: If you have the slightest, most tiniest-and-insignificant of blisters on your hand
from, oh, say having spent the weightier portion of your waking hours that day shoveling your driveway, well sir, those tasty oozles of lemon juice that are casting off the mortal cloak of their now artfully punctured rind will find it and sweet baby jeebus will it burn with all the fiery napalmic hell of Jihadi Depends.
I cussed and jumped around.
A lot.
Having survived that, we now face the rather delicate introduction of the Lemon Brothers with Ms. Buzzard
So that’s where they come from…
Anyhow, salt and pepper the Beastette all over and lightly tie the legs together and place the buzzard in a roasting rack, boobs-down, in a preheated oven at 350º for 30 minutes
then flip to Pamelas-up for another 35 minutes or so
then raise the heat to 400º and cook ’til done.
Don’t depend totally on the little pop-up thermometers that are in the buzzard as they will usually err on the side of over-done Sahara style dryness. Or, occasionally and as was the case with this particular buzzard, the pop-up was not properly inserted into the buzzard (it had been put in at a very shallow angle) so it popped up after about 20 minutes of cooking; umm, chicken carpaccio…my favorite!
The instant-read thermometer and the clear running juices told me it was done perfectly, and indeed it was.
plated up with a side of Zatarain’s Black Beans and Rice it made for a tasty and pretty easy meal. The chicken comes out incredibly most and subtly lemon-flavored.
Swill Food and Grog | Mr. Bingley | 
January 4, 2010 11:03 am
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ok, that picture of the lemon invaded chicken put me off my feed for the rest of the day…
Just think of what it did for the chicken…
add a couple of fried, sweet plantains and its a perfect meal.
Mr. Bing has an owee. I think THS is planning on doing a Perdue birdzilla tonight.
Indeed I am.
Man, this post makes me HUNGRY.
I’ve never been a big fan of yard bird, but Zatarain’s always makes me happy.
I’ve made that (thanks Marcella!!) and it is hands down the BEST and easiest roasted chicken ever. Yum yum yum!!!